Illinois & Wisconsin Cell Phone Users Will Hear an Unusual Sound

If you own a cellphone and have it turned on, be aware that on Oct 3rd at 1:18 pm, your phone will make a loud sound you probably have not heard before.

The federal government will be conducting a national emergency alert TEST. It's also being called a "Presidential Alert"

FEMA will conduct a test of its Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), which brings together two existing alert systems, the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system. This system will also mark the first time that a “Presidential Alert” will be sent out to a majority of cell phone owners, who won’t be able to opt out.

At 1:18 p.m. the WEA alert will come across your phone, in the form of a text message, titled, "Presidential Alert" and will say the following::

THIS IS A TEST of the National Emergency Alert System. This system was developed by broadcast and cable operators in voluntary cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Communications Commission, and local authorities to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. If this had been an actual emergency an official message would have followed the tone alert you heard at the start of this message. A similar wireless emergency alert test message has been sent to all cell phones nationwide. Some cell phones will receive the message; others will not. No action is required.

The test will come with a different ringtone and vibration.. If your cell phone is switched on, and you are within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless provider participates in WEA should be capable of receiving the test message.

Here is the sound your phone will make

Also, an EAS alert is scheduled to be broadcast for two minutes later via television.

These test messages will be similar to regular monthly EAS test messages with you hear on this station. The on air test will say "This is a test of the National Emergency Alert System..."

This test was originally scheduled to take place on Sept 20th, but due to emergencies taking place as a result of the east coast hurricane, federal authorities rescheduled the test for Oct 3rd at 1;18pm.

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