(WWJ) - Cell phone users be aware: A wailing alarm is scheduled to go off on Wednesday afternoon as part of a planned emergency test conducted by the government, federal officials announced this week.
A spokesperson with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said they will conduct two nationwide tests in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of its Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) on Wednesday Oct. 4.
"The EAS portion of the test will send an emergency alert to all radios and televisions, while the WEA portion of the test will direct alerts to all consumer cell phones," FEMA officials said. "The purpose of the Oct. 4 test is to ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level."
Which means, Americans can expect all wireless phones to blare an alert around 2:20 p.m. ET as cell towers broadcast the WEA portion of the test for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, all compatible wireless phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless providers participates in WEA tests should receive the text message that will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
For those who need the alert silenced for whatever reason can turn off their phones prior to and during the test.
The text message is free and will be sent in either English or Spanish, depending on the language settings of your phone. The text will be the third nationwide test, but the second test to all cellular devices. It will go off with a unique tone and vibration that is meant to make the alert accessible to the entire public, including people with disabilities, FEMA said.
At the same time, all radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers and wireline video providers are also set to broadcast a test emergency alert as part of the broader EAS test. This message, which will run for approximately one minute, will state: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 14:20 to 14:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.”
FEMA said no action is required by you after you receive the emergency alert test on your phone or hear it through the radio or TV.
In case the Oct. 4 test is postponed due to widespread severe weather or other significant events, the back-up testing date is Oct. 11.
FEMA and the FCC are coordinating with EAS participants, wireless providers, emergency managers and other stakeholders in preparation for this national test to minimize confusion and to maximize the public safety value of the test.
For more information, visit FEMA here.