Nationwide testing of the EAS, or emergency alert system will be held on radios, TVs, and iPhones.
The FCC and FEMA will be conducting a test which will take place on October 4, 2:20 pm ET. The alert will be done in two parts but occur simultaneously. The EAS part will have test messages to radios and TVs, while the WEA, or wireless emergency alerts will be sent to consumer smartphones. All cellular devices are expected to receive the alert on the said date.
The last wireless emergency alert happened in August of 2021. The WEA will utilize the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, an online and centralized system that sends authenticated emergency messages through multiple networks.
The devices will play a noise that has the same volume and tone as Amber Alerts and National Weather Service warnings. A backup test date is set for October 11 if the test is delayed.
