Todays alert message is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts, conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) . The test started at 2:20 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, and lasted for about 30 minutes. The message sent to cell phones read: "THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed". The message sent to radios and televisions said: "This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 14:20 to 14:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public".