Montgomery County Residents Will Receive Radio, Television, and Cell Phone Alerts During National Emergency Test

For Immediate Release:  Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023

Montgomery County Residents Will Receive Radio, Television, and Cell Phone Alerts During National Emergency Test

Montgomery County residents will see tests of the national emergency alerts system on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 2:20 p.m. EDT. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA,) in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA).

The purpose of the Oct. 4 test is to ensure that the systems continue to be an effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level. In the event that the  Oct. 4 test is postponed due to widespread severe weather or other significant events, the back-up testing date is Wednesday, Oct. 11.

“Having multiple devices go off at the same time tomorrow may be very concerning to those uninformed on what is going on,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “It is important that residents are aware that this is a test and there is no reason for concern. Please help us and pass along the notification that this test is going to happen and make sure your family and friends are aware. And consider taking this moment to update all of your alerts and notifications that can help keep you informed and safe.” 

The WEA portion of the test will be initiated using FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), a centralized internet-based system administered by FEMA. IPAWS enables authorities to send authenticated emergency messages to the public through multiple communications networks. The WEA test will be administered via a code sent to cell phones. The test message will display in either English or Spanish, depending on the language settings of the cell phone or wireless device.

All wireless phones should receive the message only once. Cell phone users should expect the following from the nationwide WEA test:

• Beginning at approximately 2:20 p.m. EDT, cell towers will broadcast the test for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, WEA-compatible wireless phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower and whose wireless provider participates in WEA, should be capable of receiving the test message.
• For consumers, phones will produce an audible tone and the message that appears on their phones will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
• Phones with the main menu set to Spanish will display: “ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA del Sistema Nacional de Alerta de Emergencia. No se necesita acción.”
• The EAS portion of the test will be sent to radios and televisions and disseminated as a Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) message via the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System-Open Platform for Emergency Networks (IPAWS-OPEN).

Important information about the EAS test:

• The EAS portion of the test is scheduled to last approximately one minute and will be conducted with the participation of radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers.
• The test message will be like the regular monthly EAS test messages that the public is familiar with. It will state: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 2:20 to 2:50 p.m. EDT. This is only a test. No action is required by the  .”

The tests of these national systems differ from Alert Montgomery, but each is important.

“Alert Montgomery provides immediate notifications from County officials directly to your mobile devices,” said Luke Hodgson, director of the County’s Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEMHS). “This system is built for residents and employees within Montgomery County to receive alerts and protective actions for emergencies that occur within our community.”

Alert Montgomery provides local emergency notifications to those who opt-in, while the national WEA system provides nationwide emergency alerts and some local alerts such as Amber Alerts, tornado warnings and flash flood warnings to all mobile devices based on your location.

For more information about these national-level tests, please visit the FEMA website or contact FEMA at FEMA-News-Desk@fema.dhs.gov.

 

Media Contact:  Mark Roper, mark.roper@montgomerycountymd.gov or 240-777-6507