While you may be familiar with required weekly tests, this first-ever nationwide Emergency Alert System test may contain different elements. Audio will indicate that this is in fact a test, scrolling text across television screens may not.
When millions of Americans hear the warning at 13:00 CST Wednesday, the words will sound familiar, but the occasion will be historic. It will mark the first-ever nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, a system that enables the president to address the American public within 10 minutes from any location at any time.
Although state and local communities regularly use the system to notify communities about hurricanes, flash floods, tornadoes, child abductions and other events, all previous tests of the system have been local or regional, and involve the voluntary compliance of broadcasters. Wednesday's test is the first national test featuring a live "presidential" alert code, which instructs TV and radio stations that the alert takes priority over all other programming.
The test will air on every broadcast, cable and satellite TV station in the nation, as well as every AM, FM and satellite radio station. But it will not be sent to landline or cell phones, pagers or computers, which millions of people monitor for news and information.
The test will be brief -- 30 seconds from start to finish.
In the event of a real emergency, the test would originate from wherever the president is. For test purposes, it will originate from a FEMA operations center. The president will not be involved and will not speak.
Houstonians should take this time to make sure that they have an emergency kit, a family emergency plan and ways to stay informed during emergency situations. Residents can find information on how to plan for emergencies, as well as sign up for AlertHouston emergency emails from the Office of Emergency Management online at http://www.houstonoem.net/.
For more information on the nationwide EAS test and emergency preparedness visit http://www.houstonoem.net/ or email info@houstonoem.net.
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