US emergency alert system: Everything to know about the national test
Today’s test of the US national alert system on mobile phones is intended to offer opportunities to learn and prepare for emergencies, but tests in the past have sparked conspiracy theories
By Jeremy Hsu
4 October 2023
Many people in the US will receive a message today as part of a test of an emergency system
FEMA
Almost everyone in the US with a mobile phone, radio or TV can expect to hear and see an alert message from the US government as part of a nationwide test – but there is no need for alarm or tinfoil hats.
The nationwide test of the Wireless Emergency Alerts system on 4 October will cause people’s mobile phones to vibrate and emit an audio tone, each action repeating twice, along with displaying a text message in either English or Spanish. The testing period is scheduled to start at 2:20 PM Eastern Time and to continue for 30 minutes.
The messages will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
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Simultaneously, the US government plans to conduct a nationwide test of the separate Emergency Alert System that will broadcast similar one-minute messages through radio and TV.
Who is doing this test and why?
The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are responsible for managing both systems and holding the national tests.
Real alerts are typically issued by local and state government officials, along with other federal agencies such as the National Weather Service, during actual emergencies. Most are local messages sent to specific counties or neighbourhoods and include warnings of imminent threats such as extreme weather or active shooters, less urgent public safety messages, and AMBER Alerts in child abduction cases.
