UK Gov To Launch First Ever UK Emergency Alert System

[Hereford Voice]

About Emergency Alerts

On Sunday 23 April 2023, there will be a national test of the UK Emergency Alerts service.

Emergency Alerts is a UK government service that will warn you if there’s a danger to life nearby.

In an emergency, your mobile phone or tablet will receive an alert with advice about how to stay safe.

The government does not need to know your phone number or location to send you an alert.

Reasons you might get an alert

You may get alerts about:

• Severe flooding
• Fires
• Extreme weather

Emergency alerts will only be sent by:

• The emergency services
• Government departments, agencies and public bodies that deal with emergencies

What happens when you get an emergency alert

Your mobile phone or tablet may:

• Make a loud siren-like sound, even if it’s set on silent
• Vibrate
• Read out the alert
• The sound and vibration will last for about 10 seconds.

An alert will include a phone number or a link to the GOV.UK website for more information.

You’ll get alerts based on your current location - not where you live or work. You do not need to turn on location services to receive alerts.

What you need to do

When you get an alert, stop what you’re doing and follow the instructions in the alert.

If you’re driving or riding when you get an alert

You should not read or otherwise respond to an emergency alert whilst driving or riding a motorcycle.

If you are driving, you should continue to drive and not respond to the noise or attempt to pick up the mobile phone and deal with the message.

Find somewhere safe and legal to stop before reading the message. If there is nowhere safe or legal to stop close by, and nobody else is in the vehicle to read the alert, tune into live radio and wait for bulletins until you can find somewhere safe and legal to stop.

It is illegal to use a hand-held device while driving or riding.

If you cannot receive emergency alerts

If you do not have a compatible device, you’ll still be informed about an emergency. The emergency services have other ways to warn you when there is a threat to life.

Emergency alerts will not replace local news, radio, television or social media.

If you’re deaf, hard of hearing, blind or partially sighted

If you have a vision or hearing impairment, audio and vibration attention signals will let you know you have an emergency alert.

Alert languages

Emergency alerts will be sent in English. In Wales, they may also be sent in Welsh.

[Hereford Voice]

Announcements

Sunday 23 April 2023 (expected in the evening)

England, Northern Ireland and Scotland

The alert will say:

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 an actual 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.

Wales

The alert will say:

Prawf ar Rybuddion Argyfwng yw hwn, sef gwasanaeth newydd gan lywodraeth y DU a fydd yn eich rhybuddio pan fydd argyfwng sy'n berygl i fywyd gerllaw.

Mewn argyfwng go iawn, dilynwch y cyfarwyddiadau yn y rhybudd i'ch cadw chi ac eraill yn ddiogel.

Ewch i gov.uk/alerts i gael rhagor o wybodaeth.

Prawf yw hwn Does dim angen i chi wneud dim.

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 an actual 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.

[Hereford Voice]

How emergency alerts work

In an emergency, mobile phone masts in the surrounding area will broadcast an alert. Every compatible mobile phone or tablet in range of a mast will receive the alert.

Emergency alerts work on all 4G and 5G phone networks in the UK.

Your mobile phone or tablet does not have to be connected to mobile data or wifi to get alerts.

Emergency alerts are free. You do not need to sign up for them or download an app.

Reasons you will not get an alert

You will not receive alerts if your device is:

• Turned off or in airplane mode
• Connected to a 2G or 3G network
• Wifi only
• Not compatible

Compatible mobile phones and other devices

Make sure your device has all the latest software updates.

Emergency alerts work on:

• iPhones running iOS 14.5 or later
• Android phones and tablets running Android 11 or later

If you have an earlier version of Android, you may still be able to receive alerts. To check, search your device settings for ‘emergency alerts’.

If you want to see an alert again

To see an alert again, go to current alerts or past alerts.

You can also search for emergency alerts on your mobile phone or tablet.

If you get reminders about an alert

Android phones and tablets may get more than one reminder about the same emergency alert. You can turn these reminders off through the ‘emergency alerts’ settings on your device.

Opting out of emergency alerts

You can opt out of emergency alerts, but you should keep them switched on for your own safety.

To opt out:

1. Search your settings for ‘emergency alerts’.
2. Turn off ‘severe alerts’ and ‘extreme alerts’.

If you still get alerts, contact your device manufacturer for help.

Your personal data

The emergency services and the UK government do not need your phone number to send you an alert.

Data about you, your device or location will not be collected or shared.

[ragwert]

And this is how to turn it off