On April 20 at 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m., two statewide tests of the Tornado Warning EAS code were conducted in Wisconsin. The tests were highly successful, with all of the stations we were able to monitor across the state carrying both tests. The tests were originated independently by the five National Weather Service (NWS) offices that serve Wisconsin, and those NWS offices did a good job of issuing the tests at the exact same time in all areas leading to well synchronized tests statewide. This test day is another fine example of the close cooperation between your WBA and Wisconsin’s broadcasters, NWS, and Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM).
After last year’s tests, WBA received comments from some TV stations requesting that the evening test be run a bit earlier than the 6:55 p.m. time that was used last year, to give stations a wider window in which to air the test before the 7 p.m. primetime programming begins. This year, WBA was able to honor this request by getting an agreement from all parties involved to move the evening test 10 minutes earlier, to 6:45 p.m. Wisconsin stations voiced appreciation for this time change, and WBA was happy to have been able to negotiate this move. The 6:45 p.m. time was used by the State of Minnesota as well, in the test which ran concurrent with Wisconsin.
WBA thanks all Wisconsin broadcasters for your participation in not only airing this year’s tests, but in the time you devoted to promoting the tests in the week leading up to test day. Our partners NWS and WEM made it a point to tell us they were very impressed by the number of PSAs and news stories they heard and saw that week, particularly regarding the evening test taking place for only the second year now. Your WBA was very gratified to receive these compliments on your behalf, and we appreciate your efforts in making these tests a success.
