SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. -- On Friday, the Delaware Emergency Management Agency addressed an accidental alert sent through the state's Emergency Alert System during a hazmat incident in Georgetown Wednesday night.
WBOC spoke with DEMA Director A.J. Schall to find out what happened. Schall says officials from several local and state agencies on the ground at the Perdue poultry plant in Georgetown on Wednesday were following protocol. They created an alert message for public safety officials to send out. Schall says an official sent out the message via a reverse 911 call, a wireless emergency alert, and the Emergency Alert System.
"When you hit the Emergency Alert System, it goes through broadcasts, TV channels, as well as radio stations," says Schall. "The way the system works in Delaware, kindof everybody is on the system, so that alert is going to go from Fenwick to Claymont."
DEMA issued a correction to the alert more than an hour later.
Some people in Laurel are calling the mistake unacceptable.
"They have to be more careful about what they're doing," says David Stasko. "People could get hurt."
The mistake was not unique. Last night, people across Los Angeles received erroneous fire evacuation alerts. The mistaken alerts seem to be weakening trust amongst the public across the nation.
"Trust your local officials," says Schall. "Make sure you stay informed of what may be happening around you, and we will make sure we train our partners so this doesn't happen again."
