The federal government will run a nationwide emergency alert test on Tuesday, November 17, cutting into television and radio programming across the country at the same moment.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, better known as FEMA, is running the test with the Federal Communications Commission. It is scheduled for about 2:20 p.m. Eastern, which is 1:20 p.m. Central, 12:20 p.m. Mountain and 11:20 a.m. Pacific. Whatever you are watching or listening to will pause for about one minute while the alert plays.
You will hear the alert tone and then a message saying this is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by FEMA, and that no action is required by the public. The message will air in English and Spanish. Once it ends, regular programming picks back up.
Your phone will stay quiet. This emergency alert test covers TV and radio only. The last nationwide test, in October 2023, also sent an alert to cell phones, which is why so many people remember their phones going off at once. FEMA is not including phones this year.
The Emergency Alert System is the setup that lets officials break into broadcasts during a real crisis, like a hurricane, a tornado or a national emergency. It runs through every TV and radio station, cable provider and satellite service in the country. A test is the only way to confirm all of those stations can actually receive and air an alert before people need one.
Federal law requires FEMA to run a nationwide test at least once every three years to catch technical problems early. This will be the first nationwide emergency alert test since 2023.
You do not need to do anything. When the screen changes and the tone starts at 2:20 p.m. Eastern on November 17, it is only a test.
Made to order and shipped to your door.
