FL Emergency Alert Flub Draws DeSantis Ire: 'Completely Inappropriate'

TALLAHASSEE, FL — State officials are demanding accountability after Floridians received a rude awakening early Thursday morning via Florida's wireless emergency alert system.

The alert sounded at 4:45 a.m. ET, jolting residents awake to a message displayed on their phones: "This is a TEST of the Emergency Alert System. No action required."

The faux pas prompted officials and state residents to funnel their irritation through social media.

"I've ordered FL Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie to bring swift accountability for the test of the emergency alert system in the wee hours of the morning," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tweeted. "This was a completely inappropriate use of this system."

The Florida emergency alert system is designed to alert residents quickly in case of emergencies like a hurricane or other disaster. According to the Federal Communications Commission, there were more than 22.8 million wireless subscribers in Florida in 2021.

Officials with the Florida Division of Emergency Management released a statement saying the alert was meant to be televised, not sent to cell phones. Officials said the state contracts with a company called Everbridge, which sent the wrong technical specifications for the alert.

"Good government identifies errors, corrects them expediently, and holds people accountable when appropriate," the statement read. "The Division recognizes that this error was unacceptably disruptive and will correct it."

Despite the agency's contrition, DeSantis press secretary Bryan Griffin promised the error would cost someone their job.

"This morning's 4:45 a.m. SERT test alert was not appropriate and not done at our direction. The party responsible will be held accountable and appropriately discharged," Griffin tweeted.

The flub likely tempted residents to turn off the alerts, but authorities — including those at the National Weather Service — advised against it.

"While certainly inconvenient this morning, we STRONGLY discourage you from disabling these alerts on your phone," the National Weather Service in Tampa Bay tweeted. "This could mean that you are unable to receive timely severe weather notifications from the @NWS that may mean the difference between life and death."