UK launches emergency telephone alert public warning system | Emergency services

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A new government public warning system, in which alerts are sent to mobile phone users about potentially life-threatening events, has launched in the UK with a nationwide trial due next month.

The Cabinet Office said the emergency alert system could be deployed during events such as severe floods, fires or extreme weather, noting that similar systems had been credited with saving lives in countries like the Netherlands and Japan.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, MP Oliver Dowden, said: We are strengthening our national resilience with a new system of emergency alerts, to deal with a wide range of threats from floods to wildfires. It will revolutionize our ability to warn and inform people in immediate danger and help us keep people safe. As we’ve seen in the United States and elsewhere, the hum of a phone can save a life.

The government said there had already been successful trials of the UK system in east Suffolk and Reading. A nationwide trial is scheduled for the early evening of April 23.

Mobile phone users will receive an emergency alert on their device’s home screen, coupled with vibration and a series of siren-like beeps.

The government said emergency alerts would be used very rarely and would only be sent when there was an immediate risk to life, so people might not receive an alert for months or even years.

The government has previously been criticized for delays in developing such a system, despite successful trials a decade ago, with some saying such alerts would have made communication easier during the coronavirus pandemic.

The UK system works on 4G and 5G phone networks and it is estimated that alerts will reach around 90% of mobile phones in a given area, with users having to acknowledge receipt of the alert before they can use other features on their device. Siren sounds are supposed to occur even if the phone is in silent mode. however, alerts will not be received if a device is powered off or in airplane mode.

The system uses the cell tower your phone is connected to. When an alert is triggered, all towers in the area will broadcast the alert. To do this, the government does not need to know the specific location or personal data on your device, according to government advice.

If a mobile phone user receives an emergency alert, they are advised to stop what they are doing, when it is safe to do so, and follow the instructions in the alert.

The advisory notes that it is possible to disable emergency alerts through a mobile phone’s settings, but this is not recommended as alerts can potentially save lives.

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Mark Hardingham, chairman of the National Fire Chiefs Council, praised the system.

Along with all fire and rescue services across the country, I look forward to having emergency alerts available to help us do our job and help communities in the event of an emergency, he said.

We have seen this type of system in action elsewhere in the world and are looking forward to having the installation here in the UK working with fire services and partners, we want this system to help us help you to be as safe as possible if a crisis hits.

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