The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has launched CMAS (Commercial Mobile Alert System), its next-generation emergency notification system.

Activated on April 7, 2012, CMAS will enable federal, state, territorial, tribal and local government officials to send 90-character, geographically- targeted text alerts to the public, warning of imminent threats to life and property.

CMAS is also known as “Wireless Emergency Alerts” (WEA) or “Personal Localized Alerting Network” (PLAN).