A nationwide emergency alert test is coming to your phone on Wednesday

Take heed of this warning: The federal government is set to carry out a nationwide examination of the emergency alert system on Wednesday afternoon.

During this test, messages will be dispatched to all mobile phones, televisions, and radios. The examination will include both sound and, on mobile phones, vibrations. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are overseeing this exercise to prepare for real emergencies. The primary purpose of this test is to ensure that the emergency messaging system functions smoothly in the event that Americans face threats such as natural disasters, terrorism, or other hazards to public safety.

You might be familiar with the abrupt sounds that accompany National Weather Service alerts and AMBER (America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response) alerts. The cellphone alerts scheduled for Wednesday will be transmitted through the same wireless system. The test is slated to commence at around 2:20 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, October 4.

The testing window spans 30 minutes, but you should only receive the message once. If an actual emergency were to occur on that day, the test might be postponed, with a backup test slated for the following week. On mobile phones, the alert will read:

“THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

For phones set to Spanish, the message will be:

“ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA del Sistema Nacional de Alerta de Emergencia. No se necesita acción.”

Television and radio broadcasts will announce:

“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.”

By law, FEMA is mandated to conduct national tests of the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) at least once every three years. The most recent national test took place in 2021.

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