The first ever nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System went off at 2 p.m. this afternoon, but not without a few technical problems.
While many TV viewers reported seeing the alert, some radio listeners say the only heard 30 seconds of dead air. Others say they heard a garbled message. However you slice it, the unsuccessful results of today's test is not what FEMA wants to see happen in the event of an actual emergency.
In a blog on its website, FEMA reminded people that this was the first national test of the system, and the whole point was to find out what worked, what didn't, and what can be improved upon for next time.
FEMA says it will spend the next several weeks collecting results and data from participants, analyzing that data, and coming out with a full report for the FCC.
