title: Civil emergency message
text: # Civil emergency message
  
  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 is a higher priority than a local area emergency (LAE), but it's less specific than a civil danger warning (CDW). For example, the warning could be used to describe an alert issued by the National Terrorism Advisory System.
  
  ## Examples
  
  A mandatory evacuation of portions of McDowell County, North Carolina issued after a landslide, caused by the effects of Subtropical Storm Alberto, threatened the integrity of a dam in the county:
  
  