This Wednesday at 2:20 p.m. ET your phone and the phones of everybody else will start to alarm, but there is no reason for worry, writes Catherine Thorbecke for CNN. 

The federal government announced it is planning on conducting a nationwide test of its Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts on Wednesday. 

“The purpose of the October 4 test is to ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level,” said the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is in charge of conducting the test with the Federal Communication Commission. 

Starting at 2:20 p.m. on Wednesday, all wireless phones nationwide should get an alert that will be accompanied by a text message that reads “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” 

The message will be sent out either in English or Spanish, depending on the phone’s language settings. These will be accompanied by a unique tone and vibration. 

At the same time, all radios and televisions will broadcast a test emergency alert. 

Read more about the test of the Federal Emergency Alert System at CNN. 

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Here’s more of what to expect on Wednesday.