'Presidential Alert' wireless emergency test is happening today

[Shawn Knight]

What just happened? That strange notification you just received on your smartphone isn't reason for concern, it's simply a scheduled test of the wireless emergency alerts system. It was supposed to happen last month but response efforts to Hurricane Florence pushed it back to today.

A nationwide test of the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) and Emergency Alert System (EAS) will be conducted later today. There’s no reason for alarm but knowing about it beforehand will likely save you a few minutes researching the unexpected notification on your phone.

The test will be conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The WEA portion of the test will begin at 2:18 p.m. EDT and run for approximately 30 minutes. Cell phones that are on, within range of an active tower and whose provider participates in the WEA program will likely receive a test message that reads:

“THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

The header for the notification will read “Presidential Alert.”

FEMA notes that not all cell phones will receive the message and that phones that do get it should only receive one copy of the alert. Users can not opt out of receiving the test message.

This will be the first national test of the WEA system which is intended to be used by the president to warn civilians of natural disasters, acts of terrorism and other disasters or threats to public safety. The test was originally scheduled for September 20 but was postponed due to the ongoing response efforts to Hurricane Florence.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/76756-presidential-alert-wireless-emergency-test-happening-today.html

 

[kombu]

The looming threat of Communism should fall under the above classification and give Trump the right to send out at least one of those bad boys every day. "Vote Republican Bigly or it's Covfefe for all of us!"

 

[psycros]

Just got mine. Wonder how long until its hacked and mentions we've run out of Quarter Pounders, setting off bloody riots nationwide?

 

[Hexic]

Welp, just found out who was sleeping in our sales meeting. The dude about fell out of his chair when every phone in the conference room blared and startled him awake.

 

[stewi0001]

Nothing here yet.

 

[LNCPapa]

Got mine a couple minutes ago.

 

[netman]

Got mine too. But what is the purpose of this alert if there is no underground bunker to go to in US soil in case of a nuclear blast!

 

[Jeff Re]

Apparently My Android 5.1 phone is too old to handle it.

 

[learninmypc]

Got mine too

 

[Panda218]

I really wish I could respond to the alert.

 

[SpatulaCity]

I got mine too. What is neat is that I even got it on a cell phone with no SIM card in it as well. My first phone, a Huawei with no SIM card that I bought in London many years ago with android 4.1.1 didn't get the message.

 

[toooooot]

Imagine president using this to share his nudes by mistakes

 

[erickmendes]

"Presidential Alert: Something HUGE is coming. Run for the hills."

 

[Danny101]

It's basically the Presidential 'D' pic, without the 'D'

 

[jtveg]

The looming threat of Communism should fall under the above classification and give Trump the right to send out at least one of those bad boys every day. "Vote Republican Bigly or it's Covfefe for all of us!"

Best comment ever.... I couldn't stop laughing.

 

[kombu]

Best comment ever.... I couldn't stop laughing.

So true.

 

[JamesSWD]

I watched some lefties have a meltdown at the Presidential Alert, believing that Trump would now message them all the time without their permission. I don't know how they survive in the real world being such dopes.

I read somewhere that the test alert was also sent out over some cable systems, either intentionally or by mistake...whatever, I don't know. But my Cox cable box switched to one of their screens for cable box settings while I was watching TV, which was weird.