FEMA - Emergency Broadcast System Test - October 4th

[Kennywood]

US set for media blackout alarm on October 4th, 2023​

Explaining the rationale behind the decision to trigger an alert on every single mobile device in the nation, FEMA said “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.”

The alarm will begin to sound on each device at 2:20pm ET, and will last for approximately one minute. The message attached to the alert shall read “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

FEMA stated that the test is being undertaken with the cooperation of Radio and TV broadcasters, which suggests that during the minute there will effectively be a media blackout in the country.

Citizens do not need to opt in to receive the alert as it is an automatic process, and you will be able to continue using your phone as normal as soon as it’s finished.

Source: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/every-phone-and-tv-in-the-us-is-set-to-blackout-temporarily-on-october-4-2023/ar-AA1gXGNc?ocid=BingHp01&cvid=3fd3aad833384df19586d00bf2a75baa&ei=28

 

[easyas123]

Hadn't heard of this, thanks for the heads up!

 

[LuvOrlando]

I heard of it but forgot about it so no doubt it will end up scaring the bejezus out of me.

Really hope to God they do a good job making some very public announcements, as in maybe send out a text message to everyone on their devices announcing the alarm later in the day.

 

[sam_gordon]

This happens every year. About every other year, it works.

 

[tvguy]

We were on a cruise ship docked in San Francisco on October 17th, 2019. San Francisco decided to do a similar test because that was the 30th anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake. So at 5:04pm, the exact time of the quake, everyone's cell phone alerts went off. We had late seating dinner so we were in our stateroom but our servers said it was interesting in the dining room for main seating with everyone's phone going off.
Cell phones and tablets are an important part of an emergency alert system, but as we keep finding out, in an emergencies like the fires in Maui, and the fires in California, cell phones and tablets are totally worthless since the cell towers were all burned up.
This is why Congress is considering a law that would require automakers to include AM radios in all new cars. My son's VW ID4 has FM, and Satellite radio, but no AM radio. AM radio signals travel far further that FM so signals from areas not impacted by disasters can get in with emergency information.

 

[mikehn]

What if I turn off all the govt alerts on my iphone, will this still come through?

 

[tvguy]

What if I turn off all the govt alerts on my iphone, will this still come through?

Nope. But why would you want to do that?

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

I know a few people that are going to turn this into some kind of conspiracy theory. Can't wait to hear about it.

 

[MamaMermaid]

At least it won't be like the Florida one that went off in the middle of the night a few months ago and scared the poop outta everyone!

 

[_19disnA]

I know a few people that are going to turn this into some kind of conspiracy theory. Can't wait to hear about it.

For sure. Likely will give the social media crowd something to be 'outraged' about for that week............LOL.

While I can see the point of testing the system, seems like the need for a truly national emergency notification is extremely rare. Regional alerts for things like wildfires or major hurricanes/weather events seems to serve more of a purpose.

 

[georgina]

Nope. But why would you want to do that?

Because they are annoying! We were walking down a street in NYC once when everyone’s phones started beeping about a flash flood alert which really didn’t affect us. Looking at my current settings, I have Amber alerts, emergency alerts, and test alerts off. Public Safety Alerts is on. I am curious what the distinction is between emergency and public safety categories

 

[tvguy]

Because they are annoying! We were walking down a street in NYC once when everyone’s phones started beeping about a flash flood alert which really didn’t affect us. Looking at my current settings, I have Amber alerts, emergency alerts, and test alerts off. Public Safety Alerts is on. I am curious what the distinction is between emergency and public safety categories

I think I have had 3 in the 11 years the system has been in use. One test in San Francisco, and two for missing children in my area. Not like they use it often enough to be annoying.

 

[Moliphino]

At least it won't be like the Florida one that went off in the middle of the night a few months ago and scared the poop outta everyone!

Or the one in Hawaii a while back about an incoming missile.

 

[mikehn]

Years ago I turned it off. The amber alerts were ridiculous, mine along with the 20 other people's phones standing near by me going off all at once on the bus, subway, or elevator. If govt wants to send out an alert, the 20 other people beside me will scramble for cover and I will follow.

 

[kdonnel]

Or the one in Hawaii a while back about an incoming missile.

One of the people my wife works with was in Hawaii when the mishap occured. Her and her husband were on their first ever vacation. They have a special needs son who they had never left for more than a few hours.

They almost cancelled the trip multiple times. One of them would decide there was no way they could be gone so far for so long and the other would tell them it would be ok. Then rinse and repeat but with the opposite person on the other side of the argument.

So here the are just a few hours into their first ever vacation, feeling a little guilty, but happy at the same time.

Then both their phones lit up with an alert that there were missiles inbound from North Korea.

They panicked and worked on getting ahold of their family to say their goodbyes. All the guilt of taking the trip rushed back.

Once it was revealed to be a mistake it took the rest of the vacation before they were able to relax and not feel so guilty.

 

[_19disnA]

Years ago I turned it off. The amber alerts were ridiculous, mine along with the 20 other people's phones standing near by me going off all at once on the bus, subway, or elevator. If govt wants to send out an alert, the 20 other people beside me will scramble for cover and I will follow.

I agree, when the messages are too frequent and/or for trivial issues, it becomes more like junk/spam email and people will just ignore them. Anyone who lives in an area where hurricanes can occur (for example), likely already gets their weather information from various other sources and such storms are usually predicted well in advance.

It would be helpful to those who live someplace where tornados are likely to occur such as in Kansas to be made aware of a sudden tornado that is taking place, but someone in Nevada wouldn't need to know that. I don't know how selective their broadcast system is since you might own a cell phone that has a number issued in some other part of the country. Where you live now may have nothing to do with the area code where your phone was issued. The fiasco around that bogus warning sent out in Hawaii seems to prove the point that only a VERY few individuals should be authorized to send these messages AND have the appropriate safeguards/procedures/checks & balances in place to prevent widespread panic because someone sent out a message in error.

 

[darnheather]

I knew this was coming up so when my phone went off this afternoon I thought it was that. Nope, turns out a real emergency. Getting a major storm.

 

[NotUrsula]

The AM radio thing has the most potential to work, but they would also need one of those stickers on it such is on the visor, to let people know that if nothing else works try the AM radio, because I'd bet that 90% of Americans under age 30 don't know that AM radio still exists, even if they know it ever did.

The biggest problem in real emergencies is that so many people depend entirely on Apple portable devices, none of which includes a broadcast receiver (because any real bad guy with sense would know to emulate Mother Nature and go for the cell towers first.)

Every household needs an actual real portable radio that is capable of picking up actual broadcast alerts, preferably with a crank and solar power backup in case the electricity fails and your batteries die. If you don't own one, go buy one now; I'll wait.



(Seriously, if you don't have one, you should consider getting one. They are cheap and will work when nothing else does.)

 

[tvguy]

I agree, when the messages are too frequent and/or for trivial issues, it becomes more like junk/spam email and people will just ignore them. Anyone who lives in an area where hurricanes can occur (for example), likely already gets their weather information from various other sources and such storms are usually predicted well in advance.

It would be helpful to those who live someplace where tornados are likely to occur such as in Kansas to be made aware of a sudden tornado that is taking place, but someone in Nevada wouldn't need to know that. I don't know how selective their broadcast system is since you might own a cell phone that has a number issued in some other part of the country. Where you live now may have nothing to do with the area code where your phone was issued. The fiasco around that bogus warning sent out in Hawaii seems to prove the point that only a VERY few individuals should be authorized to send these messages AND have the appropriate safeguards/procedures/checks & balances in place to prevent widespread panic because someone sent out a message in error.

I also agree. Fortunately, here officials are very careful with local alerts. I get reverse 9-1-1 calls on my landline, but you don't get those calls on your cell phone unless you sign up for them.
I'm old enough to remember AM car radios with little triangles on the dial at 640 and 1240 am, the two frequencies designated for emergency AM radio broadcasts.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I'm old enough to remember AM car radios with little triangles on the dial at 640 and 1240 am, the two frequencies designated for emergency AM radio broadcasts.

CONELRAD