History Main / EmergencyBroadcast

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1985'': The premiere episode of the 1985 version was the apocalyptic "A Little Peace and Quiet," which at the end features a live announcer trembling through an EBS alert, losing his attempts to keep calm as nuclear war breaks out between the Soviet Union and the United States. Unlike ''Film/TheDayAfter'', this EBS underscores the very real danger the public is in and cannot be ignored (as the screams from a panicked public can be heard outside). At one point, the announcer says listeners should take shelter but then – suggesting that doing so is fruitless and everyone's going to die anyway – states, "What's the point? It's over! We're finished! We're ... " after which his voice trails off as he receives a bulletin noting that Russian missiles have entered American airspace. As the radio is broadcasting the EBS, a graphic on a TV has a large "Emergency Broadcast ALERT" (with "ALERT" boldfaced and flashing). At the very end, an explosion can be heard in the distance ... but the main protagonist (a harried housewife who had lost control of her household, and was also disinterested in world affairs) manages to use a pendant she had found to freeze time ("SHUT UP!!!!!"), a split second before the airburst disables everything and seconds before the explosion envelops everything. At that moment, the action – except for her – freezes, and one of the stills shows the TV with the frozen "Emergency Broadcast ALERT" graphic on the screen.

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'': In "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS3E68TheShelter The Shelter]]", the Stocktons and their neighbors learn from a CONELRAD broadcast that unidentified objects believed to be missiles have been detected heading towards the United States. [[spoiler:A later CONELRAD broadcast reveals that they were in fact satellites which pose no danger.]]

* ''WebVideo/OddityArchive'' has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aErMc_wkH0Q an episode]] on weather warnings.

** The system is tested frequently -- in fact, at least once a month -- and has been for a long time. Much of the pop-culture awareness of the system derives from these tests, particularly their admonition that "this is only a test" and that you would hear actual instructions for what to do in an actual emergency. These tests also introduced viewers to the [[HellIsThatNoise loud attention beep]], although modern broadcasts rely more on the three repeated "chirps" (which are actually an encoded ASCII string with specific information about the emergency type and location); they're also delightfully called "duck farts". The CONELRAD era was particularly famous for its test activations, often done in conjunction with "duck and cover" civil defense drills of how to survive a nuclear attack; sometimes these drills are still done today, usually to prepare for a natural disaster. Places particularly prone to natural disasters (''e.g.'' near chemical or nuclear plants, or in a tornado-prone area) might also have warning sirens in conjunction with the alert, many of them repurposed air raid sirens from the Cold War era.

[[caption-width-right:350:This Is Not a Drill]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[[OhCrap THIS IS NOT A TEST]]]]

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}}''' The ''Sistema de Alerta Sísmica'' ("Seismic Alert System") is Mexico's main emergency alert system, developed in Guerrero and Oaxaca as an earthquake early warning system. The system is advanced enough that a strong earthquake can be detected in these areas and a warning given to Mexico City (one of the single most populous places in the world, and particularly susceptible to strong earthquakes) up to 50 seconds in advance of the shaking. In 2014, the city installed a large public megaphone system to announce alerts, and they're also broadcast through TV and radio (with the same "duck farts" as the American EAS).

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Australia}}:''' The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM4gPCLzLO8 Standard Emergency Warning Signal]] was originally developed in the state of Queensland to warn of cyclones, and was expanded nationwide to warn of bushfires and civil emergencies. It's notable for using a siren that's supposed to be scary, but actually sounds pretty silly, and has been compared to something out of a game show; most countries follow the American model and design their emergency tones to be [[BrownNote naturally jarring to listen to]].

** Interestingly, EAS was ''not'' activated on September 11, 2001, probably the only event in the system's history when it might have been relevant to give a nationwide alert. That's just because the news media was on the case from the start, and most channels in the country had suspended their normal programming and started broadcasting round-the-clock news on the attacks within minutes. EAS figured that the nation was sufficiently informed that something big was going on. (This, of course, has not prevented {{conspiracy theorist}}s from suggesting its lack of activation might be for a more sinister reason.)

* The intro to ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'', showing the first alien abduction, ends with a shot of many, many dead people, and the sounds of the US emergency broadcast system in the background.

* '''[[UsefulNotes/{{Britain}} The United Kingdom]]:''' The British emergency broadcast is limited to the "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_minute_warning Four-Minute Warning]]", so called because its sole use was to warn the public that [[UsefulNotes/FromRussiaWithNukes the Soviets were attacking]], and the Soviet Union was close enough to Britain that they only had four minutes' advance notice before the bombs started dropping. The system was dismantled in 1992, not long after [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp the Soviet Union was]]. Weather warnings and emergency messages are typically done through special news reports. The networks are particularly prepared for special broadcasts announcing the death of a member of UsefulNotes/TheBritishRoyalFamily, and there is a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_London_Bridge very detailed plan]] for announcing the eventual death of the Queen herself. There are similarly detailed plans for when the same happens to Charles, Prince of Wales and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, among others. They were notably used when Diana Princess of Wales, Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother passed away in 1997 and 2002, respectively.

* '''[[UsefulNotes/{{Britain}} The United Kingdom]]:''' The British emergency broadcast is limited to the "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_minute_warning Four-Minute Warning]]", so called because its sole use was to warn the public that [[UsefulNotes/FromRussiaWithNukes the Soviets were attacking]], and the Soviet Union was close enough to Britain that they only had four minutes' advance notice before the bombs started dropping. The system was dismantled in 1992, not long after [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp the Soviet Union was]]. Weather warnings and emergency messages are typically done through special news reports. The networks are particularly prepared for special broadcasts announcing the death of a member of UsefulNotes/TheBritishRoyalFamily, and there is a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_London_Bridge very detailed plan]] for announcing the eventual death of the Queen herself.

* '''[[UsefulNotes/TheUnitedStates USA]]:''' The first US Emergency Broadcast system was [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CONELRAD CONELRAD]] ([=CONtrol of ELectronic RADiation=]), intended only to warn listeners/viewers of an impending atomic attack and to make it hard for Soviet bombers to find American cities by using radio direction finding; in the event of a CONELRAD Radio Alert, stations would all change to 640 or 1240 [=KHz=] (in the US AM band). Radios sold during the period often had these frequences marked with the CD logo. It was eventually renamed the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Broadcast_System Emergency Broadcast System]] when advances in communication and weather radar made it possible for state and local authorities to use it to disseminate information about local emergencies. Later, as alerts began to be disseminated through non-broadcast routes (cable and satellite TV, cellphones, weather radios), the system was again renamed, this time as the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Alert_System Emergency Alert System,]] or EAS.

** All TV and radio stations are required to test their EAS systems at least once a month, with weekly tests required for feeder stations. Of course these tests usually warn that there's no actual emergency going on first. This has resulted in the phrase "This is a test. This is ''only'' a test" and the old two-tone EBS attention beep [[MemeticMutation becoming a part of popular culture]]. The new EAS alerts may or may not include a two-tone attention beep but always include an encoded ASCII string, repeated three times, which sounds like an old-school modem and is called a "chirp" or "duck farts" in the business, and Main/NightmareFuel-incarnate by viewers. The string contains specific information as to the type of alert (or test) and the location of the emergency. Some modern weather radios can be programmed to only activate the alarm for alerts that apply to where the radio's installed and only for hazards that would actually be of concern to the area. In some areas the EAS test is unannounced and contains only the three ASCII chirps.

** The EAS is usually activated locally for tests and missing children/Amber Alerts. Tornado and severe thunderstorm/ [[KillItWithWater flash flood]] warnings are also common reasons for activations, occasionally leading to a [[Awesome/EmergencyBroadcast Crowning Moment of Awesome]]. Less commonly, [[KillItWithFire fires]], [[GiantWallOfWateryDoom tsunamis]], chemical spills or other local disasters can result in an activation. State and especially national activations are usually reserved for [[AtomicHate nuclear]] [[NukeEm attack]] or any other [[ApocalypseHow apocalyptic-level]] threat. Many times these alerts then redirect to an area's local NOAA Weather Radio station, where an automated voice reports the event's details.

** In some areas prone to certain natural disasters (tornadoes, earthquakes, etc.) there is also a yearly disaster drill conducted with a state civil defense agency (in which a full "test warning" is issued, and which is meant to enable schools, hospitals, and even private homes to do a "dress rehearsal" practice for whatever disaster the "test warning" was for). Usually these are geared around various disaster awareness weeks (state tornado drills complete with EAS "test tornado warnings" tend to be around Severe Weather Awareness Week); these are also the last real relics of how Emergency Broadcast systems were tested in the CONELRAD era (full activations as part of state and national "duck and cover" civil defense drills on how to protect one's self against AtomicHate).

** Tornado-prone areas of the U.S., as wells as areas near chemical or nuclear power plants, are also typically covered by a network of outdoor sirens that sound during tornado warnings or chemical releases, another vestige of the old civil defense system. Many of them actually are repurposed air raid sirens dating back to the UsefulNotes/ColdWar era.

** A national EAS test was performed on November 11, 2011--the first official "test activation" of a national level Emergency Broadcast since the CONELRAD era. It showed that nationally, the system needed a little work: Some cable providers switched to their EAS feed station (usually QVC or another [=Home Shopping=] channel) without showing the test, others didn't state that a test was happening, and Direct TV viewers were hearing Music/LadyGaga instead of the test message. A second national EAS test happened on September 28, 2016, using the new National Periodic Test event code. That went off flawlessly.

** One event where the EAS was ''not'' activated was, oddly enough, September 11, 2001. Within minutes of the first plane hitting the World Trade Center, every radio/TV station and network capable of it (outside of kids' networks and Creator/{{PBS}}, who carried on as normal as a safe haven for children who might be traumatized by the news) had suspended its normal programming and was already broadcasting round-the-clock news on the attacks. The EAS administrators quickly realized that they had been beaten to the punch by the news media and stepped out of the way[[note]][[OrSoIHeard Or at least, that's one possible explanation]]. It's not really known why the EAS wasn't activated. Furthermore, this is just one part of one of the many possible conspiracy theories surrounding this tragic event in America's history.[[/note]]

** The National Weather Service also operates an extensive [[http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/ weather radio]] network that covers all 50 states as well as overseas territories. Typically, these broadcasts consist of computerized voices reading local weather conditions and forecasts, as well as severe weather warnings in a continuous loop updated after several hours.[[note]]Prior to 1997, these were done by live NWS meteorologists.[[/note]] Some weather radio receivers can be activated automatically when severe weather or other emergencies threaten and some higher-end models allow users to filter warnings by geographical area and type, eliminating the problem of irrelevant warnings mentioned in the page intro. These are useful in tornado-prone areas, especially at night when people are sleeping. The NWS' goal is for weather radios to become as common in homes as smoke detectors. TV and radio stations typically simulcast weather radio alerts for their EAS weather warnings. Warnings are issued by county, though lately the NWS has started to mention specific communities because people in tornado-prone areas got into the habit of ignoring warnings unless they could see or hear the tornado themselves, which lead to a lot of deaths. In addition to weather warnings, these stations also broadcast warnings for other civil emergencies such as chemical spills and Amber Alerts, which is why weather radio is called "All Hazards Radio".

** On occasion, computer glitches or human error resulted in incidents where emergency alerts were issued accidentally. One JustForFun/{{egregious}} example occurred with the older Emergency Broadcast System in 1971, when a clerk intending to send out a routine test alert to all radio stations in the network accidentally loaded a Telex program tape that included the codeword "hatefulness," which was the code signal to the stations that a nuclear attack or other catastrophic emergency had been confirmed and that they were to immediately issue an on-air alert and suspend operations or remain on the air, but broadcasting only important news or survival information pertaining to the emergency. Even worse, a retraction message sent shortly after ALSO used "hatefulness" as the codeword, leading to more confusion. It wasn't until sometime after when a message using the correct codeword, "Impish," was issued that the matter was cleared up. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B1EAeh6H_I You can listen to recordings from two Midwest radio stations during the incident here.]] Another example was in January 13, 2018, when the entire state of Hawaii was told that ''a missile was heading towards them.'' After 30 minutes of panic, another alert went out, declaring a false alarm. Hawaiian officials blamed a worker who pushed the wrong button. A TV recording of this incident can be seen [[https://twitter.com/Deadspin/status/952250070354874370 here.]]

** Emergency broadcasting has also firmly entered the 21st century with two developments; the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System modernized the infrastructure to allow alerts to be distributed over an IP network using the open, XML-based "Common Alerting Protocol". This also enabled Wireless Emergency Alerts, which send weather warnings, Amber Alerts, and other emergency information as short messages similar to texts with a modified EBS attention signal to most newer cellphones. The system was first tested at the national level on October 3, 2018.

** A technical note: producers who are required to deliver a film or television product for air or cable distribution in the United States are mandated, as part of their audio specifications, to never insert a true EAS audio recording into their program, as the sound can trigger the system's associated hardware. Radio ads with EAS tones added to grab the listener's attention have caused incidents, and the FCC levies fines upon broadcasters who transmit programs with spurious EAS signals.

* '''Canada:''' For many years, only one province, Alberta, had an emergency warning system. [[http://youtu.be/zo6081Wg3IE The Alberta Emergency Public Warning System]] was planned after an F5 tornado tore through Edmonton, but was only picked up by all broadcasters after a F3 tornado destroyed a campground at Pine Lake. The EPWS serves to advise the public of imminent threats such as severe summer weather (tornadoes, thunderstorms, and floods) and civil emergencies, and also broadcasts AMBER Alerts. It generally is not used to disseminate less emergent weather alerts such as snowfall or blizzard warnings, as those are considered relatively common events during most of the winter (and spring, and...).

** After years of regulatory prodding to even get the CRTC to allow such an idea on a voluntary basis, the owners of The Weather Network (the Canadian version of Creator/TheWeatherChannel), in exchange for forcing all TV providers to carry its network, developed a system of their own, based on CAP. As work on the infrastructure began, Alberta re-launched its system under the same protocol as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tIS9BRoTss Alberta Emergency Alert,]] with a focus on multi-platform availability of alerts on the internet and its mobile app. The CRTC eventually mandated that all broadcasters and television providers implement TWN's system, later branded as "Alert Ready", by March 31, 2015. In 2018, it will also begin pushing to smartphones using a similar framework to the U.S. Wireless Emergency Alerts.

** In addition, Environment Canada runs Weatheradio Canada, which disseminates weather warnings, alerts, and tests on VHF radio, using the same frequencies that its cross-border counterpart, NOAA Weather Radio, does. This system uses the same "duck farts" as the American EAS.

* '''United Kingdom:''' [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_minute_warning The Four-Minute Warning,]] an emergency broadcast ''only'' to be used in the case of AtomicHate. (This system was dismantled in 1992). Weather warnings and other emergency messages such as the death of someone in the royal family are done through news special reports, and the government and broadcasters have a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_London_Bridge detailed plan]] for how they will go about things when the Queen dies -- and additional plans for when the same happens to Charles, Prince of Wales and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, among others. They were notably used for when Diana Princess of Wales, Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother passed away in 1997 and 2002, respectively.

* '''Japan:''' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqgAgJODgho The Emergency Warning System or "J-Alert" system]] is used primarily as a very short-fuse warning on earthquakes (e.g. 10 seconds or so between warning and quake at best) and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTBzHak-4mY to warn for imminent evacuation due to tsunamis.]] The tone will almost immediately be followed up with a broadcast alert from the NHK in both Japanese and English audio or subtitles. The more bells/more urgent the tone, the more urgent or severe the threat is, and its use is reserved for imminent danger such as the aforementioned quake and tsunami warnings or an attack/incoming missile from UsefulNotes/NorthKorea and breaking national tragedies such as the death of someone in the Imperial family, and some "types" of the tone are retired. (For example, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgkkMgXWDLE the tone that was used to indicate the start of WWII]] has yet to be used again.)[[note]]Another example of the message and tone used when WWII began appears in the movie Japan's Longest Day, specifically the first 5 minutes.[[/note]] The sorts of tones typically used by NHK's "J-Alert" system can be found [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrt26UfL13I here]] including some types that had never been used for public broadcast until August 2017[[note]] alert tones being for earthquake early warning; seismic intensity bulletin for strong earthquakes (above 7 on Japanese intensity scale); severe tsunami warning (over 5m); tsunami warning; tsunami advisory message; earthquake prediction info; earthquake warning/caution info; earthquake observation/information statements; severe weather warnings; volcanic eruption alert (for risk of imminent volcanic eruption); incoming ballistic missile alert; incoming air raid; guerilla attack/limited terrorist attack or land invasion; large-scale terrorism alerts; and cancellation of alerts[[/note]] and modern and historical broadcast alert bells from NHK [[https://youtu.be/wLVhx_dRjeY here.]][[note]]Bell 1 being for natural disasters and local civil defense warnings, bell 2 for large scale disasters and for the death of the Emperor, and bell 3 is the now disused alert for declaration of war or national emergency.[[/note]] Of note, at least some of the J-Alert tones (particularly the one for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRLbfsc88oo ballistic missile alert]]) do also seem to be synced to public alert speakers as well.

** Also, the Japanese test signal is not entirely standardized across broadcasting stations (even stations within a given city like will differ; examples abound on Website/YouTube) except for the emergency chime, a video/audio description of when a real broadcast would be activated, an emergency tone, and a notification in Japanese that the audible "piro-piro-piro" tone (the data burst, not the bells mentioned above) was only audible on analog [=TVs=], with an additional device required after the digital transition due to it being a data signal to digital [=TVs=]. In cases of an alert involving immediate threat to life (such as a tsunami alert), the NHK data burst is used in part for "second language" programming in English, Chinese, Korean and Portuguese noting the threat and what actions to take for safety.

** Much as is the case with the "required weekly test" and "required monthly test" of the Emergency Alert System in the US, the Emergency Warning System is tested regularly in Japan (at least on NHK affiliates) with the "piro-piro-piro" digital header and instructions on what to do in the event of an actual earthquake or tsunami warning (and a reassurance that "This Is Only A Test").

** There is also another variant of this, usually seen on children's programming or late night anime in Japan, where the network's name will appear on the top of the screen and then text warning the viewer of an earthquake, tsunami, typhoon or volcanic eruption will be displayed. On rare occasions, this will be used to display other breaking news that is not emergency-related. An example of this can be viewed [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4zKGIegTuc here]], taken during an evacuation of towns nearby the Sakurajima volcano.

** It should be noted that there is a separation of sorts between J-Alert and the NHK "breaking news" tones. For example, during the incident on 29 August when North Korea did fly a missile over northern Japan [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAhxk_2U0N8 NHK television and other TV networks had their "fast beep" alerts for breaking news]] whilst [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpuyQbJo9Zw at least some TV and radio actually had the "air raid siren" style ballistic missile alert in the warned area]].

* '''UsefulNotes/{{Australia}}:''' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM4gPCLzLO8 The Standard Emergency Warning Signal,]] used primarily in Queensland to warn of cyclones, but now being expanded for bushfires and terror threats in the rest of the country. Possibly, along with Japan's EWS and Alberta's EPWS, one of the few Emergency Broadcast systems to originally be developed specifically for a weather/geological hazard rather than AtomicHate. Many find the tone used by the SEWS much less scary than the American EAS, with some even joking that it sounds like something from a game show.

* '''Czech Republic:''' Alarm sirens are tested the first Wednesday each month, at noon. They are (sometimes) accompanied by voice messages announcing that it's just a test, but especially if you are in a building the only thing you hear is the sirens' wailing.

* '''Austria:''' Austria has several kinds of alarm sirens that are broadcasted mostly from the firefighter stations.
Siren test (every Saturday at noon): 1x 15 seconds steady
Fire alarm: 3x 15 seconds steady
Warning: 3 minutes steady
Alarm: 1-minute wailing
All-clear: 1 minute steady
All sirens are tested on one Saturday in the year instead of the noon test.

* '''UsefulNotes/SouthKorea:''' Around the fifteenth of every month (usually) at 2:00 pm, civil defense drills are conducted. Sirens go off and all road activity is stopped for fifteen minutes. Pedestrians are encouraged to get off the pavement and take shelter. Radio stations (but not TV) interrupt their broadcasts with the sirens at 2:00 pm and tell people where to go and what to do in case of emergency (usually assumed to be an attack from UsefulNotes/NorthKorea). At 2:15 pm an all-clear siren sounds and normal activity resume. Sometimes (during increased tension with North Korea) civil defense drills will be held more frequently.

** Until fairly recently--and uniquely for an Emergency Broadcast system--civil defense alerts were also broadcasted on the (American-operated) Armed Forces Radio and Television Service; this was because (among other things) American instructions during an attack warning in South Korea explicitly included instructions on evacuating the country.

* '''Russia:''' An old system of power-independent wire radio ("radiotochka") still exists for this exact purpose, for performing emergency broadcasts even during blackouts.

* '''Israel:''' The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Color Tseva Adom]] or "Red Colour" system is an emergency system (including not only emergency broadcasts but sirens and announcements on public speaker systems and even alerts sent to smartphones) used primarily in communities surrounding the Gaza Strip to warn of incoming missile attacks. In fact, the civil defense system lent its name to a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34GYNxhn7SU documentary about children]] living in areas with frequent "Tseva Adom" alerts--the "Tseva Adom" system is in fact probably the most frequently used ''attack warning'' system in the world, with multiple alerts a day not being uncommon (even before the formal outbreak of war between Israel and the Gaza Strip)--a "Tseva Adom" alert is sometimes colloquially known as the "fifteen second warning", as that is usually about how much time one has to get to the bomb shelter.

** As of the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and the Gaza Strip on 16 November 2012, "Tseva Adom" has in fact become the generic term for an attack warning in Israel and the "Tseva Adom" system has in fact been officially extended nationwide (example [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB-PIJsOH3Y here]] for a "Tseva Adom" warning outside the Gaza Strip border territories and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEOnM2iuLvE here]] for an example of a commercial interrupted by a "Tseva Adom" alert); "Tseva Adom" warnings are also announced on hospital and other major building loudspeaker systems.

** As a part of the national rollout of the "Tseva Adom" system, the Israel Broadcast Authority established 531 [=KHz=] (in the Israeli/Middle Eastern AM band) as the national channel for announcing of Tseva Adom alerts and civil defense alerts; per [[http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/162157 this link,]] the station--normally the main channel of Israel's national broadcast company--goes silent during the Jewish Sabbath (Friday evening through Saturday evening) with the exception of announcing Tseva Adom warnings so that observant Orthodox and Hasidic Jews are not forced to turn on an emergency radio or tune to a frequency to get civil defense alerts (which would normally be a violation of religious law).

** A general system of sirens and radio and television emergency broadcasts existed in the rest of Israel (before the national rollout of the "Tseva Adom" system) that was similar to the system presently used in South Korea; this has had "live use" including instructions for people to don gas masks and to retreat to safe rooms during the first Gulf War (due to concerns that Iraqi SCUD missiles could have chemical warheads).

* '''Finland:''' Finland has extensive air raid siren network across the country (courtesy of being target for both NATO and Warsaw pact warheads during Cold War) that has been tested since 2009 on first working Monday of the month at 12 o'clock, with televised test 40 minutes earlier than that. Television system has been used to warn of local hazards like toxic smoke from fires or escaped criminals.

* '''Mexico:''' Of the natural disaster variety. The ''Sistema de Alerta Sísmica'' (Seismic Alert System) consisting of a network of seismic detectors deployed near the Guerrero and Oaxaca coastline will send an early warning upon detecting a strong earthquake. Recipients in Mexico City will theoretically have 50 seconds to act upon receiving the alert. While TV and Radio do sound the alert, there isn't a public megaphone system to sound the alarm itself in the city, though anyone using a radio receiver tuned to the SAS frequency will get the signal, as well as some schools and government buildings which are directly connected to the Early Warning System. The SAS uses the same "duck farts" as the American EAS.

** As of 2014, a public megaphone system has indeed been installed throughout most of Mexico City proper.

* '''France:''' The alert system is made of a network of approximately 4,500 air raid sirens called the ''Réseau National d'Alerte''. This system is tested every first Wednesday of the month, at midday. The test tones last shorter than the actual tones used for real emergencies.

** Because a lot of these sirens date from World War II, many of these, not well-maintained enough, became dysfunctional. In 2009, the French government launched the SAIP project (SAIP standing for ''Système d'Alerte et d'Information des Populations'', ''Populations' Alert and Information System''), which aims to create a more efficient alert network in case of terrorist attacks or nuclear/biological/chemical disasters. Many sirens are being renovated or replaced. The SAIP will also include alerts via a smartphone application, SMS, radio stations, and variable message signs.

** Dam failure uses a specific tone.

* '''Philippines:''' The Philippines now has a similar [[http://newsbytes.ph/2015/07/04/unprecedented-disaster-info-system-using-digital-tv-tested-in-ph/ Emergency Warning System]] to Japan (used to alert to earthquakes, volcano eruptions, typhoons, evacuation alerts, and terror attacks). The Philippines uses the same digital TV standard as Japan so [[http://www.dibeg.org/news/2008/0802Philippines_ISDB-T_seminar/Presentation5.pdf the system for J-Alert was adapted to Filipino standards]] (much as Canadian emergency alert systems, particularly Weatheradio's alerts, are similar to US EAS alerts on NOAA All Hazards Radio).

** The system has existed at least since 2005 and yearly earthquake drills are broadcast on or around 30 June each year; alerts are coordinated through the major national flagship broadcaster and major network ABS-CBN, but are also required to be carried across all networks in the Philippines. Much like Japan, the alerts are not quite standardized across networks (for example, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtupI0-wA6I Earthquake Drill as appeared on NBN]] versus [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWg2J1XoK8I an example from ABS-CBN]]).

** ''Unlike'' Japan's J-Alert (and rather more similarly to the US, Canada, and Australia) there are not distinct alert tones for different types of disaster.

** Emergency broadcasting has also firmly entered the 21st century with two developments; the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System modernized the infrastructure to allow alerts to be distributed over an IP network using the open, XML-based "Common Alerting Protocol". This also enabled Wireless Emergency Alerts, which send weather warnings, Amber Alerts, and other emergency information as SMS-like messages with a tone similar to the EBS attention signal to most newer cell phones. The system was first tested at the national level on October 3, 2018.

** Emergency broadcasting has also firmly entered the 21st century with two developments; the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System modernized the infrastructure to allow alerts to be distributed over an IP network using the open, XML-based "Common Alerting Protocol". This also enabled Wireless Emergency Alerts, which send weather warnings, Amber Alerts, and other emergency information as SMS-like messages to most newer cell phones. The system was first tested at the national level on October 3, 2018.

** There is also another variant of this, usually seen on children's programming or late night anime in Japan, where the network's name will appear on the top of the screen and then text warning the viewer of an earthquake, tsunami or volcanic eruption will be displayed. On rare occasions, this will be used to display other breaking news that is not emergency-related. An example of this can be viewed [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4zKGIegTuc here]], taken during an evacuation of towns nearby the Sakurajima volcano.

* An early issue of ''Epic Illustrated'' has a one-page strip in which a couch potato is lazing in front of his TV set with a beer. A voice from the TV announces a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. The guy swigs a beer as the warning tone sounds, then starts to look uncomfortable and sweat, before finally writhing in agony and melting into a skeleton. In the final panel we see that the world outside has been incinerated. Meanwhile the voice on TV blithely announces "this was only a test."

* '''United Kingdom:''' [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_minute_warning The Four-Minute Warning,]] an emergency broadcast ''only'' to be used in the case of AtomicHate. (This system was dismantled in 1992). Weather warnings and other emergency messages such as the death of someone in the royal family are done through news special reports, and the government and broadcasters have a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_London_Bridge detailed plan]] for how they will go about things when the Queen dies.

** Emergency broadcasting has also firmly entered the 21st century with two developments; the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System modernized the infrastructure to allow alerts to be distributed over an IP network using the open, XML-based "Common Alerting Protocol". This also enabled Wireless Emergency Alerts, which send weather warnings, Amber Alerts, and other emergency information as SMS-like messages to most newer cell phones.

* ''WesterAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In the episode "Homer Defined," when Homer's inattention to warnings that the core temperature is nearing dangerous levels results in a near meltdown, Channel 5 immediately goes on air with a news flash alerting residents to the situation and that only a couple of minutes remain before a sure nuclear explosion. Kent Brockman interviews Mr. Burns, who – despite the wail of the sirens and the imminent danger to Springfield – hides his nervousness as he nonchalantly assures the public that the problem will quickly be resolved and that there is no danger to the town. Reaction around Springfield is, of course, varied (for instance, the students at Springfield Elementary are huddled under their desks in anticipation of a powerful explosion while the residents at Springfield Retirement Castle turn the channel to watch ''Series/WheelOfFortune'' [and a humorous missolve of "THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN"]).

* In ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory,'' Dexter's favorite show [[ShowWithinAShow Action Hank]] was cut by a test of the EBS. Not knowing it was a test, Dex began solving every emergency he could find to get it to stop before realizing it was just a test.

'''[[UsefulNotes/TheUnitedStates USA]]:''' The first US Emergency Broadcast system was [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CONELRAD CONELRAD]] ([=CONtrol of ELectronic RADiation=]), intended only to warn listeners/viewers of an impending atomic attack and to make it hard for Soviet bombers to find American cities by using radio direction finding; in the event of a CONELRAD Radio Alert, stations would all change to 640 or 1240 [=KHz=] (in the US AM band). Radios sold during the period often had these frequences marked with the CD logo. It was eventually renamed the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Broadcast_System Emergency Broadcast System]] when advances in communication and weather radar made it possible for state and local authorities to use it to disseminate information about local emergencies. Later, as alerts began to be disseminated through non-broadcast routes (cable and satellite TV, cellphones, weather radios), the system was again renamed, this time as the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Alert_System Emergency Alert System,]] or EAS.

All TV and radio stations are required to test their EAS systems at least once a month, with weekly tests required for feeder stations. Of course these tests usually warn that there's no actual emergency going on first. This has resulted in the phrase "This is a test. This is ''only'' a test" and the old two-tone EBS attention beep [[MemeticMutation becoming a part of popular culture]]. The new EAS alerts may or may not include a two-tone attention beep but always include an encoded ASCII string, repeated three times, which sounds like an old-school modem and is called a "chirp" or "duck farts" in the business, and Main/NightmareFuel-incarnate by viewers. The string contains specific information as to the type of alert (or test) and the location of the emergency. Some modern weather radios can be programmed to only activate the alarm for alerts that apply to where the radio's installed and only for hazards that would actually be of concern to the area. In some areas the EAS test is unannounced and contains only the three ASCII chirps.

The EAS is usually activated locally for tests and missing children/Amber Alerts. Tornado and severe thunderstorm/ [[KillItWithWater flash flood]] warnings are also common reasons for activations, occasionally leading to a [[Awesome/EmergencyBroadcast Crowning Moment of Awesome]]. Less commonly, [[KillItWithFire fires]], [[GiantWallOfWateryDoom tsunamis]], chemical spills or other local disasters can result in an activation. State and especially national activations are usually reserved for [[AtomicHate nuclear]] [[NukeEm attack]] or any other [[ApocalypseHow apocalyptic-level]] threat. Many times these alerts then redirect to an area's local NOAA Weather Radio station, where an automated voice reports the event's details.

In some areas prone to certain natural disasters (tornadoes, earthquakes, etc.) there is also a yearly disaster drill conducted with a state civil defense agency (in which a full "test warning" is issued, and which is meant to enable schools, hospitals, and even private homes to do a "dress rehearsal" practice for whatever disaster the "test warning" was for). Usually these are geared around various disaster awareness weeks (state tornado drills complete with EAS "test tornado warnings" tend to be around Severe Weather Awareness Week); these are also the last real relics of how Emergency Broadcast systems were tested in the CONELRAD era (full activations as part of state and national "duck and cover" civil defense drills on how to protect one's self against AtomicHate).

Tornado-prone areas of the U.S., as wells as areas near chemical or nuclear power plants, are also typically covered by a network of outdoor sirens that sound during tornado warnings or chemical releases, another vestige of the old civil defense system. Many of them actually are repurposed air raid sirens dating back to the UsefulNotes/ColdWar era.

A national EAS test was performed on November 11, 2011--the first official "test activation" of a national level Emergency Broadcast since the CONELRAD era. It showed that nationally, the system needed a little work: Some cable providers switched to their EAS feed station (usually QVC or another [=Home Shopping=] channel) without showing the test, others didn't state that a test was happening, and Direct TV viewers were hearing Music/LadyGaga instead of the test message. A second national EAS test happened on September 28, 2016, using the new National Periodic Test event code. That went off flawlessly.

One event where the EAS was ''not'' activated was, oddly enough, September 11, 2001. Within minutes of the first plane hitting the World Trade Center, every radio/TV station and network capable of it (outside of kids' networks and Creator/{{PBS}}, who carried on as normal as a safe haven for children who might be traumatized by the news) had suspended its normal programming and was already broadcasting round-the-clock news on the attacks. The EAS administrators quickly realized that they had been beaten to the punch by the news media and stepped out of the way[[note]][[OrSoIHeard Or at least, that's one possible explanation]]. It's not really known why the EAS wasn't activated. Furthermore, this is just one part of one of the many possible conspiracy theories surrounding this tragic event in America's history.[[/note]]

The National Weather Service also operates an extensive [[http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/ weather radio]] network that covers all 50 states as well as overseas territories. Typically, these broadcasts consist of computerized voices reading local weather conditions and forecasts, as well as severe weather warnings in a continuous loop updated after several hours.[[note]]Prior to 1997, these were done by live NWS meteorologists.[[/note]] Some weather radio receivers can be activated automatically when severe weather or other emergencies threaten and some higher-end models allow users to filter warnings by geographical area and type, eliminating the problem of irrelevant warnings mentioned in the page intro. These are useful in tornado-prone areas, especially at night when people are sleeping. The NWS' goal is for weather radios to become as common in homes as smoke detectors. TV and radio stations typically simulcast weather radio alerts for their EAS weather warnings. Warnings are issued by county, though lately the NWS has started to mention specific communities because people in tornado-prone areas got into the habit of ignoring warnings unless they could see or hear the tornado themselves, which lead to a lot of deaths. In addition to weather warnings, these stations also broadcast warnings for other civil emergencies such as chemical spills and Amber Alerts, which is why weather radio is called "All Hazards Radio".

On occasion, computer glitches or human error resulted in incidents where emergency alerts were issued accidentally. One JustForFun/{{egregious}} example occurred with the older Emergency Broadcast System in 1971, when a clerk intending to send out a routine test alert to all radio stations in the network accidentally loaded a Telex program tape that included the codeword "hatefulness," which was the code signal to the stations that a nuclear attack or other catastrophic emergency had been confirmed and that they were to immediately issue an on-air alert and suspend operations or remain on the air, but broadcasting only important news or survival information pertaining to the emergency. Even worse, a retraction message sent shortly after ALSO used "hatefulness" as the codeword, leading to more confusion. It wasn't until sometime after when a message using the correct codeword, "Impish," was issued that the matter was cleared up. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B1EAeh6H_I You can listen to recordings from two Midwest radio stations during the incident here.]] Another example was in January 13, 2018, when the entire state of Hawaii was told that ''a missile was heading towards them.'' After 30 minutes of panic, another alert went out, declaring a false alarm. Hawaiian officials blamed a worker who pushed the wrong button. A TV recording of this incident can be seen [[https://twitter.com/Deadspin/status/952250070354874370 here.]]

Emergency broadcasting has also firmly entered the 21st century with two developments; the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System modernized the infrastructure to allow alerts to be distributed over an IP network using the open, XML-based "Common Alerting Protocol". This also enabled Wireless Emergency Alerts, which send weather warnings, Amber Alerts and other emergency information as SMS-like messages to most newer cellphones.

A technical note: producers who are required to deliver a film or television product for air or cable distribution in the United States are mandated, as part of their audio specifications, to never insert a true EAS audio recording into their program, as the sound can trigger the system's associated hardware. Radio ads with EAS tones added to grab the listener's attention have caused incidents, and the FCC levies fines upon broadcasters who transmit programs with spurious EAS signals.

'''Canada:''' For many years, only one province, Alberta, had an emergency warning system. [[http://youtu.be/zo6081Wg3IE The Alberta Emergency Public Warning System]] was planned after an F5 tornado tore through Edmonton, but was only picked up by all broadcasters after a F3 tornado destroyed a campground at Pine Lake. The EPWS serves to advise the public of imminent threats such as severe summer weather (tornadoes, thunderstorms, and floods) and civil emergencies, and also broadcasts AMBER Alerts. It generally is not used to disseminate less emergent weather alerts such as snowfall or blizzard warnings, as those are considered relatively common events during most of the winter (and spring, and...).

After years of regulatory prodding to even get the CRTC to allow such an idea on a voluntary basis, the owners of The Weather Network (the Canadian version of Creator/TheWeatherChannel), in exchange for forcing all TV providers to carry its network, developed a system of their own, based on CAP. As work on the infrastructure began, Alberta re-launched its system under the same protocol as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tIS9BRoTss Alberta Emergency Alert,]] with a focus on multi-platform availability of alerts on the internet and its mobile app. The CRTC eventually mandated that all broadcasters and television providers implement TWN's system, later branded as "Alert Ready", by March 31, 2015. In 2018, it will also begin pushing to smartphones using a similar framework to the U.S. Wireless Emergency Alerts.

In addition, Environment Canada runs Weatheradio Canada, which disseminates weather warnings, alerts, and tests on VHF radio, using the same frequencies that its cross-border counterpart, NOAA Weather Radio, does. This system uses the same "duck farts" as the American EAS.

'''United Kingdom:''' [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_minute_warning The Four-Minute Warning,]] an emergency broadcast ''only'' to be used in the case of AtomicHate. (This system was dismantled in 1992). Weather warnings and other emergency messages such as the death of someone in the royal family are done through news special reports, and the government and broadcasters have a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_London_Bridge detailed plan]] for how they will go about things when the Queen dies.

'''Japan:''' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqgAgJODgho The Emergency Warning System or "J-Alert" system]] is used primarily as a very short-fuse warning on earthquakes (e.g. 10 seconds or so between warning and quake at best) and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTBzHak-4mY to warn for imminent evacuation due to tsunamis.]] The tone will almost immediately be followed up with a broadcast alert from the NHK in both Japanese and English audio or subtitles. The more bells/more urgent the tone, the more urgent or severe the threat is, and its use is reserved for imminent danger such as the aforementioned quake and tsunami warnings or an attack/incoming missile from UsefulNotes/NorthKorea and breaking national tragedies such as the death of someone in the Imperial family, and some "types" of the tone are retired. (For example, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgkkMgXWDLE the tone that was used to indicate the start of WWII]] has yet to be used again.)[[note]]Another example of the message and tone used when WWII began appears in the movie Japan's Longest Day, specifically the first 5 minutes.[[/note]] The sorts of tones typically used by NHK's "J-Alert" system can be found [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrt26UfL13I here]] including some types that had never been used for public broadcast until August 2017[[note]] alert tones being for earthquake early warning; seismic intensity bulletin for strong earthquakes (above 7 on Japanese intensity scale); severe tsunami warning (over 5m); tsunami warning; tsunami advisory message; earthquake prediction info; earthquake warning/caution info; earthquake observation/information statements; severe weather warnings; volcanic eruption alert (for risk of imminent volcanic eruption); incoming ballistic missile alert; incoming air raid; guerilla attack/limited terrorist attack or land invasion; large-scale terrorism alerts; and cancellation of alerts[[/note]] and modern and historical broadcast alert bells from NHK [[https://youtu.be/wLVhx_dRjeY here.]][[note]]Bell 1 being for natural disasters and local civil defense warnings, bell 2 for large scale disasters and for the death of the Emperor, and bell 3 is the now disused alert for declaration of war or national emergency.[[/note]] Of note, at least some of the J-Alert tones (particularly the one for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRLbfsc88oo ballistic missile alert]]) do also seem to be synced to public alert speakers as well.

Also, the Japanese test signal is not entirely standardized across broadcasting stations (even stations within a given city like will differ; examples abound on Website/YouTube) except for the emergency chime, a video/audio description of when a real broadcast would be activated, an emergency tone, and a notification in Japanese that the audible "piro-piro-piro" tone (the data burst, not the bells mentioned above) was only audible on analog [=TVs=], with an additional device required after the digital transition due to it being a data signal to digital [=TVs=]. In cases of an alert involving immediate threat to life (such as a tsunami alert), the NHK data burst is used in part for "second language" programming in English, Chinese, Korean and Portugese noting the threat and what actions to take for safety.

Much as is the case with the "required weekly test" and "required monthly test" of the Emergency Alert System in the US, the Emergency Warning System is tested regularly in Japan (at least on NHK affiliates) with the "piro-piro-piro" digital header and instructions on what to do in the event of an actual earthquake or tsunami warning (and a reassurance that "This Is Only A Test").

There is also another variant of this, usually seen on children's programming or late night anime in Japan, where the network's name will appear on the top of the screen and then text warning the viewer of an earthquake, tsunami or volcanic eruption will be displayed. On rare occasions, this will be used to display other breaking news that is not emergency-related. An example of this can be viewed [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4zKGIegTuc here]], taken during an evacuation of towns nearby the Sakurajima volcano.

It should be noted that there is a separation of sorts between J-Alert and the NHK "breaking news" tones. For example, during the incident on 29 August when North Korea did fly a missile over northern Japan [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAhxk_2U0N8 NHK television and other TV networks had their "fast beep" alerts for breaking news]] whilst [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpuyQbJo9Zw at least some TV and radio actually had the "air raid siren" style ballistic missile alert in the warned area]].

'''UsefulNotes/{{Australia}}:''' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM4gPCLzLO8 The Standard Emergency Warning Signal,]] used primarily in Queensland to warn of cyclones, but now being expanded for bushfires and terror threats in the rest of the country. Possibly, along with Japan's EWS and Alberta's EPWS, one of the few Emergency Broadcast systems to originally be developed specifically for a weather/geological hazard rather than AtomicHate. Many find the tone used by the SEWS much less scary than the American EAS, with some even joking that it sounds like something from a game show.

'''Czech Republic:''' Alarm sirens are tested the first Wednesday each month, at noon. They are (sometimes) accompanied by voice messages announcing that it's just a test, but especially if you are in a building the only thing you hear is the sirens' wailing.

'''Austria:''' Austria has several kinds of alarm sirens that are broadcasted mostly from the firefighter stations.

Alarm: 1 minute wailing

'''UsefulNotes/SouthKorea:''' Around the fifteenth of every month (usually) at 2pm, civil defense drills are conducted. Sirens go off and all road activity is stopped for fifteen minutes. Pedestrians are encouraged to get off the pavement and take shelter. Radio stations (but not TV) interrupt their broadcasts with the sirens at 2pm and tell people where to go and what to do in case of emergency (usually assumed to be an attack from UsefulNotes/NorthKorea). At 2:15pm an all clear siren sounds and normal activity resumes. Sometimes (during increased tension with North Korea) civil defense drills will be held more frequently.

Until fairly recently--and uniquely for an Emergency Broadcast system--civil defense alerts were also broadcasted on the (American operated) Armed Forces Radio and Television Service; this was because (among other things) American instructions during an attack warning in South Korea explicitly included instructions on evacuating the country.

'''Russia:''' An old system of power-independent wire radio ("radiotochka") still exists for this exact purpose, for performing emergency broadcasts even during blackouts.

'''Israel:''' The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Color Tseva Adom]] or "Red Colour" system is an emergency system (including not only emergency broadcasts but sirens and announcements on public speaker systems and even alerts sent to smart phones) used primarily in communities surrounding the Gaza Strip to warn of incoming missile attacks. In fact, the civil defense system lent its name to a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34GYNxhn7SU documentary about children]] living in areas with frequent "Tseva Adom" alerts--the "Tseva Adom" system is in fact probably the most frequently used ''attack warning'' system in the world, with multiple alerts a day not being uncommon (even before the formal outbreak of war between Israel and the Gaza Strip)--a "Tseva Adom" alert is sometimes colloquially known as the "fifteen second warning", as that is usually about how much time one has to get to the bomb shelter.

As of the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and the Gaza Strip on 16 November 2012, "Tseva Adom" has in fact become the generic term for an attack warning in Israel and the "Tseva Adom" system has in fact been officially extended nationwide (example [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB-PIJsOH3Y here]] for a "Tseva Adom" warning outside the Gaza Strip border territories and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEOnM2iuLvE here]] for an example of a commercial interrupted by a "Tseva Adom" alert); "Tseva Adom" warnings are also announced on hospital and other major building loudspeaker systems.

As a part of the national rollout of the "Tseva Adom" system, the Israel Broadcast Authority established 531 [=KHz=] (in the Israeli/Middle Eastern AM band) as the national channel for announcing of Tseva Adom alerts and civil defense alerts; per [[http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/162157 this link,]] the station--normally the main channel of Israel's national broadcast company--goes silent during the Jewish Sabbath (Friday evening through Saturday evening) with the exception of announcing Tseva Adom warnings so that observant Orthodox and Hasidic Jews are not forced to turn on an emergency radio or tune to a frequency to get civil defense alerts (which would normally be a violation of religious law).

A general system of sirens and radio and television emergency broadcasts existed in the rest of Israel (before the national rollout of the "Tseva Adom" system) that was similar to the system presently used in South Korea; this has had "live use" including instructions for people to don gas masks and to retreat to safe rooms during the first Gulf War (due to concerns that Iraqi SCUD missiles could have chemical warheads).

'''Finland:''' Finland has extensive air raid siren network across the country (courtesy of being target for both NATO and Warsaw pact warheads during Cold War) that has been tested since 2009 on first working Monday of the month at 12 o'clock, with televised test 40 minutes earlier than that. Television system has been used to warn of local hazards like toxic smoke from fires or escaped criminals.

'''Mexico:''' Of the natural disaster variety. The ''Sistema de Alerta Sísmica'' (Seismic Alert System) consisting of a network of seismic detectors deployed near the Guerrero and Oaxaca coastline will send an early warning upon detecting a strong earthquake. Recipients in Mexico City will theoretically have 50 seconds to act upon receiving the alert. While TV and Radio do sound the alert, there isn't a public megaphone system to sound the alarm itself in the city, though anyone using a radio reciever tuned to the SAS frequency will get the signal, as well as some schools and government buildings which are directly connected to the Early Warning System. The SAS uses the same "duck farts" as the American EAS.
* As of 2014, a public megaphone system has indeed been installed throughout most of Mexico City proper.

'''France:''' The alert system is made of a network of approximately 4,500 air raid sirens called the ''Réseau National d'Alerte''. This system is tested every first Wednesday of the month, at midday. The test tones last shorter than the actual tones used for real emergencies.

Because a lot of these sirens date from World War II, many of these, not well-maintained enough, became dysfunctional. In 2009, the French government launched the SAIP project (SAIP standing for ''Système d'Alerte et d'Information des Populations'', ''Populations' Alert and Information System''), which aims to create a more efficient alert network in case of terrorist attacks or nuclear/biological/chemical disasters. Many sirens are being renovated or replaced. The SAIP will also include alerts via a smartphone application, SMS, radio stations, and variable message signs.

Dam failure uses a specific tone.

'''Philippines:''' The Philippines now has a similar [[http://newsbytes.ph/2015/07/04/unprecedented-disaster-info-system-using-digital-tv-tested-in-ph/ Emergency Warning System]] to Japan (used to alert to earthquakes, volcano eruptions, typhoons, evacuation alerts, and terror attacks). The Philippines uses the same digital TV standard as Japan so [[http://www.dibeg.org/news/2008/0802Philippines_ISDB-T_seminar/Presentation5.pdf the system for J-Alert was adapted to Filipino standards]] (much as Canadian emergency alert systems, particularly Weatheradio's alerts, are similar to US EAS alerts on NOAA All Hazards Radio).

The system has existed at least since 2005 and yearly earthquake drills are broadcast on or around 30 June each year; alerts are coordinated through the major national flagship broadcaster and major network ABS-CBN, but are also required to be carried across all networks in the Philippines. Much like Japan, the alerts are not quite standardized across networks (for example, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtupI0-wA6I Earthquake Drill as appeared on NBN]] versus [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWg2J1XoK8I an example from ABS-CBN]]).

''Unlike'' Japan's J-Alert (and rather more similarly to the US, Canada, and Australia) there are not distinct alert tones for different types of disaster.

* [[TheStinger final seconds]] of ''Film/AntManAndTheWasp'' [[spoiler:show an emergency broadcast playing in Scott's house, and presumably everywhere else, due to the events of ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'', [[{{Bathos}} all while a man-sized ant is in another room playing the drums.]]]]

* The Protect And Survive announcements in ''Series/{{Threads}}'' as well as the attack warning.