An emergency ‘siren-like’ alert will be sent to all mobile phones in the UK
An “Armageddon Alert” will be sent to Britons’ mobile phones to warn of disaster.Urgent warning messages like sirens are sent by the government mobile phone Next month, users across the UK will test the new public warning system.
Phone users cannot use other functions on the device until they acknowledge the alert. The first nationwide alert will be sent out on St George’s Day on Sunday 23 April, when people in all four of her UK countries will receive emergency sirens.
The system is modeled after similar schemes in the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, and Japan, and is intended for use in life-threatening situations such as floods and wildfires.
The alert will appear on people’s phone home screens with a loud beep and vibration for up to 10 seconds.
Initially, the scheme will focus on the most severe weather-related events, with the ability to send messages to 90% of mobile users within relevant areas in case of emergency.
Principality of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden, said: “We are strengthening the country’s resilience with a new emergency warning system to deal with a wide range of threats, from floods to wildfires.
“It will revolutionize our ability to warn and inform people in imminent danger and help keep people safe. can be saved.”
Those who don’t want to receive alerts can opt out in their device settings, but authorities want users to keep alerts on because the messages can be life-saving.
Alerts are only sent by government or emergency services, contain details of the affected area, and provide instructions on how best to respond.
The Cabinet Office says the alerts are secure, free to receive, one-way, and claim they don’t reveal anyone’s whereabouts or collect personal data.
Testing of the service is already underway in East Suffolk and Reading.
Ultimately, the scheme could be extended to cover terrorism incidents, but officials are more specific about how alert systems work in the UK before responding to fast-moving attacks. I admit that I need a lot of information.
Mark Hardingham, chairman of the National Council of Fire Chiefs, said, “along with all fire and rescue services in the country, emergency We look forward to using Alerts.
“We have seen these types of systems in action around the world and we are excited to have a facility here in the UK. We hope that it will help protect the
Caroline Douglas, Executive Director of Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management at the Environment Agency, said: neighbor. ”
Emergency alerts work on all 4G and 5G phone networks widely used in smartphones, according to the government.
Does not include older non-smartphones. The 3G technology they use will be turned off next year.
The government claims that even those who do not have a compatible device will be notified of emergencies, and that emergency services will have other ways of alerting them to threats to their lives.
To opt out of the emergency alert system, search for emergency alerts in your phone’s settings and turn off severe and severe alerts.
