Nationwide Emergency Alert System Test Set for Tuesday, November 17

WASHINGTON — Television and radio broadcasts across the United States will pause briefly on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, as federal officials conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS).

Scheduled for approximately 2:20 p.m. Eastern Time (1:20 p.m. Central Time), the exercise is being carried out by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The test is designed to assess the readiness and reliability of the national public warning infrastructure and ensure that broadcasters and communications providers can effectively deliver critical alerts during an actual emergency.

What to Expect During the Broadcast

At the start of the test, regular programming on broadcast television, AM/FM radio, cable, and satellite systems nationwide will be interrupted for roughly one minute. Viewers and listeners will hear the standard EAS attention tones accompanied by an on-screen text and/or audio message delivered in English or Spanish:

"This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 2:20 to 2:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public."

While the announcement references a 30-minute transmission window (2:20 to 2:50 p.m. ET) to account for relay processing across participating networks, the actual interruption for individual viewers and listeners will last only about 60 seconds before normal programming resumes.

Cellphones Will Not Receive the Alert

Unlike previous nationwide exercises that tested both broadcast media and mobile networks, Tuesday's drill applies exclusively to the Emergency Alert System. It does not include Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), meaning smartphones and other mobile devices will not sound an alarm or display a test notification during the event.

Routine Federal Mandate Amid Online Rumors

Federal law requires FEMA to conduct a nationwide test of its public alert and warning systems at least once every three years. Ahead of Tuesday's exercise, viral posts on social media have circulated unfounded claims linking the November 17 date to a widespread power blackout—rumors largely traced to misinterpretations of a 2023 episode of The Simpsons. Officials emphasize that the event is strictly a routine technical check requiring no action from the public.

Should severe weather or another major event force FEMA to postpone Tuesday's exercise, the FCC has designated Thursday, December 3, 2026, as the official backup date.