what alert is going off today

Today, on October 4, 2023, the U.S. government will be conducting a nationwide emergency alert drill at around 2:20 p.m. E.T. . The alert will be broadcast on all U.S. cellphones, TVs, and radios. The test will evaluate the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) to ensure they are working properly. During the test, cell towers will broadcast the emergency alert for 30 minutes, starting at approximately 2:20 p.m. EDT on Wednesday. Phones that are turned on and compatible with the alerts should receive a test message, as long as they are located within a certain range of an active cell tower and their wireless provider participates in the national alert system. People who receive the test alert on their phones will see a message that reads: "THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.". TVs and radios will experience an interruption in broadcasting for reading of a similar message. The alert will be accompanied by a unique tone and vibration to ensure accessibility, including to those with disabilities. If someone is on a phone call while the test is taking place, their call will not be interrupted.