Why Will A Loud Alarm Sound On All New York Phones, TVs And Radios In October?

On October 4th 2023, a loud alarm will sound on all cell phones, tvs, and radios across New York State. Why?

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have scheduled a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) for Wednesday, October 4th. That means at 2:20PM EST, anyone with a WEA-compatible cell phone that’s turned on and within range of a cell tower, will get the emergency alert sent to their phone.

The purpose of the Oct. 4 test is to ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level. In case the Oct. 4 test is postponed due to widespread severe weather or other significant events, the back-up testing date is Oct. 11."

In the case of an actual emergency, this system can be used by authorized federal, state, local, tribal and territorial government agencies to reach the public in geo-targeted areas. National alerts can be issued by the President of the United States or the Administrator of FEMA.

So when you get this alert on October 4th, do not stress or worry.

Here's What To Expect:

The following can be expected from the nationwide WEA test:

- Beginning at approximately 2:20PM ET, cell towers will broadcast the test for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, WEA-compatible wireless phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless provider participates in WEA, should be capable of receiving the test message.

- For consumers, the message that appears on their phones will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

- Phones with the main menu set to Spanish will display: “ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA del Sistema Nacional de Alerta de Emergencia. No se necesita acción.”

More information can be found online here.