The UK Government has shared what the new emergency alerts will sound like ahead of their testing later this month.
The new public alert system is designed to warn Brits about ‘danger to life’ impending disasters, such as wildfires or floods. You can hear what the alert will sound like here:
Similar systems already exist in other countries, including the US, Canada and Japan - but it’s the first time the UK has introduced such an alert.
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On Sunday 23 April at 3pm, the government will be testing its new emergency alert system - meaning everyone will get an alert on their phone.
The test will see people receive a message on the home screen of their mobile phone, along with a sound and vibration for up to ten seconds. This will sound even if your phone is on silent.
When the notification comes up, you don’t need to take any action - and the noise and vibration will stop after 10-seconds.
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All you need to do is swipe the message away or hit ‘OK’ like you would for any other notification.
The government has said this test will pave the way for fully implementing a system that ‘could save your life’.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden MP, said: “Put the date in your diaries - at 3pm on 23 April, we’ll be testing our new national Emergency Alerts system.
“Getting this system operational with the national test means we have another tool in our toolkit to keep the public safe in life-threatening emergencies. It could be the sound that saves your life.”
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In an interview with the BBC, Dowden said that while a test was necessary, they had opted for a time that would cause the least disruption.
"We chose the afternoon for it because that is quieter than the morning when people are more likely to be shopping or attending church services," he said.
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Dowden added that the alarm would only be used in situations where there was an immediate risk to life - and, in most cases, would be targeted to specific areas rather than the whole country.
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"You are not going to be spammed by the government with constant incoming messages,” he added.
“The bar for this is exceptionally high.”
Chair of The National Fire Chiefs Council, Mark Hardingham, said: “We must use every tool at our disposal to keep people safe, and we need everyone to play their part - and the new Emergency Alerts system is one way we can do this.
"For 10 seconds, the national test may be inconvenient for some, but please forgive us for the intrusion, because the next time you hear it - your life, and the life-saving actions of our emergency services, could depend on it.”
Topics: UK News
Claire Reid