Not that any of the sophisticated and aware Crabgrass readers would panic ... over a test.

IT IS TO BE ONLY A TEST: I recall one college lit class where I took a test on the Brothers Karamazov but hadn't read a single page of the book. I did not panic. I answered all the questions as best as I could. Flunked the test, but without any panic.

Because I went in knowing and expecting what would happen.

Based on that, a first time ever emergency alert test will be conducted this week, Wednesday, mid-day.

Know of it and expect it.

It is to be ONLY A TEST. Please do not mistake it for a real national panic alert. See: Ars Technica, this link, with helpful links at the end of the report, and this sensible paragraph:

So what's so special about November 9th at 2pm? FEMA has the answer. "November 9 is near the end of hurricane season and before the severe winter weather season begins in earnest," says the agency, "The 2:00 PM EST broadcast time will minimize disruption during rush hours, while ensuring that the test occurs during working hours across the United States."

Ars T. opens the report by noting the test will be UNIVERSAL over all broadcast communication channels:

This Wednesday, November 9, at 2 pm eastern standard time, every TV broadcaster, cable channel, radio station, and satellite radio program from Puerto Rico to Missouri to American Samoa will be interrupted for 30 seconds by the federal government. Don't panic—there's no nuclear strike. But if there were a nuclear strike, this is how the feds would spread the word.

That suggests that if you're in the auto on the cell phone Wed. 2 pm, EST, (a bad practice, pay attention to the road and traffic and do you calling and schmoozing later), you call should not be interrupted. It also appears that workstations on the Internet will not be part of the test. It appears so: From that one report.

Ars T. does give government site links, so double check about such possible scenarios if you care to.

If you are on the cell phone or online, or on a land line, and get the alert knowing and expecting it as possible, it should be at worst an annoyance rather than a panic switch trigger event.

BOTTOM LINE: It should be a nice test. One you cannot flunk. Even being a dork and going into major Angst and calling 911 will not be "flunking." It will be "Dorking," yes. But, Flunking, no.