The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Communications Commission will conduct the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System tomorrow, Wednesday, November 9 at 2:00 PM Eastern time. It will last 30 seconds.

You may hear a message on radio or television saying, “This is a test.” This national test will help determine the reliability of the system and its effectiveness in notifying the public of emergencies and potential dangers nationally and regionally.

The Emergency Alert System is a national system to let the President address the public during emergencies. Under the Federal Communications Commission’s rules, radio and television broadcasters, cable operators, satellite providers and wireline video service providers are required to receive and transmit presidential Emergency Alert System messages to the public.

The nationwide test will broadcast across all states and the territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa.

Learn more about the Emergency Alert System test.

Find out how you can prepare for emergencies and what to include in your emergency kit.

If you live in an area impacted by fire or flooding, follow instructions from your local emergency management agency.

We have information to help you replace vital documents, apply for disaster assistance, stay safe, and file an insurance claim after a flood or fire.

If you live in an area that’s likely to flood, you should:

• Listen to the radio or television for local information.
• Be aware of flash floods. If there is any possibility of a flash flood, move immediately to higher ground. Do not wait for instructions to move.
• Be aware of streams, drainage channels, canyons, and other areas known to flood suddenly.

If you have to leave your home, do not walk through moving water or drive into flooded areas. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has more information about what to do during a flood and after a flood.

During and after Hurricane Irene, voice data networks may be busy. The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends that you let friends and family know your status by sending a text, e-mail, or updating social media sites.

If you do need to make a phone call, keep it brief to free up “space” on the network for emergency communications and to conserve battery power, if you are using a wireless phone.

Also, wait 10 seconds before redialing a call on wireless devices. On many handsets, you simply push “send” after you’ve ended a call to redial the previous number. If you do this too quickly, there’s not enough time for the data to clear and it contributes to a clogged network.