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A civil emergency message (SAME code: CEM) is a warning issued through the Emergency Alert System (EAS) in the United States to warn the public of a significant in-progress or imminent threat or danger to public safety. It is typically issued by a local or state authority and is relayed by the National Weather Service. The warning has a higher priority than a local area emergency (LAE), but it’s less specific than a civil danger warning (CDW); however, both a LAE and a CDW often are in effect for specific areas. For example, the warning could be used to describe an alert issued by the National Terrorism Advisory System.

Following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster on 1 February 2003, the Texas Division of Emergency Management in Austin, Texas issued a reminder to Texas residents to avoid touching the debris from the space shuttle following its disintegration. ^[1]

000 
WOUS44 KEWX 011653
CEMSAT
TXC013-019-021-029-031-053-055-091-123-127-137-149-163-171-177-187-
209-255-259-265-271-285-287-299-323-325-385-453-463-465-491-493-507-
011800-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
CIVIL EMERGENCY MESSAGE
TEXAS DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AUSTIN TX
RELAYED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 
1052 AM CST SAT FEB 1 2003

THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE TEXAS 
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

...SPACE SHUTTLE DEBRIS...

CITIZENS SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM SPACE SHUTTLE DEBRIS AND REPORT 
LOCATION OF DEBRIS TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. AGAIN...CITIZENS SHOULD 
STAY AWAY FROM SPACE SHUTTLE DEBRIS.

$$

On 14 February 2014, a statewide Civil Emergency Message was issued for South Carolina after a nor’easter downed power lines, trees, and debris onto roads by the South Carolina Emergency Management Agency.

660 
WOUS42 KCHS 141601
CEMCHS
SCC005-013-015-019-029-035-049-053-151800-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
CIVIL EMERGENCY MESSAGE
SOUTH CAROLINA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COLUMBIA SC
RELAYED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1101 AM EST FRI FEB 14 2014

THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE SOUTH
CAROLINA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY...COLUMBIA SOUTH CAROLINA.

FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIVISION...A STATE OF 
EMERGENCY IS IN EFFECT. FALLEN TREES...DOWNED POWER LINES AND DEBRIS 
STILL POSE DANGER TO MOTORISTS ON SOME ROADS THAT ARE CLEAR OF SNOW 
AND ICE.  SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND SOUTH 
CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION URGE MOTORISTS TO REDUCE 
SPEED AND USE CAUTION WHEN DRIVING ON SECONDARY ROADS.  IN THE EVENT 
OF AN EMERGENCY CALL *HP OR 911.  FOR THE STATUS OF STATE GOVERNMENT 
OFFICES VISIT SCEMD.ORG.

$$

On 25 January 2026, Alexander County, Illinois issued a emergency only travel order due to hazardous road conditions.^[2]

791 
WOUS43 KPAH 251318
CEMPAH
ILC003-251630-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Civil Emergency Message
Alexander County Emergency Management
Relayed by National Weather Service Paducah KY
718 AM CST Sun Jan 25 2026

....Emergency Travel Only Order for Alexander County, IL.

The following message is transmitted at the request of the
Alexander County Emergency Management.

Alexander County Sheriff Tim Brown has issued an Emergency Travel
only order for all of Alexander County. All roads are too
dangerous for travel & deputies, EMS, and fire department first
responders. If you are stranded, help may not be able to get to you
for several hours. 

$$

JGG

^[3]

• Definitions of Colors on the National Weather Service Brownsville/Rio Grande Valley Website Map
• NWS Lubbock, TX Non-weather Emergency Messages Page

 This article incorporates public domain material from Non-weather Related Emergency Message Description Guidelines (PDF). United States government.