The nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, originally scheduled for September 20, 2018,1 has been postponed to the back-up test date of October 3, 2018 at 2:20 EDT. The test is being rescheduled due to ongoing response efforts to Hurricane Florence.
FCC News Release:
DA 18-955
Released: September 17, 2018PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU NOTES
RESCHEDULING OF NATIONWIDE TEST OF WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERTS AND
THE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM FOR OCTOBER 3, 2018PS Docket Nos. 15-91, 15-94
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced that the nationwide test of
Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) and the Emergency Alert System (EAS), originally scheduled for
September 20, 2018,1 has been postponed to the back-up test date of October 3, 2018. The WEA test will
originate at 2:18 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), and the EAS test will originate at 2:20 p.m. The test
is being rescheduled due to ongoing response efforts to Hurricane Florence.2All Participating Commercial Mobile Service Providers and EAS Participants are required to
participate in this nationwide test.3 EAS Participants shall file the day of test information sought by
ETRS Form Two at or before 11:59 PM EDT on October 3, 2018.4 EAS Participants shall file the
detailed post-test data sought by ETRS Form Three on or before November 19, 2018.5For further information regarding the nationwide EAS test, contact Austin Randazzo, Attorney
Advisor, Policy and Licensing Division, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, at (202) 418-1462
or austin.randazzo@fcc.gov, or Gregory Cooke, Deputy Chief, Policy and Licensing Division, Public
Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, at (202) 418-2351 or gregory.cooke@fcc.gov.-FCC-
1 Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Announces Nationwide Test of the Wireless Emergency Alert and
Emergency Alert Systems on September 20, 2018, Public Notice, PS Docket No. 15-94, DA 18-754 (PSHSB July 20,
2018) (Test Announcement Public Notice).
2 Press Release, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Nationwide Test of the Emergency Alerting Systems
(Sept. 17, 2018), https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2018/09/17/nationwide-test-emergency-alerting-systems.
3 The waiver granted by the Bureau requiring Participating CMS Providers participation in the September 20 test
expressly allowed for an October 3 back-up date. Improving Wireless Emergency Alerts and Community-Initiated
Alerting; Amendments to Part 11 of the Commission s Rules Regarding the Emergency Alert System, PS Docket
Nos. 15-91 and 15-94, Order, DA 18-752 at 3, para. 6 (PSHSB July 20, 2018), https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-
grants-waiver-allow-wireless-emergency-alert-test; see also 47 CFR ß 11.61(a)(3)(i).
4 EAS Participants are required to file day of test data within 24 hours of any nationwide EAS test or as otherwise
required by the Bureau. 47 CFR ß 11.61(a)(3)(iv)(B).
5 EAS Participants are required to file detailed post-test data within 45 days following a nationwide EAS test. 47
CFR ß 11.61(a)(3)(iv)(C).