What to Expect From the Wireless Emergency Alert Test Wednesday:
The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System on Wednesday will send a test message to everyone using a phone in the US that runs on a network operated by a carrier participating in the the Wireless Emergency Alert system. You'll know you've gotten the message if the header reads "Presidential Alert."
The content of the message will also make it clear you've received the test message. "THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed," it'll read. If you've ever received an Amber Alert on your phone, the WEA test might look similar. That's because both types of messages are sent through the same Federal Emergency Management Agency system.
[...] The test message will be sent at 11:18 a.m. PT/2:18 p.m. ET on Wednesday, though FEMA says it might take a few minutes for the test to make it to all phones. Your phone may alert you that the test message has arrived in a slightly different manner than normal text notifications, FEMA says. "WEA includes a special tone (some describe it as quite loud) and a vibration, both repeated twice," according to a description on the FEMA website.
[...] The WEA test will be followed by a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, which is a similar message that will be played over broadcast radio and television stations, at 11:20 a.m. PT/2:20 p.m. ET. Both tests were originally planned for Sept. 20 but were postponed until Oct. 3 because of Hurricane Florence.
Previously: FEMA Emergency Test Message to be Sent to Most U.S. Cell Phones on Sept. 20 (or Oct. 3)
Related Stories
IPAWS National Test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) on September 20, 2018. The WEA portion of the test commences at 2:18 p.m. EDT, and the EAS portion follows at 2:20 p.m. EDT. The test will assess the operational readiness of the infrastructure for distribution of a national message and determine whether improvements are needed. The WEA test message will be sent to cell phones that are connected to wireless providers participating in WEA. This is the fourth EAS nationwide test and the first national WEA test. Previous EAS national tests were conducted in November 2011, September 2016, and September 2017 in collaboration with the FCC, broadcasters, and emergency management officials in recognition of FEMA's National Preparedness Month.
[...] Cell towers will broadcast the WEA test for approximately 30 minutes beginning at 2:18 p.m. EDT. During this time, WEA compatible cell phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless provider participates in WEA should be capable of receiving the test message. Some cell phones will not receive the test message, and cell phones should only receive the message once. The WEA test message will have a header that reads "Presidential Alert" and text that says:
"THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed."
The WEA system is used to warn the public about dangerous weather, missing children, and other critical situations through alerts on cell phones. The national test will use the same special tone and vibration as with all WEA messages (i.e. Tornado Warning, AMBER Alert). Users cannot opt out of the WEA test. If circumstances, such as a major weather event, cause the IPAWS National Test to be postponed, the back-up date is Wednesday, October 3, 2018.
Also at Engadget.
A new lawsuit filed in New York is seeking to stop the implementation of FEMA's new "Presidential Alert" messaging system, an alert used for national emergencies that can be deployed by President Trump. Plaintiffs in Manhattan are suing Mr. Trump and FEMA Administrator Brock Long, claiming the alert system is a "violation of Americans' First and Fourth Amendment rights to be free from Government-compelled listening, as well as warrantless, non-consensual trespass into and seizure of their cellular devices."
Plaintiffs compare the alert system to "hijacking private property for the purpose of planting a Government-controlled loudspeaker in the home and on the person of every American." This new presidential alert is nationwide and only used for advance warning of national crises.
According to FEMA, the alert is not a text or SMS (short message service) but an audio and text warning that will display as a notification across a user's cellphone -- similar to the ones carriers receive during Amber Alerts and weather emergencies.
Previously: FEMA Emergency Test Message to be Sent to Most U.S. Cell Phones on Sept. 20 (or Oct. 3)
What to Expect From the U.S. Wireless Emergency Alert Test Today
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @01:30PM (6 children)
... Settings. Search for "alerts". Tap.
Off. Off. And... Off.
Don't bother me.
Let's see whether I actually own my phone, in this Land of the Free.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @01:33PM (3 children)
It's right there ("other than Presidential Alert"):
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @01:36PM (2 children)
We'll see now what happens.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @04:56PM
I did the same (turned off everything it would allow me to turn off).
I also went into the 'notification' settings (Android 7.1.1) and set the emergency alert app to the lowest level it would allow me to set.
So, yes, we will see what happens.
And, in any case, one of the very first items I remove when I do finally root the phone will be the entire emergency alert subsystem. I do not want any of the alerts that they think are emergency alerts, ever.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @06:20PM
You can't escape the tight embrace of your Big Brother.
Love Him.
(Score: 2) by urza9814 on Wednesday October 03 2018, @06:37PM (1 child)
I disabled all alerts, including presidential alerts, in advance of this test. It didn't help; I still got the damn alert...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @06:45PM
All your smartphone are belong to us!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @02:27PM (5 children)
Even if the phone is on silent? What if someone is getting a cavity filled or something and then a large screech scares the dentist?
(Score: 2) by EvilSS on Wednesday October 03 2018, @02:30PM (1 child)
(Score: 2) by EvilSS on Wednesday October 03 2018, @07:41PM
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @02:31PM
Shame on you for your ultimately self-interested thoughts.
(Score: 2) by VLM on Wednesday October 03 2018, @02:48PM (1 child)
I'm going to the public library at lunch hour, just to watch the librarians shush at everyone.
(Score: 2) by VLM on Wednesday October 03 2018, @06:31PM
Sheiiiiiiiiiiiiiit I didn't make it to the library. One of the problems with working for yourself is my boss is a workaholic asshole.... I haven't even eaten lunch yet much less go out and F around at the library. If I had been a little lazier at the gym I could have watched 50 boomers wearing bluetooth headphones simultaneously freak out. Oh well.
My phone made the same 1050 Hz warning tone that NOAA weather radio used to signal alerts for before they changed to S.A.M.E. around the turn of the century. I wonder if ya-all heard the same thing or if its handset dependent. Some poor bastard probably had rick astley as his presidential alert ringtone. That might be a good idea for custom rom devs. If the worlds gonna end for real I wanna go out hearing "never gonna give you up"
(Score: 4, Funny) by VLM on Wednesday October 03 2018, @02:45PM (14 children)
I have it on good authority that Trump changed the message to "Kavanaugh did nothing wrong"
The rivers of salty tears would be epic.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @02:56PM (13 children)
You joke here, but these emergency alerts seem to be multiplying. How long until they are used for ads and fake news?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @04:49PM
How long? How long until the follow up to today's test?
(Score: 1) by Sulla on Wednesday October 03 2018, @05:54PM (10 children)
The absolute best thing that could happen would be Trump using the emergency system instead of twitter and sending alerts to everyone in the country. Dems would get that shit banned so fast it would tarnish the system forever.
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday October 03 2018, @06:13PM (9 children)
I can see it now. Trump gets impeached, removed from office, quickly uses the alert system to encourage an uprising.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @07:17PM
You obviously havent been paying attention to the slow leak of info (much of it found in the reports of the supposed investigation of Trump) on all the illegal stuff done by career politicians like the Clinton and various members of Congress with their minions in the upper echelons of the FBI/CIA/DOJ. What types of plans do you need think need to be in place to arrest them? That said, I'm pretty sure these emergency alerts were planned years ago during Obama.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Sulla on Wednesday October 03 2018, @07:51PM (1 child)
I think i can speak for the majority of people who are okay or like trump when i say its hard to have a civil war when i have work on monay.
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
(Score: 3, Funny) by aristarchus on Wednesday October 03 2018, @10:18PM
Even harder when you have to work with Morays, or work on the Mornay sauce. Worst case scenario, broiled morays in mornay sause, making America deplorable again.
(Score: 2) by cmdrklarg on Wednesday October 03 2018, @08:23PM (5 children)
Geez, no! Impeaching Trump (a lying opportunistic asshole) would saddle us with Pence (a fundamentalist religious nut).
The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Thursday October 04 2018, @12:52PM (4 children)
They're hoping for a two-for-one deal to impeach both of them and put the Speaker of the House into the Oval Office. That would be Nancy Pelosi.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by cmdrklarg on Thursday October 04 2018, @01:44PM (3 children)
Uh, Pelosi is minority leader. Paul Ryan is the current Speaker.
The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Thursday October 04 2018, @02:01PM (2 children)
Yes, but the scenario we're talking about is one where Trump and Pence have been impeached, which can only happen if the Democrats have taken back the House of Representatives. If that happens, Nancy Pelosi will be the Speaker of the House again. There have been challengers to her in the Democratic Party for the putative Speakership, but she has held on (according to news reports).
So, Pelosi as Speaker of the House will take the Oval Office as third in line of succession after the President and Vice President have been removed from office.
President Pelosi. Rejoice, or tremble, as you like.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by cmdrklarg on Thursday October 04 2018, @03:06PM (1 child)
Meh, she couldn't be worse than Trump or Pence. Probably not good, but certainly no worse. I'd rather have Bernie or Warren.
Impeachment is highly unlikely. I doubt very much that the Democrats are going to take both houses. Even if they did, there would be no real reason to do so.
The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Thursday October 04 2018, @07:55PM
In 2014 my dearest hope was that Warren would run for president. I would have bled for her. She was the only one then talking about taking on the Wall Street banks. Then she met with Hillary, who seems to have sucked the soul right out of her body. Now she's like a golem. So I switched my hopes to Bernie, suspecting, and later knowing, that the DNC was rigging everything for Hillary, with Obama's help behind the scenes.
When that came about, I said fuck it and voted for Trump as a molotov cocktail. Surprisingly, he instantly followed through on his promise to shut down the Trans-Pacific Partnership. That's still worth the price of entry, and I have been enjoying watching the 1% lose their minds since. Before Trump won I said here I just wanted to see some of those bastards get kicked in the nuts, and Trump has delivered. He's still vulgar. He's still an asshole. But he's kicking the people who deserve it most right in the nuts.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 04 2018, @03:27PM
Every time a couple of trailer trash morons get in a custody dispute, we send out an alert calling it a "kidnapping" and suggesting the population turn out to track down the vehicle. If that's not "fake news", what is?
(Score: 2) by requerdanos on Wednesday October 03 2018, @03:20PM (12 children)
I don't, however, know the specific mechanisms and systems for triggering these cell phone alerts...
I do know that with last month's Hurricane affecting us here in North Carolina, there were several alerts that came across the cell phones.
Notably, there was the "Extreme Alert: Hurricane Warning this area - check local media and authorities," and "Your area is under a mandatory evacuation order."
Now, I understand well enough how these come across.
The one that surprised me came as I was evacuating with my family (and five cats), driving away from the coast further inland to avoid the evacuation area. When the highway crossed into South Carolina, and cut across a part of that state that was also under evacuation orders, our cell phones almost immediately lit up with the message "Extreme Alert: LEAVE DESIGNATED MANDATORY EVACUATION AREAS NOW - SCEMD.ORG".
Were we detected crossing a forbidden perimeter? Or did we just happen to cross into South Carolina at the moment they decided to send the message? What's going on there?
(Score: 3, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @03:31PM
EXTREME ALERT: 10% off all flavors of fago at walmart, 1 mile from exit 34B.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Wednesday October 03 2018, @04:43PM
Failure. The system isn't tested on a national level often enough to be successful at the first go.
This sig for rent.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @04:53PM (5 children)
Much more likely: Your phone connected to a cell tower that was in the "evac area" and by connecting to that cell tower, it received the alert
(Score: 2) by requerdanos on Wednesday October 03 2018, @05:50PM (4 children)
So, do you suppose that the tower was broadcasting the message continuously and phones only show the message once? I ask because I legit don't know how this works.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @06:24PM
You are likely to get only guesswork here. I assume the system tracks which cell #s have received which message, or possibly the tower queries the phone to see if it already has the message.
(Score: 3, Informative) by VLM on Wednesday October 03 2018, @06:45PM (1 child)
https://www.weather.gov/riw/WEA_Info [weather.gov]
Probably more than you wanted to know. And this is "for" Wyoming but its a nationwide system.
As you probably know in urban areas the tower you connect to is probably like a block away on the side of a building, so geographic targeting is pretty good, and in rural areas, heck who knows the tower you're randomly connected to might be 30 miles away if the geography and terrain work that way. I know I get stupid warnings sometimes, like some Amber alert because some kids dad is 50 miles east of me last spotted driving east, why would I even get that?
(Score: 2) by requerdanos on Wednesday October 03 2018, @10:23PM
Helpful site. Quoting its FAQ:
(Score: 2) by sjames on Thursday October 04 2018, @12:56AM
That would be my best guess. The alert probably has an ID number on it.
(Score: 2) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Wednesday October 03 2018, @04:56PM (2 children)
Your last is a good question. I thought maybe that it was saving the alert and displaying it for new connectors but this from Wikipedia [wikipedia.org] says it is a one-to-many system with no way to differentiate if a particular user received the alert or not. Maybe it was just a coincidence.
This sig for rent.
(Score: 3, Informative) by sjames on Thursday October 04 2018, @01:03AM (1 child)
From your link:
So he entered a new area and received the repeating message for the first time, so it displayed.
(Score: 2) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Thursday October 04 2018, @02:52PM
Missed that bit, thanks!
This sig for rent.
(Score: 2) by EvilSS on Wednesday October 03 2018, @06:08PM
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @03:28PM (1 child)
oh, wait, never mind.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @03:42PM
Hans, is that you?
(Score: 0, Offtopic) by realDonaldTrump on Wednesday October 03 2018, @03:47PM
I think you're gonna love my presidential alerts. The honest and unfiltered message. I think you'll be very impressed. And remember, text TRUMP to 88022 to stay updated with my presidential campaign. It's modern day presidential.
By the way, Canada. We will see whether or not we decide to do a separate deal with Canada. If they want to make the deal so they get my alerts. God Bless America!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @04:04PM (1 child)
This might just be a creative way to reduce social security recipients
(Score: 2) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Wednesday October 03 2018, @07:55PM
I was sleeping, and thought my apartment was burning down.
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @04:11PM (1 child)
"This alert is a witch hunt! No collusion with FEMA! Sad"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @05:52PM
A Trump selfie or dick pick FTW!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @04:58PM
Since Amber and weather get through SO DO THESE!
This is purely trump screwing us along with putting a rapist on the Supreme Court
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @05:19PM
Contingency message will now begin. Please comply with the following instructions. God Bless America.
---
The worst has come to pass.
Despite the sacrifices of our citizens and the might of our armed forces, the UNITED STATES has been forced to surrender to her enemy.
Though they may occupy our borders, our streets and our homes.... the enemy will never occupy our SPIRIT.
That is why all Americans are now called upon to ACT.... to preserve the memory of the United States, clear and bright.... untarnished and uncompromised.
Know that I have already TAKEN ACTION in the company of family and loved ones. NOW ALL AMERICANS—every man, woman, and child—are called upon to ACT before the moment passes by.
Let our united resolve echo through history: Even in defeat, we refused to yield.
Even in defeat, we claim VICTORY.
Donald John Trump
President of the United States
---
ACT IMMEDIATELY.
HONOR LIBERTY BY TAKING THE FINAL AND GREATEST LIBERTY OF ALL.
IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO BE CALLED TO ACTION.
YOU TAKE AMERICA WITH YOU.
---
WE WILL EACH BE REMEMBERED
USE THE METHOD MOST AVAILABLE TO YOU AT THIS TIME
YOUR COURAGE WILL INSPIRE OTHERS
THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR
---
THE TIME HAS COME
ACCESS TO A LOADED FIREARM IS IDEAL
PLACE MUZZLE (HOLE OF GUN) UPWARD TO ROOF OF MOUTH
THANK YOU
JOIN YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR GOD
---
AS A CITIZEN YOU MUST ACT NOW
YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS BEEN ORDERED TO ENSURE YOUR COMPLIANCE
IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO DELAY
THIS MESSAGE WILL REPEAT UNTIL THERE ARE NONE TO READ IT
---
IF THERE IS TIME....
"VICTORY POSITION"
REMEMBER THE 3 "F"s
FRONT LAWN
FACE UP
FEET TOGETHER
---
REGARDING YOUR CHILDREN:
TEND TO THEM BEFORE YOURSELF
USE A CALM TONE OF VOICE
EVERYONE CAN DO THEIR PART
---
INFANTS AND PETS
THE SMALLEST PATRIOTS
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @06:20PM (3 children)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @06:48PM (2 children)
My phone was off - been through stupid weather and amber alerts - first thing to break on ANY phone you own. The all those poor folks with no hearing, forcing this stupid test on the rest of us.
Developers of this function should be shot... design a the test system INTO the design! So an end to end test can be had at any time like a ping, even have the ends expect see at least say 6 pings a year, if not report the error to the user. Then you schedule weekly or monthly pings that will keep those phone happy. Only the phones that fail getting or seeing the ping would report the error.
(Score: 2) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Wednesday October 03 2018, @07:59PM (1 child)
I had not seen one in decades because I've been listening to music.
So here mom and I are watching the news early in the morning, both of us in a stupour as we sip our day's first coffee.
And an emergency broadcast test comes on. I thought the Commies had nuked Portland.
A study found that people who watch TV are 44% more likely to fear they'll be attacked. Mom watches TV her every waking minute. It's a wonder she doesn't hide under her bed all day.
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @11:25PM
how about people that watch fox news? is there a statistic about that? there are too many other liberal agendas to measure so I thought maybe we can just focus on one of them for now.
(Score: 1) by Phaseshifter on Wednesday October 03 2018, @07:10PM (1 child)
The first alert came at 1:18, as expected.
Then I heard the tone again, and received a duplicate at 1:19
I'm curious whether the same happened to anyone else.
(Score: 2) by DutchUncle on Wednesday October 03 2018, @08:26PM
Yes, about four minutes apart
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 03 2018, @07:23PM
Well, that was really fucking annoying. Fuck Presidential Alerts.
(Score: 4, Funny) by ElizabethGreene on Wednesday October 03 2018, @08:28PM (1 child)
There are countries where doing this would cause random explosions.
(Score: 2) by nobu_the_bard on Wednesday October 03 2018, @08:38PM
In the US it just causes social media to blow up. If it wasn't for the novelty being the sole reason I'd say do it all the time.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Thursday October 04 2018, @12:57PM
I expect this system will be how the news of the declaration of martial law will be delivered.
This is how democracy dies, to ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-tinkle.
Washington DC delenda est.