Reports: Next National EAS Test Slated for Aug. 11

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is widely expected to resume nationwide testing of the U.S. Emergency Alert System (EAS) this year after a 2020 hiatus due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Multiple trade reports indicate that FEMA plans to conduct a nationwide test on Wednesday, Aug. 11 with a back-up date two weeks later of Aug. 25.
If the test comes to pass this year, it will be the sixth nationwide test of EAS in the past decade.

The first national test of EAS took place in 2011.

One report said FEMA plans to conduct a concurrent nationwide test of the Wireless Emergency Alert system (WEA).

RadioWorld reported that the test would take place at 1:20pm Central on Aug. 11 using the National Periodic Test (NPT) event code.

Quoting Al Kenyon, chief of the Customer Support Branch, IPAWS Program Office, RadioWorld said the purpose of this year’s test was “to determine the capability of the Emergency Alert System to deliver messages to the public in event that dissemination via internet is not available.”

To achieve that goal, EAS would be activated via the nation’s Primary Entry Point (PEP) radio stations.

As outlined in the Texas State EAS Plan, Texas’ four national Primary Entry Point (PEP) stations are KTRH-AM Houston, WBAP-AM Dallas-Fort Worth, KLBJ-AM Austin, and KROD-AM El Paso.

TAB will provide stations more information about the test as it becomes available including any pre and post-test reporting required by the FCC.  

Questions? Contact TAB’s Michael Schneider or call (512) 322-9944.