When back-to-back alerts start going off on your mobile device and in your home or car around after 2:15 pm on October 3, there is no need to be alarmed.

In fact, if those warnings are going off, residents can rest assured that the successful back-to-back tests of a nationwide emergency alert system will ensure that they will receive real emergency alerts — if and when any are ever issued.

On September 21, representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) held a nationwide press briefing to review details of a planned nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) on October 3.

The WEA portion of the test commences at 2:18 pm and the EAS portion follows at 2:20 pm.

The FCC and FEMA representatives explained that the test is designed to assess the operational readiness of the infrastructure for distribution of a national message and determine whether technological improvements are needed.

While this is the fourth EAS nationwide test, it marks the first national WEA test to be sent to mobile phones and devices. Previous EAS national tests were conducted in September 2011, 2016, and 2017, in collaboration with the FCC, broadcasters, and emergency management officials, in recognition of FEMA’s National Preparedness Month.

According to officials, the EAS test is scheduled to last approximately one minute and is made available to EAS participants, including radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers.

The test message will be similar to regular monthly EAS test messages with which the public is familiar.

The EAS message will include a reference to the WEA test:

“THIS IS A TEST of the National Emergency Alert System. This system was developed by broadcast and cable operators in voluntary cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Communications Commission, and local authorities to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. If this had been an actual emergency, an official message would have followed the tone alert you heard at the start of this message. A similar wireless emergency alert test message has been sent to all cellphones nationwide. Some cellphones will receive the message; others will not. No action is required.”

The WEA test message will read “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

The WEA system is used to warn the public about dangerous weather, missing children, and other critical situations through alerts on cell phones. It allows customers whose wireless provider participates in WEA and who own a WEA-compatible wireless phone to receive geo-targeted alerts of imminent threats to safety in their area through unique tones and vibration.

The national WEA test will use the same special tone and vibration.

Officials said the WEA test will be sent through the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS), as part of the nation’s modern alert and warning infrastructure, which automatically authenticates alerts. Cell towers will broadcast the WEA test for approximately 30 minutes.

During this time, they said cell phones that are switched on and within range of an active cell tower should be capable of receiving the test message. Cell phones should receive the message once.

Significant coordination has been conducted with EAS participants, wireless providers, and emergency managers in preparation for this EAS-WEA national test. The test is intended to ensure public safety officials have the methods and systems that will deliver urgent alerts and warnings to the public in times of an emergency or disaster.

Periodic testing of public alert and warning systems is also a way to assess the operational readiness of the infrastructure required for the distribution of a national message and determine whether technological improvements are needed.

The officials said receiving preparedness tips and timely information about weather conditions or other emergency events can make all the difference in knowing when to take action to be safe.

FEMA and its partners are working to ensure alerts and warnings are received quickly through several different technologies, whether an individual is at home, at school, at work, or out in the community. The FEMA app, which can be downloaded on both Android and Apple devices, is one way to ensure receiving both preparedness tips and weather alerts of your choice.

Download the FEMA app today at fema.gov/mobile-app.

More information on the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System and Wireless Emergency Alerts is available at ready.gov/alerts.