This emergency alert system should be discontinued due to the massive number of different, and more effective, means available for the public to become informed of important events or emergency information.

However, if this system is to continue in operation, tests of the system should be done infrequently but at predictable, regular time intervals. The tests should occur on standardized, agreed upon days of the month such as on the first day of every month or the 15th day of every month. The time should also be predictable, like at 3 o’clock in the morning. The greater the number of times that people are exposed to practice runs of this system, the more insensitive they become to it, and the less effective it will become as a means to attract public attention during a real emergency.