If you hear a loud squeal on your phone, TV or radio Wednesday, relax. It’s just a test.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said in a news release there will be a national test of the emergency alert system Wednesday afternoon.
“This is an important test of our nation’s public alerting capabilities,” TEMA Director Patrick Sheehan said in the release. “We don’t want Tennesseans to be surprised when they see, or hear, the alert on television or radio, and also receive it on their mobile devices. This is also a preparedness opportunity to remind citizens how important it is to have multiple options for receiving emergency alerts and warnings at home, on the road, and at work.”
FEMA and the Federal Communications Commission will test the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System by sending a wireless alert to mobile devices at 2:18 p.m. EDT and a message for radio and TV broadcast at 2:20 p.m.
Mobile devices will display the message as a Presidential Alert and will read: THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.
The TV and radio test is expected to last one minute and will allow FEMA to verify the delivery and broadcast of a national test message and assess the infrastructure for its distribution.