Nationwide Emergency Alert System Test Set for Today

 

SAN ANGELO, TX – A nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System on broadcast stations and some smartphones is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021 at 1:20 p.m.

This Wednesday will be the first nationwide test of the U.S. emergency alert system since the pandemic.

The test will run both the Emergency Alert System (EAS), which broadcasts an emergency tone and message on televisions and radios, and the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), a newer system that sends emergency notifications to smartphones. It will be the second nationwide test of the WEA after its debut in 2018, and the first test for those who have chosen to opt-in to tests.

The EAS will broadcast the high-pitched buzz to televisions and radios at around 1:20 p.m. CDT. At the same time, the WEA system will broadcast the same tone and message to U.S. cell phones that have opted-in to receive alerts. (You can check your phone settings under “Emergency Alerts.”)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, runs the test every year or two to ensure the system is working properly. 

According to FEMA, the EAS test will include a high-pitched tone followed by a message. The message will say:

“THIS IS A TEST of the National Emergency Alert System. This system was developed by broadcast and cable operators in voluntary cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Communications Commission, and local authorities to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. If this had been an actual emergency an official message would have followed the tone alert you heard at the start of this message. No action is required.”

The WEA message will say:

“THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

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