For all the times we've heard "this is a test of the emergency broadcast system. This is only a test," how many times have we actually heard a real national emergency message? Can't think of that many times? Yeah, it's ultimately been a pre-emptive measure.

So it's probably not because of likely threat that there are new measures being put into place that will alert you via your cell phone, BlackBerry, and virtually anything else that can receive an incoming message, if there's some kind of national emergency, like a nuclear strike or terrorist attack. The infrastructure, which will cost millions of dollars to continue to run smoothly, will be put into place in gulf coast states first, and should be working by the end of next year (in federal government speak, that means don't hold your breath until 2009).

A Homeland Security Dept spokesperson says that you'll be able to opt out of the alerts, so if you don't want to be worried about being interrupted from ordering your pizza to hear that a Korean nuclear attack is going to mean total annihilation, you have that option.

Full story, including a video demonstration

Report Published by: Mark Raby