National emergency alert system to be tested on phones, TVs and radios Wednesday
BOSTON - If you get an emergency alert on your phone, television or radio Wednesday afternoon, it will only be a test.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency will test its national emergency alert systems at 2:20 p.m. Eastern Time Wednesday. It will last a full minute.
IMPORTANT: On Wednesday, Oct. 4th at 2:20 p.m. ET, there will be a nationwide emergency alert test on cell phones, wireless devices, radios, and TVs.
— FEMA (@fema) October 2, 2023
This is a standard test that occurs at least once every three years. No action is needed.
Info & FAQs: https://t.co/KKyrIr4e03 pic.twitter.com/xDW92DwcAy
The phone message will read: "THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed." A message will also be sent in Spanish to phones where the main menu is set to Spanish.
The TV and radio message will say: "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."
FEMA said 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."