FCC Shortens National EAS Test to 60 Seconds

RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, November 3, 2011 | 3:37pm CT

Out of concerns that people might misconstrue the first national test of the Emergency Alert System on November 9 as a genuine emergency, the FCC is shortening the scheduled test from 3 minutes to 60 seconds. The 2pm test next Wednesday is being performed for the first time in conjunction with FEMA and the National Weather Service. The test requires broadcasters, cable operators, satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) providers and DBS to deliver a presidential message or other info during a national emergency.

While the EAS system has been tested on a monthly and weekly basis at the state and local level, this marks the first national, end-to-end test of the alert (think: no annoying tone) which is used for national emergencies.