On November 9 at 2:00 PM EST, please remember: don't stress; it's only a test... Published Nov. 7, 2011 By Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Matwey 166th Airlift Wing Public Affairs NEW CASTLE, Delaware -- The first-ever nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System will take place this Wednesday, November 9, 2011. The system, designed to broadcast messages concurrently to the entire nation, will air a test message on all radio and TV stations. Now remember, this is a test; be sure to tell your coworkers, friends and family they do not have to take shelter, clear out the shelves of your local grocery store, or evacuate. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the test will be approximately 30 seconds long and will look and sound very similar to the frequent local tests of the Emergency Alert System. The test will appear on all broadcast radio and television stations, cable television systems, satellite radio and television systems, and wireline video service systems. The test will not involve landline or mobile phones or other infrastructure such as power grids. According to FEMA, this test is being conducted by FEMA and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in close coordination with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), "as part of our nation's ongoing efforts to strengthen our resilience against all hazards." Resources, including videos in accessible formats, can be found at http://www.fema.gov/eastest A revised FCC Handbook reflecting the new thirty second test length has been posted at www.fcc.gov/nationwideeastest.