UK launches emergency phone alerts public warning system

A new government public warning system, in which alerts are sent to mobile phone users about events that may put their life in danger, has been launched in the UK with a nationwide trial planned next month.

The Cabinet Office said the emergency alert system could be deployed in events such as severe flooding, fires or extreme weather, noting that similar systems had been credited with saving lives in countries including the Netherlands and Japan.

The chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden MP, said: “We are strengthening our national resilience with a new emergency alerts system, to deal with a wide range of threats – from flooding to wild fires. It will revolutionise our ability to warn and inform people who are in immediate danger, and help us keep people safe. As we’ve seen in the US and elsewhere, the buzz of a phone can save a life.”

The government said there had already been successful trials of the UK system in East Suffolk and Reading. A nationwide trial is set for the early evening of 23 April.

Mobile phone users will receive an emergency alert on the home screen of their device, coupled with a vibration and a loud siren-like series of beeps.

The government said the emergency alerts would be used very rarely and only be sent where there was an immediate risk to life – so people may not receive an alert for months, or even years.

The government has previously been criticised for delays in developing such a system, despite successful trials having been carried out a decade ago with some arguing such alerts would have aided communication during the coronavirus pandemic.

The UK system works on 4G and 5G phone networks and it is estimated the alerts will reach about 90% of mobile phones in a given area, with users needing to acknowledge the alert before they can use other features on their device. The siren-like sounds are expected to occur even if the phone is on silent mode, however alerts will not be received if a device is turned off or in flight mode.

“The system uses the cell tower your phone is connected to. When an alert is triggered, all towers in the area will broadcast the alert. To do this the government does not need to know the specific location or personal data on your device,” government advice states.

If a mobile phone user receives an emergency alert, they are advised to stop what they are doing, when it is safe to do so, and follow the instructions on the alert.

The advice notes it is possible to turn the emergency alerts off through the settings of a mobile phone, but that is not recommended given the alerts are potentially life-saving.

Mark Hardingham, chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, welcomed the system.

“Together with every fire and rescue service in the country, I’m looking forward to having emergency alerts available to help us to do our jobs and to help communities in the event of emergencies,” he said.

“We’ve seen this type of system in action elsewhere across the world and we look forward to having the facility here in the UK – by working together with fire services and partners we want this system to help us to help you be as safe as you can if a crisis does hit.”