Originally scheduled for Thursday, 20 September 2018.
Nationwide Test of the Emergency Alert System
FEMA ...postponed the nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)
from 20 September until October 3 due to ongoing response efforts to Hurricane Florence.
ORIGINAL INFORMATION READ AS:
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC),
will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) on
September 20, 2018 (primary date) or October 3, 2018 (secondary date). The WEA portion of the test commences
at 2:18 PM 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 technological improvements are
needed.
This is the fourth EAS nationwide test and the first national WEA test. The WEA test message will be sent to
cell phones. Previous EAS national tests were conducted in September 2011, 2016 and 2017 in collaboration with
the FCC, broadcasters, and emergency management officials in recognition of FEMAs National Preparedness Month.
