Massive Systems-Wide Alarm Set to Sound on Multiple Devices October 4

by Mindy Cohn

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) plan to conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) across every American device, including radios and mobile phones at 2:20 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Wednesday, October 4. 

The alert will also make a loud, jarring noise and is expected to last for thirty minutes. The test checks to see if the emergency alert system is working properly in case the system is ever needed for a national disaster or attack chas v'shalom.

The message that cell phones will receive will say, "This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 14:20 to 14:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public." 

Any phone that is turned on and within range of an active cell tower of a participating wireless provider will receive the alert. 

In the case of severe weather on October 4, the test will be postponed until Wednesday, October 11, so as not to create confusion between a real emergency alert and the test.

Established in 1997, the emergency alert system enables the FEMA President to address the country within 10 minutes of a national emergency.