On Sunday 7 September at 3pm, the UK government will be carrying out a national test of the Emergency Alerts system. This system is designed to warn and advise people if there’s a danger to life nearby – such as severe flooding, fires or extreme weather. A text message will be sent to mobile phones across the country during the second ever national test of the Emergency Alerts system. Millions of mobile devices will receive the text of less than 100 words, and will vibrate and make a siren sound for roughly ten seconds.
The national test of the Emergency Alerts system was announced by Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden last month, alongside a new Resilience Action Plan to improve the way the government prepares for and responds to emergencies.
The message, which will be sent to all 4G and 5G phone networks in the UK, will make clear that this is a test and no further action is required. It also features the first national information video in British Sign Language and a sentence in Welsh, directing speakers to a full translated version of the text.
The message will say:
“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.
The test will be the second of its kind, and follows a government commitment to test the system regularly to make sure it works optimally and familiarise the public with the alerts.
Ahead of the national test, the government is running a public information campaign to notify people it is taking place, including communications targeted at vulnerable groups such as victims of domestic abuse.
