Emergency Alert System Test in the United States on Oct 4th at 2:20 PM

I was wondering what to prepare today for my usual post on Wednesdays because I am going with friends to spend some time at Sandy Hook in New Jersey when I remembered the test FEMA is conducting tomorrow. This test has gotten lots of publicity on various news outlets and other sources on the internet so I really don't think any of you need me to tell you about this test. However, safety is very important to me and I respect all those, including separate non-FEMA affiliated state and local alert systems (not covered under tomorrows test), who try to warn us to keep us safe. So, posting on this test fits in with my interests.

So, getting to the point, FEMA is conducting a test of the emergency alert system on Wednesday, Oct 4th at 2:20 PM ET. If you have a smart phone capable of receiving WEA alerts you will get a test message. TVs and Radios will receive emergency alerts. I have received such alerts for weather, either tornado warnings or snow squall warnings and I am grateful I did. The video I shared below is from WSBT in Idaho. I thought it odd that I could not find something on YouTube from a media outlet closer to me, but I may not have been looking hard enough. In any event the video from WSBT applies to all of us in the United States.

Direct link to video from WSBT on YouTube

FEMA has a press release about this test, they say in part:

All wireless phones should receive the message only once. The following can be expected from the nationwide WEA test:

▪ Beginning at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET, cell towers will broadcast the test for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, WEA-compatible wireless phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower, and in a geographic area where the wireless provider participates in WEA, should be capable of receiving the test message. 

▪ For consumers, the message that appears on their 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.”

▪ Similar to when your phone receives an Amber Alert, the WEA alert tone is generally only played when the alert is initially received by the phone and on some devices stops as soon as the user clicks a button.

▪ If a phone is off before the test alert is sent and not turned back on until after the WEA Test expires (approximately 30 minutes), the phone should not get the test message.

WEA alerts are created and sent by authorized federal, state, local, tribal and territorial government agencies through IPAWS to participating wireless providers, which deliver the alerts to compatible handsets in geo-targeted areas. To help ensure that these alerts are accessible to the entire public, including people with disabilities, the alerts are accompanied by a unique tone and vibration.