Nationwide Emergency Alert System To Be Tested Wednesday Afternoon

A nationwide Emergency Alert System test will take place Wednesday.

Starting at 1 p.m. and lasting about 30 seconds, regularly scheduled television, radio, cable and satellite programming will be interrupted as the new emergency notification system is tested for the first time.

Learn more about the nationwide EAS test

The test will take place across the U.S., the territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa.

The new alert and warning system is a cooperative effort by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Federal Communications Commission and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It can be activated by the President, if needed, to provide information to the public during emergencies.

Wednesday will be the first test of the system's reliability and effectiveness.