Emergency Alerts – 23rd April | 3pm

A test of the national Emergency Alerts service will take place on Sunday 23 April at 3pm.

The service will be used to warn people in the event of emergencies, when lives are in danger – for example during severe flooding. Emergency Alerts are sent to all compatible 4G and 5G mobile phones within an area of risk with advice about how to stay safe.

The alert will be a loud, siren-like sound which will last for about 10 seconds, and there’ll be a message on the phone which will stay on screen until it’s acknowledged. You can see a short video of what it will sound and look like.

Emergency Alerts don’t track location, need a phone number, or collect personal data. Only the government and the emergency services will be able to send them. If someone doesn’t have a mobile phone, they’ll still be kept informed of emergencies through on other ways like local news, radio, television or social media.

The service is designed to warn people when lives are in danger, so it’s strongly recommended that people don’t opt out of it. However, there may be situations where it’s not appropriate – for example survivors of domestic abuse who have a hidden handset or people who may be distressed, confused or upset by the alert. How to opt out will depend partly on the type of phone. There are instructions on the government website where you can also find more information about Emergency Alerts. Go to www.gov.uk/alerts.

The council will be sharing information over the coming weeks to raise awareness of the test and to make sure residents and businesses are aware, including people who may be more vulnerable. You might like to share the council’s Facebook post and Tweet about the test.