US pushes national wireless alert test to Oct. 3

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Trump administration has postponed until next month plans to send a message to all US mobile phones to test an unused presidential warning system that aims to warn the public of national emergencies, said Monday. officials.

The test message was initially scheduled at 14:18. EDT (18:18 GMT) Thursday, but is postponed at the same time on October 3 due to the response efforts to the Tropical Depression Florence, FEMA said in a statement.

Florence landed in North Carolina on Friday as a hurricane and caused widespread flooding in North and South Carolina.

FEMA, which will send the alert, said last week that the messages would carry the title "Presidential Alert" and that the phones would make a loud noise and emit a particular vibration.

The test has been scheduled to ensure that the alert system will work in the event of a national emergency, and US mobile phone users will not be able to withdraw. The message reads: "THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is necessary. "

Former President Barack Obama signed in 2016 a law asking FEMA to create a system allowing the president to send mobile phone alerts regarding public safety emergencies.

The country's wireless emergency alert system was launched in 2012 and has released more than 36,000 alerts for situations such as missing children, extreme weather and natural disasters, but never a presidential directive.

Mobile phone users can disable natural disaster alerts or missing children.

In its statement last week on the test messages, FEMA said that presidential alerts can only be used for national emergencies and that the president is solely responsible for determining when such alerts are used.