Don't panic: FCC and FEMA will send out an national emergency alert test Wednesday

• The FCC and FEMA will send out a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert and Wireless Alert Systems on Wednesday.
• The test will occur at 2:20 p.m. ET, the FCC announced.
• It will be blasted across TV and radio and will be sent to individuals who opted-in to receive emergency text messages.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will send out a national test of its emergency systems Wednesday afternoon, sending a blast across television, radio, and some cell phones.

The blast will be sent nationwide at 2:20 p.m. ET on August 11, the FCC said.

The test will use both the Emergency Alert System (EAS), which will send the alert to televisions and radios. It will also use the Wireless Alert System (WAS), which will blast the alert to people who have subscribed to receive emergency alerts.

The test is a collaboration between the FCC and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).