FEMA/FCC Takeover Test Fails In Certain Areas, Weird Noises Heard In Others

Originally posted by ntech
The tested the tornado sirens around here about 5-10 years ago after going a few years without any tornado warnings. Half the sirens didn't go off and a couple of others were stuck in the on position. That's why they do a monthly test on them now. Probably just the same thing.

They test our city wide alarm every month, to give early warning and make us run for the deep shelters if Russia or US start nuking us. A minor problem is that the shelters closed like a decade ago because there was no funding for them.

So now its sort of like an You-All-Gonna-Die-Soon-And-There-Is-Nothing-You-Can-Do-Haha type of alarm.

Originally posted by j.r.c.b.

Originally posted by CB328

The FEMA/FCC takeover test

You know why people think Americans are stupid? Because of idiotic beliefs like this.

I know your a noob, and the OP may be a bit off with the title, but, really?? The rudeness is not necessary.


Anyway, OP, In Southern Jersey, we heard a very brief 5 second announcement that got interrupted by a commercial, then went back to regular programming. That was it.

Let alone the fact that this is "Breaking News", and I have to post the title as is. And I guess he didn't notice I put takeover in quotations in my OP.

I don't remember anything happening here in Southern IL. I don't watch TV, but my wife does, and she didn't say anything about it.

Would it be possible for someone to post an exact description of what was supposed to happen and why? I hear alot about what didnt happen in most places, and some totaly unproven suggestion of mind control (although a logically minded individual would deduce that since one remained capable of recalling the incident , ones own motor function, and so on, that if the sound WAS mind control tech of some sort, then it failed in every particular) , and most sinister of all, the barest whisper of She Who Dresses In Steak singing in the background.

My eyes and ears and mind are open to the possibilities, but I would like a little more than the scuttlebutt on this. What was supposed to happen, who was supposed to be making it happen, and what does it all mean?

reply to post by TrueBrit

My eyes and ears and mind are open to the possibilities, but I would like a little more than the scuttlebutt on this. What was supposed to happen, who was supposed to be making it happen, and what does it all mean?

The idea is, conceptually, quite simple - to allow the emergency broadcast system to issue regional and national emergency information across television and radio media. Following events like 9/11, we realized just how fragmented the lines of communication and emergency response were. Airlines didn't know what was going on - aircraft were still flying around rogering "whiskey tango foxtrot" long after the grounding was issued - it was a mess.

Following events like Katrina - where local governments and people sat around waiting to be steamrolled - it became obvious that a way of saying: "hey, people, death is heading your way. GTFO." was needed.

So... what should have been heard was a unified "This has been a test of the emergency broadcast system. In the event this were a real emergency, information would follow. Gaheet."

What happened was exactly what the test was designed to do - expose bugs and instances where things were "not according to plan."

Different broadcast stations implemented the solution differently to work with their systems - which is why some people saw a login screen or started hearing Lady GaGa hold music (or whatever it was being used for). ... and why others saw/heard nothing at all.

Radio stations have been doing this for a -long- time, and it has not been uncommon in cable broadcast in these parts, either. However, it's usually been a mostly local ordeal - limited to counties or states. This was designed to try and pull larger areas in under the same system for more massive-scale notifications.

- I hope that kind of helps.

Edit:

This is what the Emergency Broadcast System has looked like (through all of my memories), and sounded like:



You would then here a voice-over saying that it was a test, the world was not ending (today), but if it was, you would now be informed.



This is what I am more accustomed to hearing on the radio (usually with a computer-'spoken' voice-over of the text).

I was watching tv when the test happen,all i can say is i heard some strange kind if music in the background.don't know what the heck was that?

reply to post by Klassified


The EAS system works for local and state activations. However the entire system nationwide has never been tested at the same time. They are working the bugs out of the system. Check the FCC website / FEMA website for info.

I had not yet reset my cable box in my bedroom and I was able to get a pic of the strange Fedora screen I saw after the Emergency Broadcast System test. I called Cox cable and the guy I spoke with said he'd seen the same screen and all I had to do was change the channel but my question is, why am I seeing a SERVER login screen at all?

reply to post by DJDigitalGem


Because the EAS system is not part of the radio / television network in the country. It falls under Emergency Management and is activated by the Emergency Management systems and not the service providers.

Its like the state Department of Transportation signs. The State DOt uses them for traffic issues, while the State Pulic safety agency can change the messages during Amber Alert activations.

Those signs are able to be accessed via wireless connections.

reply to post by Aim64C


Thanks for that comprehensive explanation Aim64, that helps.

I am suprised that a nation wide address system of this sort hasnt been in place since the cold war era of history to be honest. Sure, in a small nation, you neednt bother with a national broad cast because a significant nuclear attack would affect the whole place all at once, rendering messeges a little bit moot... but the US is a big place. Plenty of space to avoid being nuked in, so one would have thought that something of this nature must surely be in place already ?

My family and I were watching TV the day the test took place. And I can safely say that I did not hear any noise or anyone talking. All I saw were words all over my TV screen, it lasted for about 2 or 3 minutes, then regular programming came back on. My BF was out working that day also, and as soon as he came back home, thats when the test had started. He told me when he came inside, that the radio stations all went blank with no sound at all.

I am curious to find out why they were doing the nationwide test in the first place.

reply to post by IzItTrU3


Could be as simple as they have to justify their funding for next years budget, maybe pee-away money before the end of the year to retain current funding levels?
For all we know it's a ridiculous reason such as someone had a brain-storm in the executive men's room, and needed to look like they were doing something productive on the job....LOL.