Testimonials
When I called 2-1-1 because someone told me they could help with nutrition, I never expected to get fresh food. They sent me to a food pantry where I got 3 onions, 4 potatoes, 4 bananas, orange, brown rice, black beans, 3 artichokes, raspberries, packaged lettuce for salad, carrots, purple cabbage, and chicken breast. I called 2-1-1 again right away and asked if I could go back to the pantry again and they told me I could go every week if I needed food. I would never have found about this if it weren’t for the people at 2-1-1!
Newsroom Press Releases First Nationwide Test of the Emergency Alert System
First Nationwide Test of the Emergency Alert System
November 9, 2011
Washington, D.C.
2-1-1 California announced today that on November 9 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern standard time, the Federal government conducted the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS). The test lasted up to three and a half minutes. During this period, regularly scheduled television, radio, cable, and satellite shows was interrupted as the system was being tested. 2-1-1 California would like to ensure that 2-1-1 information and referral providers in California and the larger public were aware that this event was just a test, and not a real emergency alert.
In the event of an actual emergency, 2-1-1 systems throughout the State will be used to distribute critical information to the public, helping to ensure Californians know what steps to take in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency to safeguard themselves and their loved ones.
The test was conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as part of their ongoing efforts to keep the nation safe during emergencies and strengthen our resilience against all hazards.
The national Emergency Alert System is an alert and warning system that can be activated by the president, if needed, to provide information to the American public during emergencies. NOAA's National Weather Service, governors, and state and local emergency authorities also use parts of the system to issue more localized emergency alerts. The test was an important exercise in ensuring that the system is effective in communicating critical information to the public in the event of a real national emergency.
Similar to emergency alert system tests that are already conducted frequently on the local level, the nationwide test involved television and radio stations across the United States, including Alaska, Hawaii, and the territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa.
Under the FCC's rules, radio and television broadcasters, cable operators, satellite digital audio radio service providers, direct broadcast satellite service providers and wireline video service providers are required to receive and transmit presidential EAS messages to the public. A national test helped federal partners and EAS participants determine the reliability of the system, as well as its effectiveness in notifying the public of emergencies and potential dangers both nationally and regionally. The test also provided the FCC and FEMA a chance to identify improvements that need to be made to build a modernized and fully accessible Emergency Alert System.
2-1-1 California, along with FEMA, encouraged the public to use this event as a reminder that everyone should establish an emergency preparedness kit and emergency plan for themselves, their families, communities, and businesses.
Visit www.Ready.gov for more information about how to prepare for and stay informed about what to do in the event of an actual emergency.