EAS Nationwide Test Scheduled for Wednesday, October 4, 2023

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA") and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC") have announced that a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS") will take place on October 4, 2023, at 2:20 pm EDT.

As we previously reported, EAS participants, with limited exceptions, should have already filed their ETRS Form 1 providing the FCC with information about their stations' EAS equipment. Any EAS participant that must update their ETRS Form 1 to ensure its accuracy (including changes resulting from transfers of control, updates to EAS equipment or software, or as required by any revision of its State EAS Plan) must do so on or before September 15, 2023.

Additionally, most EAS participant must file a day-of-test" ETRS Form 2 on or before October 5, and a post-test ETRS Form 3 no later than November 20, 2023.

All filings must be made on the FCC's EAS Test Reporting System (ETRS"). Filers can access ETRS by visiting the ETRS page of the Commission's website at:

https://www.fcc.gov/general/eas-test-reporting-system.

If you have any questions or would like assistance preparing your ETRS filings, please contact a Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth attorney and we would be glad to help.