At 11 a.m. Wednesday, an interruption of historic proportions will take place and KHTS AM1220 will bring it to you live.

At that time, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will conduct the first-ever nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS). The test will last approximately 30 seconds.

The test is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST, which translates to 11 a.m. PST. This date and time were selected for several reasons. It is near the end of hurricane season and before severe winter season. The timing is intended to minimize disruption during rush hour and will occur during normal business hours across several time zones.

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The Emergency Alert System is designed to transmit, via TV and radio, emergency alerts and warnings regarding weather threats, child abductions and other types of emergencies to the American public from national, state and local agencies. While state and local tests already take place weekly and monthly, a simultaneous, nationwide test of the national EAS “emergency action notification” code has never occurred.

Cable and on-air broadcasts will be interrupted briefly for this first-time event. Testing the Emergency Alert System plays a key role in evaluating and improving the systems that need to be in place to ensure our nation is prepared for all hazards and that people within its borders are able to receive critical and vital information through the system, should it ever be needed.

The national Emergency Alert System is an alert and warning system established to enable the President of the United States, if needed, to address the American public during emergencies. It is another critical communications tool that can protect the public and strengthen our nation’s resiliency.

The National Weather Service, governors, and state and local authorities also use parts of the system to issue more localized emergency alerts. The test is an important exercise in ensuring that the system is effective in communicating critical information to the public in the event of a real national emergency.

This national test will help federal partners and EAS participants determine the reliability of the system, as well as its effectiveness in notifying the public of emergencies and potential disasters both nationally and regionally. The test will also provide the FCC and FEMA a chance to identify improvements that are needed to build a new, modernized, and fully accessible Emergency Alert System.

To learn more about this test and the organizations behind it, click here.