FCC Nationwide Test of Emergency Alert System, Aug. 7

The Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019.

The test code used will be the National Periodic Test (NPT). Unlike last year’s test, there will be no Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) test accompanying the EAS test. This year’s test will also be different in that it will be performed from the National Government to Primary Entry Points (PEP) versus a direct feed from the internet.

In Hawaiʻi, the State Emergency Operations Center is the designated PEP due to our unique geographic nature. Across the rest of the country, a local radio station normally fulfills the task.

The test is being conducted through FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS). So far, there have been four successful Nationwide IPAWS Test conducted in the last eight years.

The test will begin at 8:20 a.m. Hawaiʻi Standard Time. A backup date has been planned for Aug. 21, 2019 in the case of widespread severe weather or other significant events on the primary test date.

All EAS participants are required to participate in this nationwide test.

Members of the public and interested stakeholder organizations that are in a position to observe test results in their communities can provide useful feedback on the nationwide test, including any problems observed or any complications in the delivery of the EAS message during the nationwide test by reporting their observations to the Public Safety Support Center at https://www.fcc.gov/general/publicsafety-support-center.