Mobile phones across the UK have just sounded with an emergency alarm. A message appeared alongside a loud alarm on millions of mobile phones at 3pm on Sunday, April 23.
It took place as part of a UK Government nationwide test of a new public alert system. The system is intended to be used in life-threatening situations including flooding and wildfires. The message was received on 4G and 5G mobile phones, along with sound and vibration for up to 10 seconds, even if devices were on silent.
The message 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.”
READ MORE: How to turn off emergency alerts on your iPhone and Android
The system was modelled on similar schemes in the US, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan. Domestic violence campaigners had warned the test could put people in danger by revealing the location of secret phones hidden away by those at risk. The Government said it has been actively engaging with organisations working with vulnerable women and girls to ensure they are not adversely affected by the introduction of emergency alerts.
Officials stressed it was easy to opt out of the system if people need their phone to stay concealed, either by turning off emergency alerts in their settings or simply having the phone switched off during the test.
Chief fire officer Alex Woodman, from the National Fire Chiefs’ Council, previously said: “We must use every tool at our disposal to keep people safe, and we need everyone to play their part, and the new Emergency Alerts system is one way we can do this. For 10 seconds, the national test may be inconvenient for some, but it’s important, because the next time you hear it, your life, and the life-saving actions of our emergency services, could depend on it.”
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