**URGENT: FAKE ALERT CIRCULATING - "NATIONAL POWER GRID SHUTDOWN" RUMOR SPARKS PANIC DURING HEAT ADVISORY**

URGENT: FAKE ALERT CIRCULATING - “NATIONAL POWER GRID SHUTDOWN” RUMOR SPARKS PANIC DURING HEAT ADVISORY

⚠️ Rumor: A viral text message is being shared claiming that the federal government has ordered a “nationwide rolling blackout” starting tomorrow at 2 PM due to the extreme heat advisory. It urges people to “fill bathtubs, stockpile ice, and charge all devices NOW.”

✅ Reality: FAKE. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Energy have confirmed this is a hoax. There is NO national power grid shutdown planned. While some local utilities may issue voluntary conservation alerts during heat waves, no blanket federal order exists. The message appears to be a rehashed version of a similar hoax that went viral in 2019.

📝 FACT-CHECK: This text has been debunked by multiple state emergency management offices. Do not forward it. Instead, follow your local utility company’s official social media accounts for legitimate heat advisory safety tips (stay hydrated, check on elderly neighbors, never leave kids/pets in cars).

🔥 Bottom line: Stay cool, but stay skeptical. If a “grid shutdown” message doesn’t come directly from your power company’s verified app or website, it’s likely a scam designed to create panic.