The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced it will send alerts to all phones, radios, and TVs in the U.S. on Wednesday, Oct. 4, to test its emergency alert system. The testing of the wireless emergency alert systems will begin around 2:20 p.m. EST, according to a release by the agency.
“The purpose of the Oct. 4 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 release said. “In case the Oct. 4 test is postponed due to widespread severe weather or other significant events, the back-up testing date is Oct. 11.”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said the message consumers will see on their phones reads: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
The message will be displayed in English or Spanish depending on the language settings on each device.
FEMA announced it will also test the emergency alert system on radios and TVs across the U.S. This portion of the test is set to last one minute. It 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.”
