On October 4th, 2023, there was a nationwide test of the emergency alert system across TVs, radios, and cell phones in the United States. The test was conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and was designed to ensure the effectiveness of the emergency alert systems. The alert was broadcast to all TVs, radios, and cell phones across the country, and was accompanied by a somewhat jarring, electronic noise that was designed to bring people to alert. The test was set to occur at 2:20 pm ET. If there was severe weather or some other emergency event on October 4th, the test would have been postponed one week, until October 11th.