Get ready to not freak out. On Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 2:20 pm EDT, every TV, radio, and cellphone in the United States should blare out the distinctive, jarring electronic warning tone of an emergency alert.
It's a test – only a test.
Officially, the trial is called the Nationwide Emergency Alert Test. You know it's a test and not an actual emergency because an explanation of the test accompanies it.
The tests will be delivered in two parts:
- The EAS portion of the test, the seventh conducted by FEMA, will be sent to radios and televisions.
- The WEA portion is the third nationwide test and involves a text sent to all cellular devices.
- The text message will be displayed in either English or Spanish, depending on the phone's language settings.
What will the test say?
Televisions and radios will display a message similar to this: "This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 12:20 to 12:50 hours MT. This is only a test. No action is required by the public."
Cellular devices will display a message along these lines: "THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed."
When will the test happen
Mountain Standard Time: 12:20 pm
According to FEMA, the purpose of the test is to "ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on a national level."