Cell phones along with TVs and radios across Ohio will sound an alarm at 2:20 p.m. today

Craig Webb, Akron Beacon Journal
·2 min read
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There will be a national test of the Wireless Emergency Alerts system at 2:20 p.m. today.
There will be a national test of the Wireless Emergency Alerts system at 2:20 p.m. today.

You've been warned.

Your cell phone − and everyone else around you in Ohio − will sound an alarm at exactly 2:20 p.m. today.

There's no need for undue alarm as it is a planned national test of the Wireless Emergency Alerts system that has been around since 2012.

The alerts have been used some 84,000 times to warn the public about everything from dangerous weather to missing children and other emergencies.

Those who have not opted out of such alerts, have a more recent cell phone and are within the radius of a cell tower will receive a vibration alert and a unique tone over their phone as long as they are turned on at the time and are not in airplane mode.

At the same time, a test alert will also go out over TVs that are on at the time.

What will the emergency alert test message say?

All across the country, TVs and radios will all receive the same message.

It will say:

“This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 14:20 to 14:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public."

Cellphones will a similar alert accompanied with a tone, a vibration and a text message:

“THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

Those phones set to Spanish will get this alert: “ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA del Sistema Nacional de Alerta de Emergencia. No se necesita acción.”

Emergency alert test conspiracy theory

There are plenty of conspiracy theories floating around on social media suggesting that the warning tone will somehow turn on technology that has been implanted into American's bodies, putting them under some sort of "control."

More: Conspiracy theories about FEMA’s Oct. 4 emergency alert test spread online

There are also claims the alert will cripple electronic devices too.

These claims are untrue. The test cannot harm people or electronics and is only to verify the national alert system is working.

It will likely, however, still startle everyone.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: National test of Wireless Emergency Alerts system on Wednesday