First Nationwide Test of the Emergency Alert System

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
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FEMA will be doing something proactive for a change and will be overseeing the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System. FEMA is trying to get the word out early to prepare the nation for a disruption of all media platforms for the 30 second test on November 9th at 2pm. Thanks to WorldExclusive for the link.

Similar to emergency alert system tests that are already conducted frequently on the local level, the nationwide test will involve television and radio stations across the United States, including Alaska, Hawaii, and the territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa.
 
FEMA is working to ensure that the public is aware of this test and that it will not be a real emergency alert.

I guess if you want to launch a massive attack on the US 2:01 pm would be the time to do it.
 
TVs, radios, I don't think anybody will notice. Now if they were to cut down the Internet for 30 seconds...
 
The more interesting part is it is 2011 and we are just NOW getting a national alert? Really?
 
<tinfoilhat>They are just making sure that they have the system in place for when they create the need later.</tinfoilhat>
 
rolling all investments into canned food and ammunition
 
2 minutes 17 seconds. Everyone in the world will be able to see aprox. 6 months into the future (their future)
 
The more interesting part is it is 2011 and we are just NOW getting a national alert? Really?

It existed, it just never have been tested, and it was realized after 9/11 and Katrina that it's severely outdated. Part of the delay was that no one wanted to fund it and even now it still is limited in what they originally wanted which was reverse 911 calls, and mass text messages. Hell, there's still a fair amount of stations that won't be able to show video, just an audio alert.
 
Put me in the tinfoil hat crowd because I don't know what sort of disaster would warrant a national emergency alert. Maybe they foresee something we don't?
 
It existed, it just never have been tested, and it was realized after 9/11 and Katrina that it's severely outdated. Part of the delay was that no one wanted to fund it and even now it still is limited in what they originally wanted which was reverse 911 calls, and mass text messages. Hell, there's still a fair amount of stations that won't be able to show video, just an audio alert.

In other words, "The more interesting part is it is 2011 and we are just NOW getting a national alert?" ;)
 
I used to see these being tested all the time on TV. Its not the first time, you hear buzzing noises and then they say this is only a test and all that junk what is fema smoking?

I have not seen it since the old days of open air TV though and not at all during since the channels went HD, local PBS stations had it on the most.
 
Put me in the tinfoil hat crowd because I don't know what sort of disaster would warrant a national emergency alert. Maybe they foresee something we don't?

Pshh, you conspiracy theorists. Probably thinking the world's going to end in 2012 or something aren't you?
 
I used to see these being tested all the time on TV. Its not the first time, you hear buzzing noises and then they say this is only a test and all that junk what is fema smoking?

I have not seen it since the old days of open air TV though and not at all during since the channels went HD, local PBS stations had it on the most.

Your local stations did that though, this new one is tied into a federal system so it's on all channels, no matter how you receive it (satellite/cable/OTA), radio stations will play it, and iOS and Windows Phone 7 even have special software that apparently plays a siren sound along with a pop up message to gain your attention even if your phone is muted. (oddly enough Android wasn't mentioned in the article I read)
 
I'm interested in how many people won't know it's a test.

Whats been really annoying is around 3am I been seeing this damn test 10min or less, one night it was so bad I just had to turn off the TV. Everytime it comes on it takes you out of on-demand, then you have to start your show again. After 5 times in one hour I just turned off the TV went to sleep.

Its says weekly test yet its played way more than once per week.
 
They're getting ready for the zombie apocalypse.
 
I don't believe the world will end in 2012, but I can see the posibility of all freedom in the US ending as marshal law is enacted to keep a certain DickTater in office. :(
 
Put me in the tinfoil hat crowd because I don't know what sort of disaster would warrant a national emergency alert. Maybe they foresee something we don't?


Mega-Tsunami from the Canary Islands or Yellow Stone super eruption. Both would have effects that would cause national issues.
 
The more interesting part is it is 2011 and we are just NOW getting a national alert? Really?

we have had national alerting systems for a really long time, before EAS was EBS, which actually was activated by accident in 1971

http://stlradio.net/pages/ebsaccident.htm

EBS tests were interesting during the cold war, they would cycle tv and radio transmitters on and off in patterns, the idea being confusing radio direction finders the soviets used in their nuclear bombers at the time...
 
Well, since this is the first I've heard of this test, I guess they aren't trying hard enough. Not that I care though, since it's just a 30 second test and I've heard them dozens of times before.
 
wait a min I take that back, infact all the channels is some kind of makup commercial :p
 
wait a min I take that back, infact all the channels is some kind of makup commercial :p

Probably your public access station on your cable system. If they didn't have a crawl or anything, then it failed.

Here, the cable EAS went through, but you could barely hear the announcement. I flipped on the radio real quick and it was the same. When you could finally change channels again, a few other locals seemed similar. No text alert either, but I expected that.
 
great. i missed it. guess I'd be dead if it had been an actual emergency that required letting everyone one the US know about.
 
there was a message in my FiOS Message Center about this for the past 2 weeks but why on Earth would you conduct the test at 2:00 PM for?...people are actually watching/recording TV at that time...why not have this test at 2:00 AM?
 
Glenn Beck talked about this on his stupid show today. Obviously the government is about to take over and this is in preparation for it.

You see, Obama can't just take over. He needs a I emergency to give him the excuse. That's why he's hired these Occupy Wall St lunatics. They're all strategically placed throughout the country and when they're ready, they'll start rioting across the country and that will be Obama's excuse to come in, take over and take his rightful place as emperor and this is why you should've been buying dehydrated food from his sponsor Food Insurance so when the country falls, you can feed your family.

Sounds right to me.
 
Glenn Beck talked about this on his stupid show today. Obviously the government is about to take over and this is in preparation for it.

You see, Obama can't just take over. He needs a I emergency to give him the excuse. That's why he's hired these Occupy Wall St lunatics. They're all strategically placed throughout the country and when they're ready, they'll start rioting across the country and that will be Obama's excuse to come in, take over and take his rightful place as emperor and this is why you should've been buying dehydrated food from his sponsor Food Insurance so when the country falls, you can feed your family.

Sounds right to me.

oh geeze.. not sure if serious..
 
there was a message in my FiOS Message Center about this for the past 2 weeks but why on Earth would you conduct the test at 2:00 PM for?...people are actually watching/recording TV at that time...why not have this test at 2:00 AM?

Many local networks go off the air at night. So during the mid afternoon before school gets out gets the best coverage with least amount of people watching stuff like news and all that. Essentially you'll not really be disrupting anything "important" at 2PM.
 
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