Emergency Test Set for Wednesday Morning

If your TV or radio starts to freak out at 11 a.m. Nov. 9, don't freak out yourself. It's only a test.

The federal government will conduct the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, and it will last up to 3 1/2 minutes. Regularly scheduled television, radio, cable and satellite shows will be interrupted as the system is being tested.

would like to ensure that Novato residents and the larger public are aware that this event will be just a test, and not a real emergency alert. 

"Recent earthquake disaster preparation training associated with the Great California Shakeout here in Novato and throughout the Bay Area, and earthquakes and tsunami in Japan have reminded us that a reliable and effective emergency alert and warning system is key to ensuring the public's safety during times of emergency," said Novato Fire District Deputy Chief Eric Nickel.

Board President Lj Silverman added, “We look forward to working with our FEMA partners in preparation for this important test.”

The test is being conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Communications Commission and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as part of their ongoing efforts to keep the nation safe during emergencies and strengthen our resilience against all hazards.

The national Emergency Alert System is an alert and warning system that can be activated by the president, if needed, to provide information to the American public during emergencies. NOAA's National Weather Service, governors, and state and local emergency authorities also use parts of the system to issue more localized emergency alerts. The test is an important exercise in ensuring that the system is effective in communicating critical information to the public in the event of a real national emergency. 

Similar to emergency alert system tests that are already conducted frequently on the local level, the nationwide test will involve television and radio stations across the United States, including Alaska, Hawaii, and the territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa.

Under the FCC's rules, radio and television broadcasters, cable operators, satellite digital audio radio service providers, direct broadcast satellite service providers and wire line video service providers are required to receive and transmit presidential EAS messages to the public. A national test will help federal partners and EAS participants determine the reliability of the system, as well as its effectiveness in notifying the public of emergencies and potential dangers both nationally and regionally.  The test will also provide the FCC and FEMA a chance to identify improvements that need to be made to build a modernized and fully accessible Emergency Alert System.