St. Croix, V.I. – On Wednesday, January 15, the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA) will continue its Required Monthly Tests (RMTs) of the territory’s Emergency Alert System (EAS). In accordance with the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) rules, EAS participants must retransmit RMT’s within 60 minutes of receipt.

The EAS is a component of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS). The EAS is a national public warning system that requires broadcasters, cable television systems, wireless cable systems, wireline video providers, satellite digital audio radio service providers and direct broadcast satellite service providers to make their communications facilities available to the President during a National emergency. The system is also used by VITEMA to deliver important emergency information such as AMBER alerts and severe weather warnings for the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“In emergencies, the EAS platform allows VITEMA to provide citizens with real-time information to save lives and protect property,” said VITEMA Director Daryl D. Jaschen. “We want to ensure all U.S. Virgin Islands residents become familiar with the alerts and develop confidence that they will work when needed most.”  

VITEMA will conduct RMTs on the 15 of each month. On even-numbered months, RMTs will be conducted between 6:20 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. On odd-numbered months, RMTs will be conducted between 11:20 a.m. and 1:20 p.m. See schedule below: