This Is A Test – A National Test

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - If you're listening to the radio or watching TV later this week, you'll be part of history: the first-ever test of the national Emergency Alert System is on November 9th.

"When you hear the message, you're going to be OK," says Pennsylvania emergency communications chairman Matt Lightner. "The audio of the message will say, 'this is a test,' and it will repeat, 'this is a test.'"

It'll happen at 2 p.m. on Wednesday. If it works as it's supposed to, what you're hearing on the radio or watching on TV will be interrupted for thirty seconds.

FEMA is checking to see if EAS is fit for duty in the event of an actual imminent emergency.

The original plan was to put President Obama on the airwaves for three minutes, but officials worried that might trigger a flood of 911 callers fearing true danger, especially because some new technology hasn't quite made it to every broadcast control room.

"Some cable and satellite operators cannot display this as a test," says Lightner, "so visually, they are going to display an 'emergency action notification has been issued for the United States.'"

Despite how it might look on your screen, again, he says, it's only a test.

FEMA doesn't expect to use national EAS often, but wants to make sure any president can get the word out to as many people as possible when time is not on our side.

Reported by Ian Bush, KYW Newsradio 1060