On October 4, 2023, FEMA conducted a national test of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) to ensure that Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) and the Emergency Alert System (EAS) continue to be effective ways to warn the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level. The test reached millions of mobile phones across the country via Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), radio and television via the Emergency Alert System (EAS), and other communication pathways. The test message sent to all phones read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed” . The test was a joint operation between FEMA and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) . The national test consisted of two sections: the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) and the Emergency Alert System (EAS) . The WEA portion of the test was initiated using FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), and the EAS portion of the test sent an emergency alert to all radios and televisions.