FEMA REMINDS THE PUBLIC: NATIONWIDE TEST OF EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM SCHEDULED TOMORROW
November 8, 2011
First-ever nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System to occur tomorrow, November 9 at 2 p.m. eastern
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), along with its many federal, state and local partners, is reminding the American public that the first-ever nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System is scheduled to occur at 2:00 pm eastern tomorrow.
The national Emergency Alert System was designed as an alert and warning system that can be activated by the President, if needed, to provide information to the American public during emergencies. Although the Emergency Alert System is often tested at the local level, it has never before been tested on a nationwide scale.
Tomorrow's test will occur simultaneously across the U.S. and its territories and will last approximately 30 seconds, after which regular programming will resume. The test will look and sound very similar to the local tests of the Emergency Alert System that already occur frequently.
Wednesday's test of the Emergency Alert System 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 impact landline or mobile phones, power grids, or Internet connectivity. The test will allow FEMA, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to assess how well the Emergency Alert System would perform its primary function: alerting the public about a national emergency.
For more information on the test, visit the FCC's website or www.fema.gov/eastest.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), along with its many federal, state and local partners, is reminding the American public that the first-ever nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System is scheduled to occur at 2:00 pm eastern tomorrow.
The national Emergency Alert System was designed as an alert and warning system that can be activated by the President, if needed, to provide information to the American public during emergencies. Although the Emergency Alert System is often tested at the local level, it has never before been tested on a nationwide scale.
Tomorrow's test will occur simultaneously across the U.S. and its territories and will last approximately 30 seconds, after which regular programming will resume. The test will look and sound very similar to the local tests of the Emergency Alert System that already occur frequently.
Wednesday's test of the Emergency Alert System 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 impact landline or mobile phones, power grids, or Internet connectivity. The test will allow FEMA, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to assess how well the Emergency Alert System would perform its primary function: alerting the public about a national emergency.
For more information on the test, visit the FCC's website or www.fema.gov/eastest.