Many Los Angeles County residents were rudely roused out of a sleep-in day’s slumber this morning, as an emergency warning to evacuate an area of Glendale, Calif. loudly hit their phones.
“Chevy Chase Canyon residents safely evacuate your home and proceed to evacuation site located at Glendale Community College Parking Lot B” said the first blast.
A few minutes later, Glendale sent out another tweet, again with the disturbing alarm sound: “Disregard safety alert for Chevy Chase Canyon. Training exercise only.”
Glendale is a city of about 200,000 that lies between Los Angeles city and Pasadena, California.
Red-faced city officials issued the following statement: “The city conducted a planned evacuation exercise in coordination with the Chevy Chase Canyon Association. Due to a glitch in the messaging software, incorrect messaging was distributed throughout Los Angeles County. The City is working with our partners to investigate.”
Residents are already jittery throughout Southern California, as the traditional fire season has begun in the drought-stricken area. Earlier this week, a brush fire fanned by high winds resulted in 20 high-end homes being consumed in Laguna Niguel in Orange County.
There was no information available on the number of phone owners who may have received the warning, but the message reached people throughout L.A. County. Cities nearby to Glendale also sent their own messages out via social media, assuring the public that the Glendale alarm was false.
