October 3, 2018 8:18am, via ABCnews
On Wednesday at 8:18 a.m. HST almost all the cell phones in the country will go off in the first nationwide test of a wireless emergency alert system.
FEMA officials say they expect the alert to reach 75 percent of wireless-enabled devices, including cell phones and smartwatches. The alert will not interrupt a phone call or an active data session, though FEMA and the FTC are working to make sure the information reaches more people.
And even if cell phone users have opted out of other emergency alerts for imminent weatherthreats or AMBER alerts they should still receive the national-level alert, which is meant to be used in the case of national threats like a nuclear attack or terrorist attacks in multiple cities.
Despite being called a “Presidential Level Alert” emergency messages sent through the system won’t be written by Donald Trump or any other president. Emergency messages are pre-written and approved by various government agencies in advance of any test or emergency.
The message Wednesday will read “Presidential Alert: This is a test of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
About two minutes after the wireless emergency alert, the broadcast system will send a similar message through radio and television stations.
The WEA test message will be sent to cell phones that are connected to wireless providers participating in WEA. This is the fourth EAS nationwide test and the first national WEA test. Previous EAS national tests were conducted in November 2011, September 2016, and September 2017 in collaboration with the FCC, broadcasters, and emergency management officials in recognition of FEMA’s National Preparedness Month.
Cell towers will broadcast the WEA test for approximately 30 minutes beginning at 2:18 p.m. EDT. During this time, WEA compatible cell phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless provider participates in WEA should be capable of receiving the test message. Some cell phones will not receive the test message, and cell phones should only receive the message once. The WEA test message will have a header that reads “Presidential Alert” and text that says:
“THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
The WEA system is used to warn the public about dangerous weather, missing children, and other critical situations through alerts on cell phones. The national test will use the same special tone and vibration as with all WEA messages (i.e. Tornado Warning, AMBER Alert). Users cannot opt out of receiving the WEA test.
The EAS is a national public warning system that provides the President with the communications capability to address the nation during a national emergency. The test is made available to EAS participants (i.e., radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers) and is scheduled to last approximately one minute. The test message will be similar to regular monthly EAS test messages with which the public is familiar. The EAS message will include a reference to the WEA test:
“THIS IS A TEST of the National Emergency Alert System. This system was developed by broadcast and cable operators in voluntary cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Communications Commission, and local authorities to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. If this had been an actual emergency an official message would have followed the tone alert you heard at the start of this message. A similar wireless emergency alert test message has been sent to all cell phones nationwide. Some cell phones will receive the message; others will not. No action is required.”
The test was originally planned for September 20, 2018 but has been postponed until October 3, 2018 due to ongoing response efforts to Hurricane Florence.