Community Chat

[esmeesmerelda]

@Imadickens

Nationwide Emergency Alert System Test Planned for September 28

"September is National Preparedness Month. In addition to conducting the nationwide EAS test, FEMA and the FCC encourage individuals to take action to prepare now and throughout the year. While government plays a role, each of us - including individuals, organizations and businesses - has important things we can do to be ready for the unexpected. Take time this month to be better prepared by following these steps:

https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2016/09/26/nationwide-emergency-alert-system-test-planned-septembe..."

[JaneMarple]

@Imadickens I just googled "FEMA test" and they announce that it was a nationwide test for 2:20 today.

“The purpose of the nationwide test is to ensure that EAS remains an effective means of warning the public about emergencies,” according to a FEMA press release. “Periodic testing of public alert and warning systems helps to assess the operational readiness of alerting infrastructure and identify any needed technological and administrative improvements.”

The test message will be transmitted in English and Spanish.

It will be similar to the monthly tests, with one exception: the word “National” will be added to the test message.

[bri20]

I've never seen it. 

It would alarm me, I think, for a second.

From time to time, I get weather alerts and Amber alerts on my iphone, and it always startles me.

[Trinity11]

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@MalteseMomma wrote:

This has been going on for yrs and yrs.,not to worry!

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I have never seen the fema alerts... 

[chickenbutt]

Jewel - At least you just get the banner.   What we get is that, first, it changes the channel to some SD channel with Senate hearings (or something like that), Then the SCREECHING thing that continues on,  then the screen is overtaken with this black screen with the white writing that scrolls through it twice.   Then, it goes back to that SD channel and then back to the channel you were on.

If you were watching a recording, it just takes you to whatever channel was on the first tuner and you have to go back in to your recordings and go to what you were watching.

[LTT1]

@Imadickens@chickenbutt@SANNA@MalteseMomma@karlam

You all made me curious. So here is the scoop...

CBSNewYork: ADVISORY: FEMA to conduct nationwide test of Emergency Alert System at 2:20 p.m. EDT. This is only a test...

These loud things come on once per month around here but I never pay attention to what the banner says. This time, however, we have a new provider (Direct TV) and I couldn't find a button to push to get rid of that awful sound! 

Not  sure about the  part of the terrorist alert, but on the 9/11 TV special we watched, it reported that since 9/11  the country has  been at a higher terrorist alert status. (?)

[MalteseMomma]

@chickenbutt

I have never had one with any specfic info.I would not mind at all if I got one like that. Being I am in the NYC ,NJ area I am surprised I have never gotten one like that. All mine have always  been just a test!

[Imadickens]

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@chickenbutt wrote:

Maltese Momma - the only ones we've had that I would consider an emergency have been the child abduction ones.  I can understand that.

 But most of ours are either the three-times-a-week 'Monthly Test' or the ones that warn about some benign weather event.

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When I saw the wide green banner, and hadn't seen it before, I was afraid it was an Amber Alert, which is why I actually paid attention! I get so upset when I know about those and I try to say a prayer right away that the child will be found unharmed! This one bothered me only because I'd never seen one like it before and it didn't say it was new, or going to be shown regularly. It did say it was a test, but I still wonder why they decided to start this now?

[bri20]

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@cherry wrote:

I've never seen it, but given the state of things I probably soon will

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What does that mean? 

[moto]

Here in San Francisco, we have an audible siren that sounds every Tuesday at noon, testing for emergency alert system - a callback to the days of Civil Defense when air raids were a concern for the West Coast. They have been in opearation since 1942.