Emergency alert test to blanket airwaves

Viewers looking forward to their afternoon talk show and soaps may be in for a surprise if they tune in at 2 p.m. Nov. 9.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, Federal Communications Commission and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Organization will administer the first national test of the Emergency Alert System at 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

The system is used to communicate with the public during a national emergency. The test will last up to three and a half minutes and play simultaneously on all regularly scheduled television, radio, cable and satellite programs.

“In the event of a national emergency, there needs to be a way to warn and prepare the entire public at once," said Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.).

"The test allows public safety officials to make sure they have the means to do that as well as authorize state and local authorities to quickly distribute local emergency information."

While this is the first nationally scheduled test, the local and state systems are tested on a weekly and monthly basis. Hillicon observed this at least once in recent weeks, which involves "EAS" flashing on the cable box followed by the insertion of a message into regular programming.

— This post was updated to correct the date of the test.

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