The Federal Emergency Management Agency, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission, will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alert on Sept. 20 (primary date) or Oct. 3 (secondary date). The Wireless Emergency Alert portion of the test commences at 2:18 p.m. EDT and the Emergency Alert System portion follows at 2:20 p.m. EDT. The test will assess the operational readiness of the infrastructure for distribution of a national message and determine whether technological improvements are needed.
This is the fourth Emergency Alert System nationwide test and the first national Wireless Emergency Alert test. The Wireless Emergency Alert test message will be sent to cellphones. Previous Emergency Alert System national tests were conducted in September 2011, 2016, and 2017 in collaboration with the FCC, broadcasters, and emergency management officials in recognition of FEMA’s National Preparedness Month.
The Emergency Alert System test is scheduled to last approximately one minute and is made available to Emergency Alert System participants, including radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers. The test message will be similar to regular monthly Emergency Alert System test messages with which the public is familiar. The Emergency Alert System message will include a reference to the Wireless Emergency Alert test: “This is a test of the National Emergency Alert System. This system was developed by broadcast and cable operators in voluntary cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Communications Commission, and local authorities to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. If this had been an actual emergency, an official message would have followed the tone alert you heard at the start of this message. A similar wireless emergency alert test message has been sent to all cellphones nationwide. Some cellphones will receive the message; others will not. No action is required.”
The Wireless Emergency Alert test message will read “This is a test of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
The Wireless Emergency Alert system is used to warn the public about dangerous weather, missing children, and other critical situations through alerts on cellphones. It allows customers whose wireless provider participates in Wireless Emergency Alert and who own a Wireless Emergency Alert-compatible wireless phone to receive geo-targeted alerts of imminent threats to safety in their area through unique tones and vibration. The national Wireless Emergency Alert test will use the same special tone and vibration.
The Wireless Emergency Alert test will be sent through IPAWS, as part of the nation’s modern alert and warning infrastructure that automatically authenticates alerts. Cell towers will broadcast the Wireless Emergency Alert test for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, cellphones that are switched on and within range of an active cell tower should be capable of receiving the test message. Cellphones should receive the message once.
Significant coordination has been conducted with Emergency Alert System participants, wireless providers, and emergency managers in preparation for this Emergency Alert System – Wireless Emergency Alert national test. The test is intended to ensure public safety officials have the methods and systems that will deliver urgent alerts and warnings to the public in times of an emergency or a disaster. Periodic testing of public alert and warning systems is also a way to assess the operational readiness of the infrastructure required for the distribution of a national message and determine whether technological improvements are needed.
Receiving preparedness tips and timely information about weather conditions or other emergency events can make all the difference in knowing when to take action to be safe. FEMA and partners are working to ensure alerts and warnings are received quickly through several different technologies, no matter whether an individual is at home, at school, at work, or out in the community. The FEMA app, which can be downloaded on both Android and Apple devices, is one way to ensure receiving both preparedness tips and weather alerts of one’s choice. Download the FEMA app at fema.gov/mobile-app.
More information on the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System and Wireless Emergency Alerts is available at ready.gov/alerts.
