CHARLOTTE, N.C. - When severe weather or local emergencies come our way, FOX Charlotte runs alerts at the bottom of your TV screen. But what if there's a national disaster?

So far, there hasn't been a way to get emergency information out to everyone across the country at the same time. But that changes Wednesday.

Whether its tornadoes through the Midwest, hurricanes off the North Carolina coast, or earthquakes in Oklahoma, the emergency alert system broadcast on TV or radio warns of danger.

But those alerts have never been activated beyond local and regional areas. What if the President of the United States needed to alert your family of a national emergency?

"First of all, I would be so scared, to hear something like that, but I think at the same time, it's good to practice," said Uptown resident Luisa Moreno, who joined her friends at an after work social.

With TVs in the background at the Uptown restaurant where everyone gathered, if the President activated the national emergency alert system, they would see it right away.

But some wonder if new technology should also be a part of the alert system. "The primary ones that people are on right now are their computers, most of their day, at work or home, and they also have the cell phones," said Andrew Kaplan from Myers Park.

It is true that people can get notifications on their wireless devices. But in a real emergency, with millions of people logging on, the Internet would be overloaded. The only alternative would be a system everyone recognizes.

"When I'm driving, or watching TV, and you hear stuff like that, I definitely pay attention to it," said Moreno.

On Wednesday, the nationwide test conducted jointly by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, The Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Communications Commission, and the National Weather Service will offer more far-reaching emergency notifications.

Margaret J. Cottrill from FEMA says, "the test is an important exercise in ensuring that the system is effective in communicating critical information to the public in the event of a real national emergency."

Captain Mark Basnight from the Charlotte Fire Department says this test is also a reminder for people to stay prepared. "This is a time when they can get their emergency survival kits together, and also an emergency action plan for their family in the event of a crisis."

The nationwide emergency alert system test takes place at 2pm, lasting 30 seconds on TV, cable, satellite, and radio.