Nationwide Emergency Alert Test Planned Wednesday

The first national test of the Nationwide Emergency Alert System is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday, and the Newport Beach Police Department has a message for everyone—don't panic, it's only a test!

Across the nation, alerts will be broadcast on TV screens and radio stations for about 30 seconds. In some cases, the test message on TV might not indicate it is just a test because of limitations in the system, according the Federal Emergency Management Administration.

While the public does not need to take any action during the test, the Newport Beach Police Department is expecting more calls than usual. In an effort to get the message out before the test is launched, police have put out information on its website, Facebook page and via Nixle, but they are prepared for an influx of calls from concerned residents Wednesday.

"We will set up a phone bank to handle calls should they come in," said Kathy Lowe, police spokeswoman. "Volunteers will be manning the phones to answer any questions or concerns that citizens have."

Residents are encouraged to take the test as an opportunity to review and update emergency plans and restock emergency supplies.

What to expect

During the test, listeners will hear a message indicating that “This is a test.” Although the EAS Test may resemble the periodic, monthly EAS tests that most Americans are already familiar with, there will be some differences in what viewers will see and hear.

The audio message will be the same for all EAS Participants; however, due to limitations in the EAS, the video test message scroll may not be the same or indicate that “This is a test.” This is due to the use of the live EAN code—the same code that would be used in an actual emergency.

The text at the top of the television screen may indicate that an “Emergency Action Notification has been issued.” This notification is used to disseminate a national alert and in this case, the test. In addition, the background image that appears on video screens during an alert may indicate that “This is a test,” but in some instances there might not be an image at all.