Next Nationwide EAS Test Set For August

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FEMA, in coordination with the FCC, will conduct a test of the Emergency Alert System on August 7.


The test will come at precisely 2:20pm Eastern. But, a backup date is in place, in the event of a need to make a change due to weather-related events or other matters of national importance.

If conditions on the day of the test require the rescheduling of the test, a secondary test date is scheduled for Wednesday, August 21.

The test message will clearly state that the alert is only a test of the EAS. All EAS Participants are required to participate in this nationwide test.

Unlike in recent years, the 2019 nationwide test will only be disseminated using a hierarchical, broadcast-based distribution system, otherwise known as the “daisy chain.”

Because the test will be disseminated in this manner, FEMA indicates that “full message text and multilingual messaging will not be available.”

According to FEMA, “the intent of conducting the test in this fashion is to determine the
capability of the [EAS] to deliver messages to the public in the event that dissemination via internet is not available.”

Testing the daisy chain will allow the FCC and FEMA to assess whether the national EAS
would perform as designed, if activated, and help to ensure the reliability and effectiveness of broadcast-based alerting as a fail safe to our national emergency communications infrastructure.

At the same time, the EAS Test Reporting System is now open and accepting 2019 filings.

Pursuant to Section 11.61 of the Commission’s rules, EAS Participants must renew their identifying information required by ETRS Form One on a yearly basis.

Accordingly, all EAS Participants must complete the 2019 ETRS Form One on or before July 3.

Each EAS Participant should file a separate copy of Form One for each of its EAS decoders, EAS encoders, or units combining such decoder and encoder functions. For example, if an individual is filing for a broadcaster (or cable headend) that uses two units combining decoder and encoder functions, that individual should file two copies of Form One.

On or before 11:59 pm Eastern on August 7, EAS Participants must file “day of test”
information sought by ETRS Form Two. On or before September 23, 2019, EAS Participants must file the detailed post-test data sought by ETRS Form Three.

ETRS Forms Two and Three will become available in the ETRS at the time of initiation of the 2019 nationwide test.


For further information, please click on the following link:

https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-19-505A1.pdf