(Cross-posted to the front page of my site, State of the Skies)
There will be a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System at 2 PM EST on Wednesday, November 9, 2011. Most of us are familiar with the EAS as the screen that pops up on our TV and the annoying noise it makes before it tells us it's a test, or relays important emergency information. The EAS is most commonly used for weather emergencies (tornado watch/warning and flash flood warnings), but can be used for other things such as Civil Emergency Messages (all roads closed during a blizzard, evacuation notices, etc.), Child Abduction Emergencies (relaying Amber Alerts), 911 Telephone Outages, and a whole host of other important information.
This test will last about 3 minutes. It will be conducted simultaneously on all radio and television stations across the 50 states. The EAS is tested and activated thousands of times per year across the United States, but has never been activated for a bigger market than an entire state.
The purpose of this test is to ensure that the EAS works on the national level, if there is a national emergency that requires the President or another government agency to send out information immediately. This kind of event is rare (nuclear war or something outrageous like that), and is almost not needed in the instant social media era.
The reason they're conducting this test at 2PM on Wednesday November 9 is, as they state, because:
[...] The November 9 date is near the end of hurricane season and before the severe winter weather season begins in earnest. The 2 PM EST broadcast time will minimize disruption during rush hours, while ensuring that the test occurs during working hours across the United States.
Unlike normal EAS tests, it is doubtful that this test will be rescheduled due to local severe weather or other major events.
I've said test 11 times up to this sentence, because I want to drive home the point that it will only be a test. There is no major terrorist attack. No monster F5 tornadoes sweeping up half the country. No major breaking news Obama needs to give us right away.
Just a test.
For our non-American friends, the following videos show the EAS. The noise gives me chills. It looks different and uses different scripts in various parts of the country, but the creepy sound is usually the same:
Test:
Not a test (Caution: Some NSFW language from the guy recording it):