The Federal Emergency Management Agency will conduct a nationwide test of its alert systems Wednesday after postponing the test last month.
At 8:18 a.m., FEMA and the Federal Communications Commission will test their Wireless Emergency Alert system, sending an alert message — reading “This is a test of the National Wireless Emergency Alert system. No action is needed.” — to all active cellphones in the nation.
Two minutes later, at 8:20 a.m., the agencies will test the Emergency Alert System, similar to regular monthly Emergency Alert System tests. That test will be distributed via radio and television broadcasters and cable systems.
This will be the first national test of the Wireless Emergency Alert system, and will serve to assess the infrastructure’s operational readiness.
Both tests were originally scheduled Sept. 20, but postponed so not to conflict with the ongoing response efforts to Hurricane Florence on the East Coast.