Washington - Mar 1, 2010 - On Tuesday, March 9, the National Weather Service (NWS) will conduct a test of HazCollect. This test will be conducted in a similar manner as the tests on Nov. 18, 2008, and March 19, 2009. The test message will use the event code ADR (Administrative/Follow-up Message). The optional state/local ADR event code is used to adequately test end-to-end functionality of HazCollect distribution of emergency messages of national or regional significance. The NWS HazCollect service uses Department of Homeland Security and NWS systems for processing and distribution.

State and local EAS plans vary in how ADR Event Code messages are processed by EAS participating stations: automatically, manually at station discretion or not at all. The ADR message, as all non-weather emergency messages relayed by the NWS, are broadcast on NWR with the CIV originator code.

This one-time test will be conducted on at approximately 1915 Universal Coordinated Time (2:15 p.m. EST). The NWS will cancel the test for a given state if severe weather threatens on test day and NWS offices request. The NWS will cancel the national test if there is a weather or other emergency event of great significance occurring.

This national message test is part of the Operational Test and Evaluation of the HazCollect Full Operating Capability being conducted from Feb. 17 to March 26, 2010.

HazCollect is a system developed by the NWS to relay emergency messages from non-NWS sources using Department of Homeland Security and NWS systems.