The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will conduct the first nationwide test of the emergency alert system (EAS) on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. EST. The test is designed to ensure that the system is functional and operational during an actual emergency, said Damon Penn, FEMA’s assistant administrator of the National Continuity Programs Directorate.

“We’ve never done an end-to-end test, so our real objective is to test the system throughout and make sure we know what parts are functional — and work as advertised — and which may need additional attention as we go forward,” Penn said. “It’s not really a pass-fail test but to make sure [the system] performs as advertised.”

The EAS is a national alert and warning system established to let the U.S. president address the American public during emergencies. The system also is used by NOAA's National Weather Service, governors and state and local emergency authorities to transmit localized emergency alerts, Penn said. Alerts are transmitted over cable and radio outlets, because FCC's rules mandate that radio and television broadcasters, cable operators, satellite digital audio radio service providers, direct broadcast satellite service providers and wireline video service providers receive and transmit presidential EAS messages to the public, he said.

Penn said as broadcasters and federal, state, tribal, territorial and local governments prepare for and test their capabilities, they should also take the opportunity to educate the community about emergency preparedness kits. He encouraged private and public agencies to visit www.Ready.gov for more information about how to prepare for and stay informed in the event of an actual emergency.

"It’s a very important … to be able to alert the American people in case of an emergency,” he said. “So, from a continuity standpoint, it is a very critical part for us for our personal preparedness and making sure the individual citizens are informed and able to respond to a large-scale emergency.”