Cell phones, TVs and radios across the U.S. will get an alert Wednesday, Oct. 4, afternoon during a nationwide test of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System.
FEMA will conduct the test to ensure the Wireless Emergency Alerts and the Emergency Alert System are effective in warning the public about national emergencies.
Starting about 12:20 p.m. (2:20 p.m. EST) for about 30 minutes, mobile phones with all major U.S. wireless providers within range of an active cell tower will receive the test for the Wireless Emergency Alerts part of the test.
Even though the test will last for about 30 minutes, phones should only receive the message once.
The message that appears on phones will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
Phones with the main menu set to Spanish will display: “ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA del Sistema Nacional de Alerta de Emergencia. No se necesita acción.”
For the Emergency Alert System part of the test, radios and televisions will broadcast this message for about one minute: “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.”
In case the Oct. 4 test is postponed due to widespread severe weather or other significant events, the backup testing date is Oct. 11.
