US To Test Emergency Alerts System On Wednesday: What It Means

The US will send out wireless emergency alerts (WEA) on Monday to test a system that will disseminate severe weather warnings and even incidents of missing children. The text messages will be sent to all TVs, radios and cellphones to test the system that will be an essential part of America's emergency preparedness.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will carry out the test in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

According to the FCC, FEMA will conduct a test of both Wireless Emergency Alerts and the Emergency Alert System (EAS) at around 2:20 pm on Monday.

The WEA test is aimed at ensuring that the emergency alert systems work effectively in warning the public about emergencies. All cellphones will receive the message in either English or Spanish depending upon the language settings of the phone.

Cell towers will broadcast the message for about 30 minutes during which cellphones within the range of an active tower should receive the alert. The message will read, "THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed".

To receive the test alert, users must have a WEA-compatible mobile device that is turned on. The device should also not be in airplane mode and must be within the coverage area of a cell tower and able to receive a signal from that tower. The device also has to be in the geographical area where the wireless provider participates in WEA.

The WEA system was launched in 2012 and has been used more than 84,000 times since then. It is used in emergencies such as extreme weather or in other critical situations.

Wireless companies volunteer to participate in emergency alert tests, "which is the result of a unique public/private partnership between the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the FCC, and the United States wireless industry in order to enhance public safety".