“KEEP Calm and Carry On, this is just a test” - that is the clear message from the Deputy Prime Minister on the day of the nationwide test of the national Emergency Alerts system.

Officials from the Cabinet Office National Situation Centre will send out the alert at 3pm and it will be received by every 4G and 5G device across the United Kingdom.

A major awareness campaign was launched to ensure the public knew about the test of the system, with new polling on Friday showing 88% of the British public were now aware.

The system will be an additional tool in the national resilience toolkit when there is an imminent risk to life.
 

Announcements and signage across the transport network will be in place in the run-up to the test. The alert will be a siren-like sound no more prominent than the loudest ringtone setting on a mobile phone.

People are being urged to remember that this is just a test, akin to a 1 off fire alarm drill, and no action is required when they receive the test alert today.

Deputy Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden, said:- “'Keep Calm and Carry On' that is the British way and it is exactly what the country will do when they receive this test alert at 3pm today. The Government’s number 1 job is to keep people safe and this is another tool in the toolkit for emergency situations, such as flooding or wildfires, and where there is a genuine risk to life. So it really is the sound that could save your life. I would encourage people to remember that today it is just a test; there is no need to take any action and you can simply swipe it away as you would any other message you receive.”

The test will be sent using mobile broadcasting technology which uses cell towers rather than SMS. The test is secure, free to receive and 1 way, and does not reveal anyone’s location or collect personal data.

The sound and vibration of the test alert will stop automatically after 10 seconds. All people need to do is swipe away from the message or click:- ‘OK’ on their phone’s home screen; just like for a:- ‘low battery’ warning or notification; and continue to use their phone as normal.
 

The test message 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 a real 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.”

Best practice of Emergency Alerts in other countries have shown that they work more effectively when there is a real emergency if people have previously received a test, so they know what an alert looks and sounds like.

Emergency Alerts have already been used successfully in a number of countries, including the US, Canada and Japan, where the system has been widely credited with saving lives, for example, during severe weather events. In the UK, alerts could be used to inform people about wildfires or severe flooding.

The Government has worked together with the emergency services and partners, including the Football Association and London Marathon, to make sure the UK-wide test has minimum impact on major events taking place today.

Chief Fire Officer for Hertfordshire, and Resilience Lead on the National Fire Chiefs Council, Alex Woodman, said:- “Whilst today’s 10 second national test may be inconvenient for some, please forgive the intrusion, because the next time you hear the alert, your life and the lifesaving actions of our emergency services could depend on it. We must use every tool at our disposal to keep people safe and we need everyone to play their part. The new Emergency Alerts system is one way we can do this.”

National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Civil Contingencies, Assistant Chief Constable Owen Weatherill said:- “During times of crises, it’s vital to warn and inform the public at speed. We look forward to further developing the use of the Emergency Alerts capability and the way it can protect and preserve life, as well as supporting policing’s wider response to critical incidents with partner agencies. Alongside partners, we will continue to listen carefully to public feedback and ensure the use of Emergency Alerts has a positive impact.”

Emergency Alerts will transform the UK’s warning and informing capability; working with mobile broadcasting technology provides a means to get urgent messages quickly to nearly:- 90% of mobile phones in a defined area when there is a risk to life, and provide clear instructions about how best to respond. 

The system will be used very rarelyl only being sent where there is an immediate risk to people’s lives; so people may not receive an alert for months or years, if at all.

QUICK INFORMATION:-

 Consultation
 

• At every stage of the project, the Government has worked with the Devolved Administrations, as well as the public and private sectors, including emergency services, transport, energy, and water sectors, and organisations that represent vulnerable groups.
   

Results from the pilot yests...

• We have conducted two successful tests of Emergency Alerts to date. The first, in East Suffolk, reaching a rural population of 10,000 - 15,000 and the second in Reading and reaching a much larger urban population of 120,000 which included the M4.
   

• Post test surveys recorded positive support - 88% supportive were positive about the alerts and over 85% wanted to receive emergency alerts in the future.

 What will the test alert look like?
 

• The test will appear on your device just as a real alert would, and you will hear an alarm and vibration for up to 10 seconds.
   

 What shall I do when I receive the national test message?
 

• When you receive the test message you do not need to take any action.The sound and vibration will stop automatically after ten seconds. All people need to do is swipe away the message on their phone’s home screen; just like for a:- 'low battery' warning or notification; and continue to use their phone as normal.
   

 How to respond to the Emergency Alert test when driving?
 

• If you are driving, as when receiving any phone call or message, do not look at or touch your phone until it is safe to do so.
   

• People receive calls and messages while driving all the time, and the advice on this is the same - do not look at your phone until it is safe and legal to do so. This has been tested on over 100,000 people, including the M4, and no such incidents were reported.

 How can I opt-out?
 

• You can opt out of the test and real Emergency Alerts in your phone’s settings, just search for:- “emergency alerts," and turn off:- ‘severe alerts’ and ‘extreme alerts.’
   

• You will not receive alerts if your device is turned off or in airplane mode.
   

• However, real Emergency Alerts are potentially life-saving so we recommend you keep them switched on.
   

 Will I still receive the test if I don’t have a smartphone? 
 

• Emergency Alerts work on all 4G and 5G phone networks widely used by smartphones; everyone with a compatible device will receive the test on:- Sunday, 23 April 2023, unless their phone is off or they have switched off:- 'Emergency Alerts' in their phone settings.
   

Do I need to reply to the test message?
 

• No. You can’t reply to the test message, it is not a text message. 
   

Does the Government use my personal data to send the test or a real Emergency Alert? 
 

• No. No personal data is collected. The Emergency Alerts system uses cell tower technology to reach phones in a defined geographical area - it in no way accesses or uses personal data.

About Cell Broadcasting...
 

Cell broadcasting uses mobile network operator technology to ensure free and targeted delivery of text-based alerts to all compatible mobile devices in a defined area. Benefits of cell broadcasting over SMS messages include:-
 

• Speed of delivery - After the alert is sent from the issuing authority, the public should receive the message in about:- 4 to 10 seconds,. SMS messages can take days to release when sent to the entire population and will not be received by those from outside the UK. 
  
   

• Targeting of messages - Emergency Alerts allow a message to be broadcast to a defined area, meaning any compatible device in or entering that area immediately receives the message. 
  
   

• Security - the public can be fully confident that only authorised organisations are able to send these Emergency Alert messages.
  
   

• Privacy concerns - No personal information (such as telephone number, identity or location) is used in the sending of these alerts.
  
   

• Future proofed - Emergency Alerts align to international standards, so your phone will warn you of danger if you are in one of the 19 other countries which use them,
   

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