Nationwide test of Emergency Alert System Wednesday

[November 05, 2011]  SPRINGFIELD -- Radio and TV stations across the nation will participate in the first-ever nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System at 1 p.m. CST on Wednesday. It's anticipated that the test may take up to 3 1/2 minutes to complete and will encompass all broadcast television, radio, cable and satellite radio systems.

The test will be conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Management Agency, the Federal Communications Commission, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Since this is the first time all TV and radio stations will conduct the test simultaneously, and with the length of the test, emergency officials say it's very possible the public may be confused about if it's a test or indicates an actual event occurring. So the public needs to be aware of the test.

"The Emergency Alert System is an important tool for providing critical information to the public during emergencies," said Jonathon Monken, director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. "This nationwide test is a very ambitious and necessary step to ensure the viability of the system."

Monken said the test will be similar to those people hear monthly on their local radio and TV stations. The main difference is that on Nov. 9, all TV and radio stations will be conducting the test at the same time.

The Emergency Alert System is a national public alert and warning system that enables the president of the United States to address the American public during extreme emergencies. Alerting authorities can leverage the state and local EAS to send alerts and warnings to radio and television stations, cable television, satellite radio and television services, and wireline providers.

"Broadcasters are proud of the important role we play as 'first informers' in times of emergency," said Dennis Lyle, president and CEO of the Illinois Broadcasters Association. "In the 60-year history of Emergency Alert System and its predecessors, the system has never been tested on a nationwide basis. While we hope it will never be used for a presidential alert, it's important to test the system end to end in order to seek continuous improvement of this lifesaving alerting system."

Additional information regarding the test is available at the website of the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System: http://www.ileas.org/.

[Text from files received from state, area and local emergency management]