Federal officials are planning the first-ever nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System this week.

On Wednesday, Nov. 9, at 11 a.m. Pacific Standard Time the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will conduct the test as part of their ongoing efforts to keep the nation safe during emergencies.

The test will last for 30 seconds. During the test, regularly scheduled television, radio, cable and satellite shows across the United States – including Alaska, Hawaii, and the territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa – will be interrupted.

Federal officials are working to ensure that the public is aware of this test and that it will not be a real emergency alert.

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.

Officials said the test is 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.

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 will help 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 will provide the FCC and FEMA a chance to identify improvements that need to be made to build a modernized and fully accessible Emergency Alert System.

FEMA encourages 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.

Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .