FCC Reminds Emergency Alert System Participants and the Public About a Nationwide Test on August 7, 2019

In a Public Notice released on July 1, 2019, the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) of the FCC reminds Emergency Alert System (EAS) participants and the public that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, in coordination with the FCC, will conduct a nationwide test of the EAS on August 7, 2019, at 2:20 p.m. EDT, with a back-up test date of August 21, 2019.

The Public Notice also reminds EAS participants about upcoming deadlines for filing EAS test reports and taking other actions to prepare for the test.

The EAS message will clearly state that the alert is only a test of the EAS.  The test must comply with the FCC’s accessibility requirements, and the test will include both audio and visual elements as required by the FCC’s rules. 

Links to Public Notice:

URL: https://www.fcc.gov/document/reminder-emergency-alert-system-participants-test-deadlines

Word: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-19-612A1.docx

PDF: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-19-612A1.pdf

Text:  https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-19-612A1.txt

For more information, please contact Elizabeth Cuttner, Attorney Advisor, Policy and Licensing Division (PLD), PSHSB, at (202) 418-2145 or elizabeth.cuttner@fcc.gov, or Maureen Bizhko, Attorney Advisor, PLD, PSHSB, at (202) 418-0011 or maureen.bizhko@fcc.gov.  Individuals who are fluent in ASL may call the ASL Consumer Support Line at (844) 432-2275 (videophone).  TTY users may call the FCC’s TTY number at (888) 835-5322.