Jesse Scheckner
Like many Floridians, Sen. Blaise Ingoglia isn’t happy about the blaring emergency “test” alert sent out to residents statewide early Thursday morning, and he’s vowing to do something about it.
He’s even looking into doing it this Session.
At 4:45 a.m., the Division of Emergency Management (DEM) sent out a cell phone alert, startling an untold share of the nearly 22 million people living in the Sunshine State awake hours before sunrise.
The alert read, “TEST — This is a TEST of the Emergency Alert System. No Action is required.”
Too late for that. Floridians took to social media soon after the alert went out to complain and share screenshots of the inconsiderate wake-up call.
The agency apologized on Twitter several hours later. The alert was supposed to have been on TV, where it wouldn’t have disturbed anyone sleeping, DEM personnel wrote.
“We are taking the appropriate action to ensure this will never happen again and that only true emergencies are sent as alerts in the middle of the night,” they added.
That’s not good enough for Ingoglia, who said he is putting together legislation to prohibit DEM from sending off-hours tests.
In a series of posts from the Spring Hill Republican’s Twitter account, @GovGoneWild, Ingoglia first said he planned to file a bill next Legislative Session to “stop these ‘tests’ from occurring between 10p-8a.”
“I’m 100% serious,” he said. “I’m going to call it the ‘Stop Wake Act.’ I need a House sponsor.”
I’m filing a bill next session to stop these “tests” from occurring between 10p-8a. I’m 100% serious. I’m gonna call it the “Stop Wake Act”. I need a house sponsor.
cc: @marissaamato2 @PeterSchorschFL @Mdixon55 @fineout @FLVoiceNews @theflstandard https://t.co/rnt1Y2BQsa— Blaise Ingoglia (@GovGoneWild) April 20, 2023
After Sarah Couture, Florida Director of the Fines and Fees Justice Center, suggested that he look into addressing the issue by amending a bill already advancing this year, Ingoglia directed his staffer, Marissa Ameto, to do just that.
Couture then recommended Ingoglia target SB 1418 or its House companion, HB 745, which deal with the funding of and transition to Florida’s Next Generation 911 system.
Rep. Fiona McFarland, the House bill’s sponsor, responded almost immediately.
“My newborn and I would consider this a friendly amendment,” she wrote.
Just in case that plan falls through, at least one other lawmaker is onboard.
“I’m in!” Rep. Chip LaMarca wrote.
Ingoglia, McFarland and LaMarca are all Republicans, but the idea has bipartisan appeal. Steve Schale, a Democratic lobbyist with Cardenas Partners, said he’d help get the proverbial ball rolling on the other side of the aisle.
“Happy to run the outside bipartisan coalition to support this vital work,” he wrote.
9 comments
David T. Hawkins
April 20, 2023 at 11:51 am
YEAH, WHAT THE HELL? I received it and boy was I PISSED. Do it during the DAMN DAY.
Diane
April 20, 2023 at 11:54 am
Seriously, people? With all the really bad things happening in Fla that the legislature is ignoring, you get your tights in a wad because you got woke up for no good reason? I wasn’t happy when the alert woke me at 3AM+, but I’m willing to accept the explanation that it was a mistake and precautions are being implemented, because that is the mature thing to do.
Dead Beat McClure
April 20, 2023 at 12:01 pm
The number of things that conservatives care about instead of other more important things number more than all the grains of sand on earth.
Lex
April 21, 2023 at 9:50 am
The number of things Democrats care about that make no sense… At least this item should be apolitical. Did you like the 4am emergency test text? Who does? Would you like to have more of these at 4am? Would any sane person? If you think this is political, please move to another state or out of the United States completely. I hear they need people in the Ukraine.
Elliott Offen
April 20, 2023 at 11:58 am
Florida’s easily disturbed and disgruntled Karens want justice for their bad morning. That was enough to ruin millions of people’s day. The perpetrator must be arrested and his mugshot put on a billboard. He must not be able to work ever again. Jesus can forgive anything but that. 10 people in The Villages died because of it. One lady dropped a baby. We will sue!
Dont Say FLA
April 20, 2023 at 12:33 pm
Uhhhhh, isn’t that supposed to be the Stop Woke Act?
Michael K
April 20, 2023 at 2:29 pm
What wakes me up at night is knowing that I now have the “freedom” go anywhere in Florida and be gunned down, while the current legislature only cares about being “woke” which they cannot define. Oh, and drag queens, whom they’ve never actually met or seen.
Darnell A. Hobbs
April 20, 2023 at 3:02 pm
Blaise Ingoglia gives off the same kind of energy as somebody who’s a very obnoxious Christian Culture Warrior, who we all expect to make national headlines one day for getting caught in rest area bathroom stall with a transvestite or grooming a 12 year old boy.
Ben
April 20, 2023 at 7:05 pm
Sure, let’s not let the overnight people do any tests. That way when an actual emergency happens at 4AM, nobody will know how to use the equipment to warn everybody.
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