FEMA was actually testing whether the presidential alert message could be sent and received in the Richmond, Va., and Cleveland markets when yesterday’s snafu occurred in Illinois and parts of neighboring states.
A FEMA spokesman told me that stats are still being compiled, but FEMA believes stations in states that border Illinois could have also been affected by the errant EAS message.
Engineers told me some 500 stations in Illinois and neighboring St. Louis were affected, while FEMA believes stations in parts of Wisconsin, northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan could have received the false presidential alert too.
The Richmond and Cleveland tests worked fine, said the spokesman.
