Illinois residents are being advised about an upcoming test of the wireless emergency alert system for cell phones that will take place in the coming week.
According to the Office of Emergency Management and Communications, a Wireless Emergency Alert test will take place on Thursday, Sept. 20 at approximately 1:18 p.m. An Emergency Alert System test will take place two minutes later at 1:20 p.m., the agency says.
The WEA test message will read “THIS IS A TEST” of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” Cell phone users should get the message once during the test, and the system would be used in the future to communicate information about dangerous weather, missing children, and other critical situations, OEMC says.
The EAS test message will take place over radio and television broadcasts.
The tests are part of FEMA’s National Preparedness Month, which takes place annually every September. The EAS test messages have been sent in the last two years, and the wireless system will be tested for the first time this week.
