emergency

The Golden State’s smartphone users were startled late Monday night and early Tuesday morning as their phones buzzed, beeped and/or flashed an Amber Alert, the very first issued by the California Highway Patrol.

The Los Angeles Times reports:

It’s all thanks to the Wireless Emergency Alert program, a cellphone version of the Emergency Alert System that gives you the high-pitched test tone on your television.

Cellphone owners receive messages automatically, based on their proximity to the emergency, not based on their phone number.

And while accused kidnapper James Lee DiMaggio and kidnap victims Hannah Anderson, 16, and Ethan Anderson, 8, are still missing, cellphone owners have found that their iPhones, Androids and BlackBerries have the potential to issue alerts for all sorts of things.

Here are the Pocho Ocho potential alerts you probably weren’t aware of:

8. The Meta Amber Alert: Another Amber Alert is coming soon, so don’t freak the hell out

7. Like A Good Neighbor Alert: George Zimmerman just joined your Neighborhood Watch

6. Stinking Badges Alert: Sheriff Joe Arpaio is rounding up a posse

Mas…Pocho Ocho other smartphone alerts besides Amber Alerts