Full Notification

<p>Release date: September 13, 2016<br />
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Release Number: HQ-16-064<br />
FEMA, FCC, in Coordination with State Broadcasters and Emergency Managers, test the EAS<br />
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WASHINGTON &ndash; The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a mandatory nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) on <strong>Wednesday, September 28, at 2:20 p.m. EDT </strong>to verify the delivery and broadcast, and assess the readiness for distribution of the national level test message.<br />
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The EAS test is made available to radio, television, cable, and direct broadcast satellite systems and is scheduled to last approximately one minute. The message of the test will be similar to the regular monthly test message of EAS, normally heard and seen by the public: &quot;This is a national test of the Emergency Alert System. This is only a test.&quot;<br />
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Significant coordination and regional testing has been conducted with the broadcast community and emergency managers in coordination and preparation for this EAS national test. The test is intended to ensure public safety officials have the methods and systems that will deliver urgent alerts and warnings to the public in times of an emergency or disaster. Periodic testing of public alert and warning systems is also a way to assess the operational readiness of the infrastructure required for the distribution of a national message and determine what technological improvements need to be addressed.<br />
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Receiving preparedness tips and timely information about weather conditions or other emergency events can make all the difference in knowing when to take action to be safe. FEMA and partners are working to ensure you can receive alerts and warnings quickly through several different technologies no matter where you are&ndash;at home, at school, at work, or in th e community. The FEMA App, which can be downloaded on both Android and Apple devices, is one way to ensure you receive both preparedness tips and weather alerts of your choice. Download the FEMA App today.<br />
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