Executive Summary
- Hopewell Fire & EMS will conduct a “Shelter in Place” notification drill on December 16.
- Subscribed residents will receive a test text message simulating a citywide emergency alert.
- Recipients are asked to reply with specific codes to indicate whether they have a household emergency plan.
- A backup date is scheduled for December 17 if cancellation occurs.
Hopewell, Virginia, officials have announced a scheduled “Shelter in Place” (SIP) drill for December 16, designed to test the efficacy of the city’s emergency notification system and assess resident preparedness. According to Hopewell Fire & EMS, the training exercise involves disseminating a text message to residents who have voluntarily subscribed to the municipality’s alert network.
Authorities clarified that the alert will simulate a citywide emergency scenario, advising recipients to seek immediate shelter. Hopewell Fire & EMS emphasized that this transmission is strictly a test of the SIP messaging infrastructure and requires no actual protective action. Officials stated that if operational circumstances require the cancellation of the drill on December 16, the test will be rescheduled for December 17.
The exercise includes an interactive component intended to gauge community readiness. The text message will prompt recipients to reply with a specific code indicating the status of their household emergency planning. Residents are asked to respond with “JWWM 1” to confirm they have a plan, “JWWM 2” if they do not possess a plan, or “JWWM 3” to request further information via email. City officials indicated that updating profiles with the emergency communications department is necessary to ensure accurate delivery of these alerts.
Public Safety Readiness
The implementation of this drill serves a dual purpose for Hopewell’s emergency management strategy: validating the technical reliability of the alert distribution system and collecting data on public preparedness. By soliciting direct feedback on household emergency plans, local authorities can identify gaps in community readiness, potentially shaping future public safety education campaigns and resource allocation to ensure a more resilient response during genuine crisis situations.
