Nationwide Test of Emergency Alert System Set for Wednesday

The federal government will  conduct the first-ever nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) at 2 p.m. Wednesday. 

All radio channels (broadcast and satellite) and all television channels (broadcast, cable, and satellite) will announce that a test of the EAS is being conducted.

The test will occur simultaneously across the United States and the U.S. territories and will last approximately 30 seconds, after which regular programming will resume.

The test is part of the ongoing efforts to strengthen information channels against all hazards and will involve the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Fedel Communications Commission (FCC), in close coordination with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), according to a press release issued by FEMA.

The test will appear on all broadcast radio and television stations, cable television systems, satellite radio and television systems, and wireline video service systems. The test will not involve landline or mobile phones or other infrastructure such as power grids.

"The various disasters our country has faced this year underscore the need for effective and welltested emergency alert and warning systems that could be used in a time of real national emergency, at a moment's notice," the press release said.

Although the Emergency Alert System and its predecessors have been in existence for more than 50 years and are often tested at the local level, there has never been a nationwide test of these capabilities. The purpose of the test is to allow FEMA and the FCC to assess how well the Emergency Alert System would perform its primary function: alerting the public about a national
emergency.

The first step toward building a modernized Emergency Alert System means testing the existing technology. Through preparations for the test, areas that need improvement to ensure our entire population has full access to alerts and warnings have already been identified

The nationwide test will help us identif' any additional changes to the system that may be beneficial as we work to complete a modernized and fully accessible system, according to the press release.