Emergency Alert System Test to Take Place on Wednesday

The first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) will take place on Wednesday at 2 p.m. and will interrupt TV and radio broadcasts for less than four minutes, according to the Anne Arundel County Office of Emergency Management.

“Most people are familiar with local broadcast testing. Testing the EAS on a national level is the first of its kind and will encompass all regions of the Nation simultaneously,” said Captain Eric Hodge, director of the Office of Emergency Management, in a release. “Testing the EAS plays a key role in evaluating and improving the communication systems in place for all hazards.”

Local and state governments use the EAS to send weather alerts and other emergencies but, according to the FEMA website, this will be the first-ever national activation of the system.

For more information, see the county's Office of Emergency Management website or the FEMA website.