Feds Roll Out Nationwide Test of TV Emergency Alert System Today

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will conduct the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System at 1 p.m. CST today (Wednesday, Nov. 9).

The Emergency Alert System is an alert and warning system that can be activated by the president, if needed, to provide information to the American public during emergencies.

Wednesday’s test will interrupt radio and network and cable TV broadcasts for about 30 seconds within the United States, including Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories. Similar to local emergency alert system tests, an audio message will interrupt television and radio programming indicating: “This is a test.”

After the test, regular broadcasts will resume. Comcast is informing customers they may have to reboot their cable boxes in the rare event service doesn't return when the test is over.

The test was originally set for three minutes, but was scaled back to 30 seconds.

Other federal agencies participating in the test include the Federal Communications Commission and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Oak Lawn’s first responders won’t be participating in the nationwide test, other than being aware of it.

“The only thing we’re doing is following general instructions,” said Randy Meyer, interim director of the

Meyer said the village would not be activating its civil defense sirens, other than the usual test that runs every first Tuesday of the month. The village's new also won't be implemented during Wednesday's drill.

President Harry S Truman enacted the first nationwide alert system during the Cold War in 1951. The CONELRAD (Control of Electromagnetic Radiation) was eventually replaced by the national Emergency Broadcast System from 1963 through 1988.

Many Americans growing up in the 1960s and 1970s recall an ominous black-and-white test pattern followed by a high-pitched tone that served as a grim reminder of the Cold War.

The antiquated EBS system was retired in 1988 and replaced by the state-of-the-art Emergency Alert System.

Although used to broadcast tens of thousands of warnings and instructions for weather emergencies, the Emergency Alert System has never been activated nationwide for a civil defense threat, including Sept. 11, 2001.

Visit FEMA for more information about Wednesday's nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System.

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