The national emergency alert test on Nov. 17: what to expect

The Desk reports that FEMA and the FCC plan a nationwide Emergency Alert System test on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at about 2:20 p.m. ET.

What happened

The test will go out in English and Spanish. Several reports say it is EAS only, meaning TV and radio, and will not be sent to mobile phones. No action is needed from the public. If the test cannot be held on November 17, the agencies say it will move to December 3 at the same time.

What it means for your home

You do not need to do anything for the test itself. It is a good week to check that your alert sources work, because a battery or hand-crank weather radio can pick up official alerts when phones or the internet are down.

What to do this week

• Check that your radio turns on and has fresh batteries.
• Program the radio for your county, following the setup steps in the guide.
• Talk with the family about the test so nobody is startled if the radio sounds.
• Keep a spare phone charger or power bank next to the radio.
• Mark November 17 and the backup date, December 3, on your calendar.

For step-by-step setup, read NOAA weather radio setup.