Obama's Voice To Be Added To The EAS Warning Alert

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - You'll be hearing a familiar voice on an upcoming, first-ever national activation of the Emergency Alert System on your radio and TV -- but it's only a test.

An EAS test has those squelchy tones that, in an actual emergency, are followed by news and information on what you need to do.

Later this year, President Obama will be the voice on such a message:

"Many people don't realize that even on 9/11, there was never a national activation of the emergency alert system. So this is a chance to see if the whole thing works."

Tom Taylor, the news editor at the industry site Radio-Info.com, says the FCC, FEMA, and other agencies need to figure that out, in case the White House needs to get out an alert within minutes - even in an age of 24/7, all-news radio and TV.

"Part of the motivation is to make sure the government can get information directly to everybody on an unfiltered basis, no matter what they're watching or listening to."

The feds and cell phone companies are working on a text alert system, the Commercial Mobile Alert System and you won't be able to opt out of a text from the president.

Reported By Ian Bush, KYW Newsradio.