Nationwide Emergency Alert System Test

If you’re watching TV or listening to the radio on Wednesday, there will be an interruption for an important test.

The first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System is scheduled Wednesday at 2 PM.  Muskingum County Emergency Management Agency Director Bo Keck said the test will last about 30 seconds, and it will be transmitted via television and radio stations across the United States.

"This would be activated by the President of the United States," said Keck.  "This would not be our local activation for a tornado or something like that.  This would be for a large scale incident of some type that the President of the United States actually does the activation."

While the Emergency Alert System is often tested in local markets, a nationwide test is necessary to evaluate and improve the system.

"Everything they have says it’s going to work, but they’ve never really done a nationwide test," said Keck.  "It’s no different than the radio tests that we do here just to make sure the equipment is working, so when the real incident does happen, you have no question that it’s going to work."

When the test is over, regular programming will resume.