Throughout the country, every television, radio and cellphone blared out the distinctive warning tone of an emergency alert at 2:20 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 4. The Federal Emergency Management Coordinators conducted the test to ensure the national alert systems’ effectiveness in warning the population about emergencies, natural catastrophes and incidents at the national level.
This was the seventh-ever nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, but only the second to be sent to consumer cellular devices.
It seemed like some people in my class knew what was going on, but for the most part, most people including myself, were very confused. It only lasted a few minutes, though.
— Katie Hannon ’25 said
Although both occurred simultaneously across all U.S. time zones, the emergency alert messages that make up the test are split into two groups: the Wireless Emergency Alerts for wireless phones and the Emergency Alert System for radios and televisions. To receive the alert, devices needed to be turned on. Lasting approximately one minute, the alert was sent out once and did not repeat.
As a result of the emergency test alarms, many classrooms at Staples were flooded with these alarms going off.
“It seemed like some people in my class knew what was going on, but for the most part, most people including myself, were very confused,” Katie Hannon’25 said. “It only lasted a few minutes, though.”
