The federal government will be testing its nationwide Integrated Public Alert and Warning System today (Oct. 4, 2023) at 1:20pm.
Pierre City Commissioner Vona Johnson is the liaison to the town’s public safety committees.
The test will be conducted over a 30-minute time frame.
These types of alerts are frequently used in targeted areas to alert people to things such as severe weather. Federal law requires the systems be tested at least once every three years. The last nationwide test was in 2021.
People listening to the radio or watching broadcast or cable television will hear and see a message lasting one minute that says: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 14:20 to 14:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.”
Wireless phone customers in the United States whose phones are turned on, will get a message saying: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” The incoming message will also make a noise and the phone should vibrate. Mobile phone users will only get the message once. If your phones are turned off at 1:20pm and then turned back on within the 30 minutes, you’ll get the emergency alert message. If you turn your phone on after the 30 minutes have expired, you will not get the message.
The Emergency Alert System is a national public warning system that’s designed to allow the president to speak to the American people within 10 minutes during a national emergency via specific outlets such as radio and television. And Wireless Emergency Alerts are short messages — 360 characters or less — that go to mobile phones to alert their owner to important information.
Customers whose phones are set to the Spanish language will get the message in Spanish.
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