When emergency management officials issue an alert or a test, typically it's not one for a radiological emergency, but that's what happened Thursday just after 8 a.m.
The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS) conducted a test of the emergency alert system, but shortly after the alert was issued, Hall County authorities contacted AccessWDUN to say the test was not supposed to be audible.
A statement on the GEMA/HS website read:
"The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency conducted a test of the emergency alert system today regarding radiological emergency. We conduct regular testing of our emergency alert systems in order to ensure we are capable of reaching the public in the event of an actual emergency. Although the message stated that it was a test, we are aware that there was confusion on the part of some. We have since issued a cancellation message to ensure that the public is clear that this was a test message only."
Read more at this link about radiological emergencies and the GEMA/HS procedures for handling such emergencie.
The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has information on radiological emergencies on its website, as well.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2019/6/806417/gema-officials-clarify-emergency-alert-issued-thursday-morning