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Planned emergency alert test triggers a flurry of hilarious and bizarre conspiracy theories

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Communications Commission jointly conducted the test at around 2.20 pm on October 4

WASHINGTON, DC: A wildfire of bizarre and unfounded conspiracy theories was ignited on the internet after a nationwide test of the US Emergency Alert System was conducted on all TVs, radios, and most phones.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Communications Commission jointly conducted the test at around 2.20 pm on Wednesday, October 4 to make sure organizations had a mechanism to contact the general public in the event of a national emergency.

During the test, the National Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system caused most cell phones in the US to buzz for a short time. TV and radio broadcasts were also briefly interrupted.

EMA has used the emergency alert about 84,000 times to warn Americans about emergencies, natural catastrophes, attacks, and accidents at the national level.

Wednesday’s test was the continuation of a long-standing tradition initiated by President John F Kennedy in 1963 when he established the original Emergency Broadcast System.

What conspiracy theories were sparked after the emergency alert?

FEMA’s emergency alert system apparently sparked fear among several internet users, who gave birth to mind-bending absurd theories centered around 5G networks, the COVID vaccinations, and a nefarious federal government intent on harming its citizens.

QAnon influencers claimed on social media that the alert will “activate” deadly diseases within vaccinated citizen by triggering nanoparticles such as graphene oxide that have been introduced into their body through Covid-19 vaccine.

“The emergency broadcasting system under FEMA is going to be activated,” one woman explained in a viral video.

“It’s not a test. It’s going to be sending these high-frequency signals into cell phones, radios, and TVs. The intention of activating nanoparticles, including graphene oxide,” she added, according to Associate Press.

However, the only problem in these claims is that graphene oxide is not even an ingredient in any Covid-19 vaccine.

In another viral video, a person claimed that the alert would turn on a 5G signal that would activate the Marburg virus in vaccinated citizens’ bodies.

One user took these claims a notch higher and stated that the signals would cause “a Marburg epidemic,” that would lead some people to suffer with Ebola-like symptoms before it "sadly turn[s] some of them into zombies."

On Truth Social, one theorist noted the emergency test coincided with rumored nuclear evacuation drills in Russia and warned, “You and your body have been continuously assaulted by every poison, bioagent, medication, and criminal warfare device (millimeter, x-rays, and microwaves) conceivable, for your entire lives.

One Reddit user also shared what they claimed was a text message from their landlord, notifying tenants that “we intend to enter your apartment and shut off your power” for two hours because of the supposed fire risk to “all our multiple appliances that we furnish for all of the apartments.”

The same text message warned tenants of a distinct risk for “the Covid vax’d.”

FEMA debunks conspiracy theories

Jeremy Edwards, press secretary and deputy director of public affairs at FEMA, debunked the conspiracy theories stating that there are no known harmful health effects from the signal.

“The sole purpose of the test is to ensure that the systems continue to be an effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level," he told the Dispatch fact check.

“FEMA is not aware of any adverse health effects caused by the audio signal,” he continued. Edwards later assured the public that this year's event would not end with hordes of the undead roaming the streets.