Here’s why everyone with a cellphone will be getting a text from the president

September 19, 2018 Utah Channel 3

ST. GEORGE — In order to test its nationwide emergency alert system, the Federal Emergency Management Agency in coordination with the FCC will be sending texts to everyone with a cellphone on Oct. 3.

According to FEMA, the Emergency Alert System is a national public warning system that allows the president to address the nation during a national emergency. While the public is most likely more familiar with the EAS alerts, which typically interrupt radio and television broadcasts, this will be the first Wireless Emergency Alert.

The tests will assess the readiness to distribute a national message and determine if improvements are needed.

The tests of the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts are being conducted in October instead of September due to the ongoing response efforts to Hurricane Florence, which hit North Carolina last week.

The WEA portion of the test will commence Oct. 3 at 2:18 p.m. EDT (12:18 p.m. MDT), and the EAS portion will follow at 2:20 p.m. EDT (12:30 p.m. MDT). The EAS test is scheduled to last approximately one minute.

The EAS test is available to participants such as radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers and wireline video providers. The EAS test message will include the following:

THIS IS A TEST of the National Emergency Alert System. This system was developed by broadcast and cable operators in voluntary cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Communications Commission, and local authorities to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. If this had been an actual emergency an official message would have followed the tone alert you heard at the start of this message. A similar wireless emergency alert test message has been sent to all cell phones nationwide. Some cell phones will receive the message; others will not. No action is required.

The WEA system is meant to alert the public to dangerous weather, missing children and other critical situations. WEA compatible cellphones that are turned on and in range of an active cell tower should receive the test message, which will have a header of “Presidential Alert” and state the following: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

Cellphone users can’t opt out of receiving the WEA test message.

If you have a question about the test, you can email FEMA-National-Test@fema.dhs.gov or visit the FEMA website.

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