DPS NEWS

Nationwide Alert Test Being Conducted Wednesday, October 4th

Test messages will hit cell phones, TV, and radio at 12:20 p.m. MDT

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), is conducting a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts Wednesday at 12:20 p.m. MDT.

During the test, WEA-compatible cell phones will produce a unique tone and a vibration, and will display a test message on the screen. The message will say “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” The text will be in English or Spanish, depending on the phone’s settings.

WEA-compatible cell phones that are turned on during the time of the test should only receive the message one time. Phones that are off during the test and not turned on until after the test expires will not receive the message.

During the same period, TV and radio stations will broadcast the alert tone, followed by this message: “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.”

The purpose of the test is to ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level. This test should also increase public awareness of EAS and WEA messages and of the importance to follow instructions provided through emergency alerts.

Authorized state and local public officials have the capability of activating and sending emergency alerts to warn the public, through the same EAS and WEA systems.

For further media queries, contact Division of Emergency Management Public Information Officer, Wade Mathews, at 801-834-9741 or wmathews@utah.gov or DPS Communications Director and DEM Backup PIO, Hillary Koellner, at 385-296-4311 or hmkoellner@utah.gov.

Note to Broadcast Outlets:

Please do not include the tones or Attention Signals in broadcast TV or radio coverage about the Nationwide Emergency Alert Test being conducted on Oct. 4, 2023. Doing so could result in a violation of federal regulations, which prohibit the use of Emergency Alert System codes (which are audible tones) or the EAS and WEA Attention Signals, or simulations of them, except in actual emergencies, authorized tests of the EAS, or authorized Public Service Announcements (PSAs).
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