Emergency alert test from Monterey Park causes confusion

Monterey Park found itself trending on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon, but perhaps not in the way it hoped.

The city’s Fire Department sent out an emergency alert notification to thousands of people at 2:14 p.m. The alert caused a loud buzz on cellphones. It’s the latest in a new emergency response system that uses push message to cellphones to get the word out about issues such as Amber Alerts and natural disasters.

But the test caught many off-guard. Some took to social media to complain, poke fun and inquired about where Monterrey Park is on the map.

“Did anyone else get this along with a blaring alarm? I’m not even NEAR Monterey Park!” Jessie Slipchinsky wrote on Twitter.

Another person said the alert intrurupted a school test.

Monterey Park is a city 10 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. It’s unclear how many people received the alert. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the alert came from the Monterey Park Fire Department. But Fire Department representative could not reached for comment.

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