Nationwide Test on Wednesday at 2:00pm

[Chris Santee]

FIRST NATIONWIDE TEST OF THE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM

Test to Take Place this Wednesday, November 9 at 2 p.m.

WATERBURY -   This Wednesday, November 9 at 2:00 p.m. the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other federal partners will conduct the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS).  FEMA says the test will last thirty seconds. During this period, regularly scheduled television, radio, cable, and satellite shows will be interrupted as the system is being tested.

The public should be aware that this event will be just a test, and not a real emergency alert.  THOSE WHO SEE OR HEAR THE TEST ON NOVEMBER 9 AT 2 P.M. SHOULD NOT CALL 911 OR OTHER LOCAL EMERGENCY SERVICES UNLESS AN ACTUAL EMERGENCY IS INDICATED.  Similar to emergency alert system tests that are already conducted frequently in Vermont, the nationwide test will involve television and radio stations in our state and across the nation.

The test is being conducted by the FEMA, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as part of their ongoing efforts to keep the nation safe during emergencies.

The national Emergency Alert System is an alert and warning system that can be activated by the president, if needed, to provide information to the American public during emergencies.  NOAA's National Weather Service, governors, and state and local emergency authorities also use parts of the system to issue more localized emergency alerts. The test is an important exercise in ensuring that the system is effective in communicating critical information to the public in the event of a real national emergency. 

Under the FCC's rules, radio and television broadcasters, cable operators, satellite digital audio radio service providers, direct broadcast satellite service providers and wire line video service providers are required to receive and transmit presidential EAS messages to the public. A national test will help federal partners and EAS participants determine the reliability of the system, as well as its effectiveness in notifying the public of emergencies and potential dangers both nationally and regionally.  The test will also provide the FCC and FEMA a chance to identify improvements that need to be made to build a modernized and fully accessible Emergency Alert System.

For more on the test visit http://www.fema.gov/emergency/ipaws/eas_info.shtm.