warning message

Your phone, television, or radio may emit an alarming noise at 2:20 p.m. ET on Wednesday. It is important to note that this is simply a test and there is no cause for alarm.

On Wednesday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will be conducting a test of the national public alert and warning system.

Almost all smartphones connected to a cellular network will receive a message along with an alert sound and vibration. The message will state: "THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed."

The purpose of these FEMA tests is to ensure effective communication of critical messages to the American public during emergency situations. A law passed in 2015 mandates that FEMA carry out a nationwide test every three years.

FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell expressed the importance of keeping the public informed when it matters most in a brief video statement: "We want to make sure that when it counts, we can keep you informed."

Television and radio stations will also broadcast the same message around the same time. This will be the third nationwide test of the alert system, with the previous one conducted in August 2021. The system was also tested in 2018 when the U.S. president sent out a message using the same system.

It is worth noting that the alert sound cannot be disabled on smartphones while they are switched on. There is no need for sign-up or subscription to receive the alert. Although iPhones and most Android smartphones allow users to opt out of certain government alerts, such as Amber alerts, opting out of this test is not possible.