All TVs, radios and phones in the US will receive a nationwide emergency alert this week
Published on Oct 03, 2023 at 4:32 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Oct 03, 2023 at 4:32 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
A nationwide emergency alert will be sent to all U.S. cellphones, TVs and radios this Wednesday (4 October).
This is the third nationwide wireless alert systems test and the seventh nationwide emergency alert systems test.
READ MORE: This hidden iPhone feature has saved countless lives during Maui fires
The test of the national alert system is mandated to happen once every three years.
It’s a joint operation between the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission.
The aim is to “ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level,” according to a news release from FEMA.
It will ensure Americans are informed and prepared for potential emergencies.
The message will be sent to all devices at 2:20 p.m. ET.
According to a statement by FEMA, the message to phones will read:
“THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
Depending on your language settings, the message might also pop up in Spanish.
The message sent to televisions and radios will differ slightly.
It will say: “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.”
To ensure that the alert has accessibility for all, including those with disabilities, it will be accompanied by a distinctive tone and vibration.
The systems being tested are mainly used in the US to inform citizens about severe weather conditions, safety threats or missing children.
The system can also send alerts from the U.S. president.
The Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) will direct text messages to all consumer cellphones.
They must be switched on and within range of an active cell tower from a participating wireless provider.
Transmitted for 30 minutes, the message will only be sent once to each phone.
The second part of the test is the Emergency Alert System, which will send test messages to all radios and televisions.
The test will last one minute.
TikToker Noah Glenn Carter urged his eight million followers to spread the news about the impending alert.
He said it would sound a lot like “The Purge” and warned people to avoid “freaking out”.
You can find more information here.
DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
