Government says New Emergency Alert will be used very rarely (Representative)
London:
A siren-like alert will be sent to mobile phone users across the UK next month to test a new public warning system about life-threatening events such as weather events. extreme weather, the British government announced on Sunday.
A UK-wide alert test will take place in the early evening hours of Sunday, April 23, during which people will receive a test message on their mobile phones.
The government says the new Emergency Alerts will be used very rarely, only sent to places where there is a direct risk to people’s lives, so people may not receive an alert for months or even years.
While not currently mentioned, terrorism alerts can also be added to the list of potential events that will trigger notifications from time to time.
“We are strengthening the nation’s resilience with a new emergency warning system, to respond to a wide range of threats – from floods to wildfires,” said Cabinet Office Secretary Oliver Dowden.
“It will revolutionize our ability to warn and notify people in immediate danger, and help us keep people safe. As we’ve seen in the US and elsewhere. Otherwise, the ringing of a phone can save a life,” he said.
Working with mobile broadcast technology, the Emergency Alert system is set to transform the UK’s alerting and notification capabilities, providing the means to receive emergency messages, the Cabinet Office said. Quickly reach nearly 90% of cell phones in a defined area and provide clear instructions on how best to respond.
The UK-wide rollout follows successful tests in East Suffolk and Reading as part of an action plan against a “constantly evolving” range of threats.
“Warnings will only come from the government or emergency services and they will issue an alert, always including detailed information about the affected area and providing guidance on how to best respond – contacting link to gov.uk/alerts where people can get more information,” said the UK Cabinet Office.
The service is already in use in a number of other countries, including the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, and Japan, where it has been widely credited with saving lives, such as during events. severe weather.
“Along with every fire and rescue service in the country, I look forward to Emergency Alerts to help us do our job and help the community during an emergency,” said Mark Hardingham, President of the Authority The UK’s National Fire Service said the Chief Council.
“We’ve seen this type of system in action in other parts of the world and we look forward to having a UK facility – by working with fire services and partners we want the system This helps us to keep you as safe as you can if a crisis occurs,” he said.
Broadcasting from cell towers in the vicinity of the emergency, the alerts are described as “safe, free to receive and one-way”. The government says they do not reveal anyone’s location or collect personal data, and alerts can only be sent by authorized government and emergency service users.
“Being able to provide timely and accurate warnings during incidents is really important to help people take action to protect themselves, their families and their neighbors,” said Caroline Douglass, Director said executive director of Coastal Erosion and Flood Risk Management at the Environment. The firm.
“Emergency Alerts are a great addition to our toolbox that we can use in emergency situations,” she said.
The Emergency Alerts will be used across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and their initial use will focus on the most severe incidents involving extreme weather, including severe flooding in the UK.
The UK government says it has worked closely with a wide range of stakeholders and partners across the UK to develop the system, including colleagues from the emergency services, transport groups and the Environment Agency. school.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from an aggregated feed.)
