The first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, or EAS, will take place at 2:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on November 9, 2011. The purpose of the test: assess the reliability and effectiveness of the system in alerting the public.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), along with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct the 30 seconds test, which will involve only those communications service providers — broadcast radio and television, cable television, satellite radio and television and wireline video services — that participate in the EAS.

During the test, the public will hear a message indicating “this is a test,” but due to limitations of the EAS, the video test message may not indicate “this is a test,”.and in some cases there may be no image at all.