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National Alert Test Next Wednesday, “This is a Test….This is only a Test.”
Next Wednesday, Nov. 9, when you’re settling down to watch “One Life to Live” on ABC, your other favorite daytime TV program, or listening to the radio at 2:00pm EST/11:00am PST, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will conduct the first ever nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS).
The test will be carried on all broadcast television, radio stations, and cable and satellite television systems in the U.S. and U.S. territories. Although EAS has been used locally for many tests and notifications, such as tornadoes, there has never been a nationwide test.
Although an audio notification will state, “This is a test,” the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the FCC say that because of limitations in the old alert system, not all TV stations may be able to carry the words “This is a test” on some TV screens.
The system, initially designed in the 1950s, is run by FEMA and the FCC. In 2006 President Bush signed an executive order to mandate the nationwide system and national alert capability.
Since the national system has never been tested, DHS officials say this is an important trial to see how it works. It is expected to last 30 seconds.
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