First national test of Wireless Emergency Alert
SHOW LOW, Ariz. (September 17, 2018) – A nationwide test of the Presidential-level Wireless Emergency Alert will be sent to all mobile devices on Thursday, Sept. 20, at 11:18 a.m. MST. The same test message will be sent two minutes later via radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers. Citizens should not be alarmed when their cell phones sound an alert or if they hear the test on the radio or see a scrolling message on their televisions. Should unforeseen circumstances arise, such as a major weather emergency, the test alert will be rescheduled to Wednesday, Oct. 3, at 11:20 a.m. MST.
This is the first test of the national system to determine whether improvements are needed. It will be conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission. Three categories of alerts that can be sent through Wireless Emergency Alerts include threatening area emergencies (such as extreme weather), AMBER alerts and Presidential alerts about national emergencies.