FCC PLAN NATIONWIDE

WASHINGTON -- October 4, FEMA will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), in cooperation with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).The WEA and EAS capabilities will be tested in two sections of the national exam. On Wednesday, Oct. 4, both tests are expected to start at around 2:20 p.m. ET.

Consumer cell phones will be the focus of the test's WEA section. This will be the second test for all WEA-compatible cellular devices and the third nationwide. The language settings of the wireless device will determine whether the test message appears in English or Spanish.

Radios and televisions will get the test's EAS part. The seventh national event of this kind an EAS test.

In order to reduce confusion and increase the test's usefulness for public safety, FEMA and the FCC are working in coordination with emergency managers, wireless carriers, EAS participants, and other stakeholders in advance of this nationwide test.

The test's goal is to make whether the systems are still a reliable way to alert the public to catastrophes, especially those that affect the entire country. The fallback testing date is October 11, in case the Oct. 4 test is postponed due to widespread severe weather or other serious events.

The FEMA Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), a centralized internet-based system run by FEMA that enables authorities to broadcast authenticated emergency communications to the public through, will be used to launch the WEA phase of the test. different communication networks. A code will be provided to cell phones to take the WEA test.

This year, the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System-Open Platform for Emergency Networks (IPAWS-OPEN) will be used to distribute the EAS message as a Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) message.

The message should only be sent once to all wireless phones. The countrywide WEA test can be anticipated to reveal the following:

Cell towers will start broadcasting the test at around 2:20 p.m. ET and will do so for about 30 minutes. When the test message is sent, WEA-compatible wireless phones that are turned on, nearby an active cell tower, and in a region where the wireless provider supports WEA should be able to receive it.

The notification that shows on users' phones will say: "THIS IS AN EVALUATION OF THE NATIONAL WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM. Nothing needs to be done.

It will say: "ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA del Sistema National de Alert de Emergencia" on phones with the main menu set to Spanish. There is no need for action.

The WEA alert tone is often only played when the alert is originally received by the phone, much like when your phone receives an Amber Alert, and on some devices, stops immediately when the user selects a button.

The phone shouldn't receive the test message if it is switched off before the test alert is received and then left off until the WEA Test has finished (about 30 minutes later).

Government agencies at the federal, state, local, and tribal levels that have been Through IPAWS, participating wireless service providers are connected to tribal and territorial governmental organizations, who then send the alerts to compatible mobile devices in geo-targeted regions. The warnings are accompanied by a distinct tone and vibration to help ensure that the entire public, including those with disabilities, can access them.

Important details regarding the EAS test:

Radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wire line video providers will all take part in the approximately one-minute-long EAS phase of the test.

The test message will resemble the public's well-known regular monthly EAS test messages. This is an emergency alert system test being conducted nationwide by the Federal From 14:20 to 14:50 ET, the Emergency Management Agency covers the United States. Just consider this a test. The public does not need to take any action.

Note to Broadcast Outlets: When broadcasting TV or radio coverage of the nationwide emergency alert test scheduled for October 4, 2023, please exclude the tones or Attention Signals. The use of Emergency Alert System codes, which are audible tones, the EAS and WEA Attention Signals, or simulations of them, is forbidden by federal regulations unless there is an actual emergency, an authorized EAS test, or an authorized Public Service Announcement (PSA).