Nationwide Test of Alert Systems Wednesday
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) on Wed., Oct. 4th at approximately 2:20 p.m. The test will consist of two portions, testing WEA and EAS capabilities.
The WEA portion of the test will be directed to all consumer cell phones, indicating that it is a test and no action is needed. To help ensure that these alerts are accessible to the entire public, including people with disabilities, the alerts are accompanied by a unique tone and vibration.
The EAS portion of the test will be sent to radios and televisions, also indicating that it is a test and no action is required.
The purpose of the Oct. 4th test is to ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level.
Contact: Diane Darbyshire, ddarbyshire@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8828