On Wednesday afternoon, everyone in the U.S. received an emergency alert on their phones, TVs and radios. 

It was the seventh nationwide test of the federal emergency alert system.

The emergency alerts began around 1:20 p.m. and continued for 30 minutes. Phones would play an alarm sound and vibrate – even if the phone was on silent – causing a ruckus in Block 4 classes. 

“Some students in my Biology class stood up and put it to their friends’ ear to try and annoy them,” sophomore Tomie Kerby said. 

Other classrooms didn’t experience much of a disruption. 

“We just continued doing math,” sophomore Amarily Madrid said. “No one screamed or freaked out.”

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released more information on the test, stating: “The purpose of the test was to ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning.” 

A final result of how the test did will be released by FEMA could take about four months.