Sacramento, California - With more mobile devices than Americans, emergency management personnel view these devices as important assets to alert people as soon as possible that their lives or property are seriously at risk.

The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services is raising awareness about the Wireless Emergency Alerts to the public as well as to local public safety agencies with a 20-minute video called "Why Not WEA?"

The objective of this short video is to share the benefits of these alerts, dispel any myths associated with them and encourage you to learn more about them and their potentially lifesaving role when facing natural disasters, as well as other emergencies.

"We are just one of the 24 California public safety agencies who have signed up to send these warnings" said Cal OES Director Mark Ghilarducci. "But many people are still not sure what these messages are and how to make sure you are not turning them off."

Beginning in June 2012, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) along with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Wireless Industry launched the Wireless Emergency Alerts to compliment the existing Emergency Alert System and warn the public about imminent threats to safety or life as well as Amber Alerts.

In weather emergencies, warnings can save lives. Traditional warning methods such as television, radio and outdoor sirens don't always reach everyone, but the wireless emergency alerts could reach everyone that has a cell phone.

Visit calalerts.org to view the video and learn more about the nation-wide system that is providing lifesaving information for the state of California and follow Cal OES on Twitter and Facebook!