Be Aware, Not Alarmed: Wednesday Afternoon Emergency Alert Test Is Just That
TV and radio interruption, which may seem real, is first national test of disaster system.
Don't be alarmed by what seems like a crisis if your TV or radio is on at 2 p.m. Wednesday. It's only a test, as the familiar saying goes. The federal government will activate its Emergency Message Alert system on all TV, cable, satellite and radio stations for the first time. "It's important that Michigan citizens are aware of the test," says the Michigan Cable Telecommunications Association director. One reason for that heads-up is because cable viewers with sound muted could see "Emergency Action Notification" on their screens without scrolling text that says "This is a test." Though Patch readers surely aren't lollygaggers glued to early afternoon TV or radio, some people keep a news channel or music station on while they work. So …
