Alert: All Phones In Illinois Will Buzz On Wednesday At 1:20pm

It's true. Tomorrow, Wednesday, October 4th, every mobile phone in the state of Illinois is going to start ringing and buzzing at precisely 1:20pm. That's happening across the nation, too. It's not just our phones, either. Your radio, your TV, even some of the high-tech billboards that you see are going to broadcast an emergency message tomorrow.

You're probably wondering why, especially since we just had all the storm sirens go off today on their monthly testing.

Spoiler alert: It's just a test, but it's a little different than the other tests or alerts that go out to mobile phones.

Federal Law Requires The Testing Of National Emergency Alert Systems Every 3 Years, And The Last One Was Back In 2021

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), along with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will be conducting a test of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System. Authorities say that all the major U.S. wireless providers participate in Wireless Emergency Alerts, and they will transmit the national test to their subscribers.

The test will be done using unique tones and vibration to help capture people's attention. If there is an actual emergency tomorrow, weather or otherwise, the plan is to then postpone this test until next Wednesday, October 11th.

Emergency Alert Systems Have Worked Pretty Well Since They Were First Brought About By An Executive Order From President John F. Kennedy In 1963

There have been an exception or two to the emergency alert systems working well, with one incident really qualifying as a complete misfire.

Patch.com:

In 2018, the Hawaii Emergency Management System mistakenly sent an alert warning of a ballistic missile threat to the Hawaiian Islands. It took 38 minutes to clarify the user error.

Here's a real screenshot taken by a photographer in Hawaii when it happened. Take a look at the third and fourth notifications: