A message will soon be sent to millions of devices across the country in a national test of the UK’s emergency alert system – here is everything you need to know
The Government has released the text of a message that will be sent to phones across the UK in a national test of the emergency alert system. Millions of devices will vibrate and emit a siren sound for about 10 seconds as they receive the brief message at around 3pm on September 7.
The message, which will reassure the public that they “do not need to take any action”, will be in both English and Welsh. The Government has been running a public awareness campaign to ensure people are aware of when the test is happening, including those facing domestic abuse who may have hidden phones.
On Monday, the Cabinet Office confirmed that the text message would be in both English and Welsh and would be sent to mobile phones on 4G and 5G networks in the UK.
READ MORE: ‘Mass casualty’ emergency at Wales beach as kids raced to hospitalREAD MORE: Woman ‘so embarrassed’ after having to go to A&E for ‘silly’ reason
The message will read: “This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a UK government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby.
“You do not need to take any action. In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe. Find simple and effective advice on how to prepare for emergencies at gov.uk/prepare.
“Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information or to view this message in Welsh. Ewch i gov.uk/alerts am ragor o wybodaeth neu i weld y neges hon yn y Gymraeg.”
You will get alerts based on your current location in the UK – not where you live or work. You do not need to turn on location services to receive alerts. Additionally, when you get the alert, you should stop what you’re doing and follow the instructions presented.
Pat McFadden, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, has emphasised the importance of testing the UK’s emergency alert system, likening it to a household fire alarm: “Just like the fire alarm in your house, it’s important we test this system so that we know it will work if we need it.”
He added: “The alerts have the potential to save lives.”
Since its first national test in April 2023, the system has been activated five times, including during major weather events such as Storm Eowyn in January, when lives were at risk, reports Wales Online.
It was also used when an unexploded Second World War bomb was found in Plymouth and during flash floods in Cumbria and Leicestershire.
However, some MPs are urging ministers to diversify the modes of communication for these alerts to ensure they reach those without access to a mobile phone. Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokeswoman Sarah Olney has suggested that the Government should follow Scandinavian examples, where the public are given pamphlets on how to prepare for emergencies.
Mobile devices and tablets will still receive the test notification even if they are not connected to mobile data or Wi-Fi networks. However, devices that are switched off, are Wi-Fi only, or on 2G or 3G networks won’t get the alert.