This Sunday, at precisely 3 PM, a piercing siren will erupt from mobile phones across the United Kingdom. It's not a cause for panic, but a landmark test of the government's new emergency alert system designed to warn the public of life-threatening situations.
The alert will appear on the home screen of nearly every smartphone, accompanied by a loud, vibrating alarm that will sound for about ten seconds, even if the device is set to silent. The message will read: "This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby. In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe. Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information. This is a test. You do not need to take any action."
What Is The Purpose?
The new system is modelled on similar schemes already operational in the US, Canada, and Japan. Its primary purpose is to warn citizens of imminent, severe threats directly to their devices. This could include:
- Severe flooding events
- Extensive wildfires
- Terrorist incidents
- Extreme weather emergencies
The government emphasises that the system will only be used in the most serious scenarios where there is a direct risk to life.
Can You Opt Out?
For those who may find the alert distressing or wish to disable it, there is an option to opt out. Users can search their device settings for "Emergency Alerts" and turn off the feature for both 'Severe' and 'Extreme' threats. However, officials strongly advise against this, stressing that the alerts are a vital tool for public safety.
The test has drawn some concern from domestic violence charities, who worry the alert could reveal secret phones belonging to vulnerable individuals. Advice has been issued for those in such situations to switch off their phones or disable the alerts in advance.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden, dubbed it the "sound that could save your life." He stated, "We are strengthening our national resilience with a new emergency alerts system, to deal with a wide range of threats – from flooding to wildfires. It will revolutionise our ability to warn and inform people who are in immediate danger."
Make sure to check your phone this Sunday afternoon – and remember, it's just a test.
