Be prepared for an unexpected interruption on October 4th. At 11:20 a.m. PT / 2:20 p.m. ET, cellphones, radios, and televisions across the country will sound a distinctive electronic noise. This alert is a scheduled test of the nationwide Emergency Alert System (EAS), a joint venture between the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
This test, an integral component of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), may be rescheduled to Oct. 11 if significant events, such as severe weather, occur, FEMA informed. The test is twofold: a 30-minute signal for radios and televisions and a concurrent one for consumer cellphones.
Federal guidelines mandate that this system be tested at least once every three years. The previous test was conducted on August 11, 2021.
Jeremy Edwards, FEMA spokesperson, clarified that the tone used for the tests has been a consistent presence in American life since 1963. It was then that President John F. Kennedy introduced the original Emergency Broadcast System. This tone is also utilized by over 1,700 authorities to announce local emergencies.
However, the impending test has ignited conspiracy theories on social media, suggesting unfounded health impacts. These misleading claims incorrectly tie the test to debunked myths regarding COVID vaccine ingredients, particularly the nonexistent inclusion of graphene oxide. Experts, including Matthew Laurens from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Julia Greer from the California Institute of Technology, have unequivocally refuted these notions.
FEMA and the FCC emphasize that these regular tests are routine and have been conducted for years without any associated health concerns.
Stay informed, and don't be swayed by misleading information.
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