The United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is preparing to test its Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). On Wednesday, Oct. 4, between 2:20 p.m. and 2:50 p.m. Eastern Time, any mobile phones, broadcast televisions, or radios powered on and within service range will receive a loud test alert. If, for whatever reason, it would be unsafe or inappropriate for your device to sound at that time, make sure you turn it off.
In the event of a national emergency, FEMA is supposed to send out a warning to all cell phones, TVs, and radios. Whether its directions are to stay indoors or be on the lookout for a specific person, its goal is to reach many people as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, testing that feature is the only way to ensure it can send such an alert on short notice. Because the last test was in 2021, and the IPAWS Modernization Act of 2015 requires a test at least once every three years, we’re about due for another run.
The alert will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” A similar message will be displayed or read on TVs and radios. The message will be accompanied by a loud (and quite off-putting) tone, not unlike the one you’ve likely heard during TV broadcasts of severe weather warnings. According to FEMA, the alert will last one minute.
Unlike some regional alerts and the test that went out in 2021, FEMA’s forthcoming test is mandatory—there’s no opting out. Turning off your device entirely is the only way to circumvent seeing or hearing the alert. Even if you and your phone are out of the country, you’ll receive the alert as long as you’re connected to your typical service provider. Being on a phone call during the alert period will delay the test until after your call ends.
