Nationwide emergency alert testing to take place Wednesday Oct. 3

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas -- The Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management wants to inform the community that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will conduct a nationwide test of the National Emergency Alert System, on Wednesday October 3, 2018 at approximately 1:18 PM CT.

This testing will come in many forms: for example TV or radio interruption, or a message similar to an Amber or Silver Alert to your cellular device. Do not be alarmed, it is only a test. We ask that you are patient with the testing, and to prepare and notify your family.

From the office of the Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMA, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), has postponed the nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) until Wednesday, October 3, due to ongoing response efforts to Hurricane Florence.

The WEA portion of the test commences at 2:18 p.m. EDT, and the EAS portion follows at 2:20 p.m. EDT. The test will assess the operational readiness of the infrastructure for distribution of a national message and determine whether improvements are needed.

October 3 was the previously scheduled back-up date for the test, which was originally set up for this Thursday, September 20. A backup date is always planned in case of widespread severe weather or other significant events on the primary test date. FEMA and the nation’s emergency management community remain committed to the life- saving activities occurring through parts of North Carolina and South Carolina.

This will be the first nationwide IPAWS WEA test.