At 11:18am, Pacific Standard Time, that message hit all TVs across the nation.
And simultaneously phones sounded off with that sound we’ve all heard before. You know, that “beep, beep”
Similar to an amber alert, the notification dropped down at the top of the screen as a “Presidential Alert” -- accompanied by an intense vibration and an alert that read “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System.”
The purpose of the test was to assure all emergency alert systems are functioning properly and can alert the public should a national emergency occur.
I was in USC’s media center at the time. and even though we were all anticipating a startling alert or to hear something unusual, which didn’t happen-- the alert was still a success.
For Annenberg Media, I’m Jane Walgren.