Mark your calendar for October 4th, as you’ll likely hear a loud alarm on your phone that you didn’t set. If you’d rather not be caught off guard, setting a reminder might be a good idea—unless you enjoy the surprise of scrambling to silence it in a movie theater, church, or library.
On October 4th, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will conduct a nationwide test of its emergency alert systems. This test is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of government mass communication channels and will involve phones, TVs, and radios.
When the test occurs at 2:20 PM ET, you’ll hear a distinct tone and feel a vibration on your phone, while TVs and radios will broadcast a similar alert. The message on your phone will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” It will appear in English or Spanish based on your phone’s language settings.
The test will be carried out in two parts: one for Wireless Emergency Alerts and another for the Emergency Alert System. Phones that are on, within range of an active cell tower, and connected to a participating wireless provider will receive the alert.
Television and radio broadcasts will carry the message: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 2:20 PM to 2:50 PM ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.”
In case of severe weather or other disruptions, FEMA has scheduled a backup testing date for October 11th.