A Test of the Emergency Alert System

Today, the federal government will be conducting a test of two critical emergency alert systems. Both the emergency broadcast system, which use TV and radio, and the wireless emergency alerts, which use cell phones, will undergo a nationwide test this afternoon. Here’s what you can expect.

For Personal Tech Media, this is Two Minute Tech. I’m Jim Herman.

The emergency alert system was created in 1997 to transmit alerts to the country within 10 minutes of a national emergency. Over time, we’ve become used to the occasional interruption in television and radio broadcasts with the loud noises and reassuring messages that this is only a test. The government has since added the wireless emergency alerts, which transmits alerts to cell phones nationwide.

Both systems will undergo a test at 2:20 p.m. today. If you’re watching TV or listening to the radio at that time, your broadcast will be interrupted by the test. Also, expect to receive an alert on your phone around 2:20 p.m. And if you’re in a busy area, expect a symphony of alert tones simultaneously.

The test will last until 2:50 p.m., so if your phone does not have cell service at 2:20, but does restore that service within 30 minutes, you should receive the alert.

And finally, if you don’t want emergency alerts on your phone, you can silence most of them. You can turn off amber alerts and imminent threat alerts, but not presidential alerts. Since today’s test is considered a presidential alert, if you don’t want to hear it, you’ll have to turn your phone off or put it in airplane mode for those 30 minutes.