Nationwide emergency alert test set for Wednesday
The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Communications Commission plan to conduct a nationwide Emergency Alert System test Wednesday.
The test is scheduled for 1:20 p.m. CST and it should last approximately a minute.
It will make a loud sound on the devices and show the words, “TEST.”
A FEMA press release said the test is designed to “assess the readiness of infrastructure for distribution of a national message in the absence of internet connection.”
The test will happen on all radio, television and cable.
The Emergecy Alert System is a national public warning system that provides the president with the capabilities to address the nation during a national emergency.
This is the fifth nationwide test. The most recent test happened in October 2018.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect where the test will take place
