CHARLOTTE, N.C. — If you hear a loud blaring noise from your phone this afternoon – there is no cause for alarm.
A nationwide test of the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) will be conducted on Wednesday, Aug. 11 at 2:20 p.m. on smartphones that have opted in.
The test, which is conducted by FEMA in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will appear on televisions and radios, while specially configured cell phones will receive an emergency alert test code message.
The purpose of the test is to ensure that the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and WEA systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level, according to FEMA. The WEA portion of the test will display on smartphones while the EMS test will play on radios and television.
Both tests are set for the same time which is 2:20 p.m. EST.
Local cell towers will broadcast the test message for around 30 minutes. The message that appears on their phones will read: βTHIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.β
iPhone users can opt out of receiving the message by going to the Settings app to turn off the feature. In addition, the toggle can be found in the Notifications tab, all the way at the bottom of the list.
For more information on the test, click here.
