Today, Wednesday at 2:20 PM ET, if you hear a alert on your mobile phone, don’t worry, it is a test by the federal government.
The federal government announced that a nationwide test of its Wireless Emergency Alerts and Emergency Alert System will take place on Wednesday afternoon. All radios and TVs will receive an emergency alert from the EAS element of the test, and all consumer mobile phones will receive notifications from the WEA portion.
The tone is supposed to be distinctive that will likely be disruptive. Many people will be caught off guard by this test. The national test is generating all sorts of conspiracy ideas about potential misuses of this communication tool.
In actuality, the system is being developed to send prompt communication between the government and citizens in the event of a national emergency.
“The Federal Emergency Management Agency, in partnership with the Federal Communication Commission, is conducting a test on October 4th to ensure that the systems remain effective in alerting the public about emergencies, especially those occurring on a national scale,” the agency stated in a statement.
What are your thoughts on this federal mobile alert test?