WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) today, Oct. 4.
The national test will consist of two portions, testing wireless and emergency alert capabilities. Both tests are scheduled to begin at approximately 12:20 p.m.
The wireless portion of the test will be directed to all consumer cellphones. This will be the third nationwide test, but the second one sent to all cellular devices. The test message will display in either English or Spanish, depending on the language settings of the wireless handset.
The emergency alert portion of the alert will be sent to radios and televisions. This will be the seventh nationwide test of the system.
The emergency system has its origins dating back to the Cold War. In 1951, President Harry Truman established CONELRAD (Control of Electromagnetic Radiation) as the first national alerting system. That program was designed to allow radio stations to withstand the electromagnetic pulse from a nuclear attack. In 1963, the Emergency Broadcast System was created, and in 1997 the Emergency Alert System was initiated to allow the President an expeditious medium to communicate with the American people.
FEMA and the FCC are coordinating with emergency service participants, wireless providers, emergency managers, and other stakeholders in preparation for this national test to minimize confusion and to maximize the public safety value of the test.
The test is part of a nationwide alert and can prepare citizens to be aware of the systems and that their cell phones can be used to receive emergency communications. Locally, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation sends out alerts via the E-911 system.
The purpose of the test is to ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level.
The wireless portion of the test will be initiated using a centralized internet-based system administered by FEMA that enables authorities to send authenticated emergency messages to the public through multiple communications networks. The wireless test will be administered via a code sent to cellphones.
All wireless phones should receive the message only once. The following can be expected from the nationwide wireless test:
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.
The EAS portion of the test is scheduled to last approximately one minute and will be conducted with the participation of radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers.
The test message will be similar to the regular monthly EAS test messages with which the public is familiar. It will state: "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, (12:20 to 2:50 MST). This is only a test. No action is required by the public.”
