April O'Neil / news@WHMI.com

You might see your cellphone light up as part of a national test of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) on Wednesday, October 4th.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will issue a test alert to millions of cell phones across the country.

A test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) will also be conducted via radio and television, and other communication pathways. National-level tests of EAS evaluate the readiness of the system and our national alerting capability in the absence of internet connectivity.

The process also evaluates the infrastructure for distribution of a national message to determine whether technological improvements are needed.

The test will take place at approximately 2:20 p.m. Wednesday.

For more information visit the FEMA website at the provided link.