VITEMA To Conduct An Emergency Alert System Test At 10:00 A.M. Thursday

ST. CROIX — On Thursday, the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA) will conduct its first required monthly test on the Emergency Alert System (EAS) in partnership with local broadcasters and with the support of FEMA, VITEMA announced today.

At approximately 10:00 a.m., audiences of participating broadcasters will hear an EAS test issued by VITEMA. Fifteen stations are slated to receive and broadcast VITEMA’s test message.

“VITEMA is continuously working to enhance our public warning capability so that we can reach as much of the population as possible in the event there is an imminent threat to the territory,” said VITEMA Director Mona Barnes. “With support from FEMA, we were able to complete the certification and training required to implement EAS. This means that VITEMA now has the ability to issue emergency information to the public across participating radio and televisions stations in short order.  Thursday’s exercise will allow us to determine whether the Emergency Alert System is operating the way it should.”

EAS is a national public warning system that requires broadcasters, cable television systems, wireless cable systems, satellite digital audio radio service providers, and direct broadcast satellite providers to provide the communications capability to the President to address the American public during a national emergency. Local and state authorities also use the system to deliver important emergency information.

“VITEMA also has the capability to use the Emergency Alert System to issue emergency information to wireless providers, however, Thursday’s exercise will only test broadcast stations,” Ms. Barnes added.

Broadcast stations participating in the EAS test, include:

Ackley Media Group

• WVWI Radio One 1000 AM
• WVJZ Jamz 105.3 FM
• WWKS Kiss 101.3 FM
• WIVI Pirate Radio 96.1 FM

JKC Communications

• WJKC Isle 95.1 FM
• WVIQ Sunny 99.5 FM
• WMYP Latino 98.3 FM
• WVVI Caribbean Country 93.5 FM

Reef Broadcasting Inc.

• WDHP 1620 AM
• WAXJ 103.5 FM

WEVI Life 102.1 FM

WGOD 97.9 FM

WIVH 89.9 FM

WLDV – Da Vybe – 107.9 FM

WSTA – Lucky 13 1340 AM

WTJX- Channel 12

Representatives from FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) program are in the territory this week to support and provide technical assistance to VITEMA and broadcasters where needed.

“I thank our federal partners and all of the broadcasters partnering with us to ensure the Emergency Alert System is operating efficiently,” Barnes said. “We anticipate that there may be some glitches during Thursday’s exercise but that is the purpose of periodically testing system – to address any issues before a real emergency occurs.”

For more information contact Christine Lett, VITEMA Public Information Officer, at 340-713-6801.