The Manitowoc County Emergency Services Division is informing citizens that the nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System that was scheduled for Thursday, September 20, 2018 has now been postponed to October 3rd at 1:18pm due to the severe weather across the East Coast.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be conducting a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS). For the first time ever, this test will send an alert to many cell phones with the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) feature. Not all cell phone providers will broadcast the alert & some older phones may not receive it, but most newer phones should sound an alarm & display the following message:
“THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
Local radio and television stations will also broadcast the test message through the traditional Emergency Alert System (EAS).
The test is scheduled to begin at 1:18 pm on October 3rd.
Residents are encouraged to contact their cell phone provider if they do not receive the alert or want more information on whether or not their provider will carry the test.
As a reminder, September is National Preparedness Month, so all residents are encouraged to make a disaster plan, which includes how they would receive alerts and communicate, build a kit, and get trained on lifesaving skills.
