A siren-like emergency warning message will be sent by the Government to mobile phone users across the UK this afternoon to test a new public alert system. Phone users will be unable to use other features on their devices unless they acknowledge the alert.
The system – modelled after similar schemes in the US, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan – is intended to be used in life-threatening situations including flooding and wildfires. The alerts on St George’s Day will appear on the home screens of people’s phones, accompanied by a loud warning sound and vibration.
The scheme will initially focus on the most serious severe weather-related events, with the ability to get a message to 90% of mobile users within the relevant area in an emergency. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Oliver Dowden said: “We are strengthening our national resilience with a new emergency alerts system, to deal with a wide range of threats – from flooding to wildfires.
