iPhone users in the US will get an emergency test alert today

According to some recent pieces of information, the U.S. emergency alert system is set to be tested on Wednesday, October 4. Notably, the two government bodies, the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will be testing the system. All cell phone users in the United States will receive emergency text messages.

Reportedly, the Emergency Alert test will begin at 2:20 p.m. Eastern Time. In accordance with the language settings of the device, iPhone users will either receive the message in English or Spanish. One thing to notice here is that the emergency text messages won’t only be sent to smartphones; rather, they will be sent to televisions and radios.

The messages sent to a smartphone clearly indicate that it is a test. The text will read, “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” An alert tone will mark the receipt of a notification. In the United States, Wireless Emergency Alerts are sent out by federal, state, and local agencies through cell towers. With this system, short emergency text messages are transmitted in a particular area.

Wireless Emergency Alerts are used to notify people of an impending natural or human-made disaster. Furthermore, it is also used for public safety alerts and child abductions. In the Notification area of Settings on an iPhone, different alerts, including Emergency Alerts, Public Safety Alerts, AMBER Alerts, Government Alerts, and Test Alerts can be found. Users can either enable or disable them. Do remember that disabling them will prevent alerts and notifications.