The government asserts that it is bolstering the “national resilience” of the United Kingdom with the new alert system, which targets threats such as flooding and wildfires.
Today marks the launch of a nationwide emergency alert service, in advance of a test on Sunday, April 23.
The alerts will be sent directly to mobile phones throughout the United Kingdom to notify people of life-threatening events. Such as wildfires and severe flooding, according to the government.
Only government or emergency agencies will send them with location and response instructions.
Oliver Dowden, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, stated, “We are bolstering our national resilience with a new emergency alerts system to combat a wide range of threats, from flooding to wildfires.”
It will transform our ability to warn and protect people in imminent peril.
As we have seen in the United States and elsewhere, a phone call can save a life.
Only life-threatening situations will trigger the alerts, which have been tried in East Suffolk and Reading. So there may be a period of weeks, months, or even years between them.
The government promised secure, free alerts that won’t expose recipients’ locations or personal information.
It is already possible to sign up with the Environment Agency in England and its equivalents in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland to receive direct flood alerts on your mobile device.
“We’ve seen this type of system in action elsewhere in the world,” said National Fire Chiefs Council Chair Mark Hardingham. And we look forward to having the facility in the United Kingdom.”
We hope this system will help us keep you safe in emergencies by collaborating with fire departments and other organizations.
Caroline Douglass, executive director for flood and coastal erosion risk management at the Environment Agency, stated, “It is crucial to be able to communicate warnings in a timely and accurate manner during incidents so that people can protect themselves, their families, and their neighbors.”
