UK Emergency Alerts test this afternoon

Photo: Jo Panuwat D - stock.adobe.com

Best practice of Emergency Alerts in other countries have shown that they work more effectively when there is a real emergency if people have previously received a test, so they know what an alert looks and sounds like

People across the north west will receive a message this afternoon from the life-saving public Emergency Alerts system as part of the nationwide test.

Following successful pilots in East Suffolk and Reading, the test alert - which will take place at 3pm on Sunday 23 April - will see people across the north west receive a message on the home screen of their mobile phone, along with a sound and vibration for up to ten seconds. 

Working with mobile broadcasting technology, Emergency Alerts will transform the UK’s warning and informing capability; providing a means to get urgent messages quickly to nearly 90 percent of mobile phones in a defined area when there is a risk to life, and provide clear instructions about how best to respond.

In future the Emergency Alerts system will be used for situations like flooding and extreme weather, warning those in the area when there is an immediate risk to life or people’s properties.

This could cover situations like the flash flooding across the North West in June 2020, including the River Beal bursting its banks, or the damage caused across the region from Storm Eunice in February 2022. 

For the test, the public does not need to take any action - the sound and vibration will stop automatically after ten seconds. All people need to do is swipe away the message or click ‘OK’ on their phone’s home screen - just like for a ‘low battery’ warning or notification - and continue to use their phone as normal.

Best practice of Emergency Alerts in other countries have shown that they work more effectively when there is a real emergency if people have previously received a test, so they know what an alert looks and sounds like.

Mike Park MBE, CEO of Mountain Rescue England and Wales, said: “Emergency Alerts give us another way to help make these people aware of the danger and give them a chance to move to a safer place - it’s always much better to evacuate before the flood waters rise to avoid the need for a risky rescue by boat or helicopter. It’s great to see new technology being put to use to save lives.”

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden MP, said: “Getting this system operational means we have a vital tool to keep the public safe in life-threatening emergencies. It could be the sound that saves your life.”

Emergency Alerts have already been used successfully in a number of other countries, including the US, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan, where it has been widely credited with saving lives, for example, during severe weather events. In the UK, and in many areas including the North West, alerts could be used to tell residents of severe flooding.

The system will be used very rarely - only being sent where there is an immediate risk to people’s lives - so people may not receive an alert for months or years.