Launch of life-saving public emergency alerts 

A new system that will give the Government and emergency services the capability to send an alert directly to mobiles phones when there is a risk to life has been launched today (Sunday 19 March).

Working with mobile broadcasting technology, the Emergency Alerts system will transform the UK’s warning and informing capability; providing a means to get urgent messages quickly to nearly 90 percent of mobile phones in a defined area; providing clear instructions about how best to respond. 

The system is now ready to be tested across the country following successful tests in East Suffolk and Reading, as the Government continues to strengthen its resilience capability, making sure it offers the best possible protection against an ever-evolving range of threats.

A UK-wide alerts test will take place Sunday 23 April which will see people receive a test message on their mobile phones. 

The alerts will only ever come from the Government or emergency services, and they will issue a warning, always include the details of the area impacted, and provide instructions about how best to respond - linking to gov.uk/alerts where people can receive further information. 

Emergency Alerts will be used very rarely - only being sent where there is an immediate risk to people’s lives - so people may not receive an alert for months, or even years. 

The service has already been used successfully in a number of other countries, including the US, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan, where it has been widely credited with saving lives, for example, during severe weather events. In the UK, alerts could be used to tell residents of villages being encroached by wildfires, or of severe flooding.

Announcing the launch of the new alerts system, 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 U.S. and elsewhere, the buzz of a phone can save a life."

Emergency Alerts will be used across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and their initial use will focus on the most serious severe weather-related incidents, including severe flooding in England. The Government has been working closely with a range of stakeholders and partners across the UK on developing the system, including colleagues from the emergency services, transport groups and the Environment Agency.

Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, Mark Hardingham, said: “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. 

“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.”

Executive Director for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management at the Environment Agency, Caroline Douglass, commented: “Being able to communicate warnings in a timely and accurate manner during incidents is really important to help people take action to protect themselves, their families, and their neighbours. 

“This year is the 70th anniversary of the 1953 east coast surge, one of the worst flood events in our recent history which saw over 300 people perish in England - while our ability to warn and inform has come on leaps and bounds since then, Emergency Alerts is a fantastic addition to our toolbox that we can use in emergency situations.”

By broadcasting from cell towers in the vicinity of an emergency, the alerts are secure, free to receive, and one-way. They do not reveal anyone's location or collect personal data.   Alerts can only be sent by authorised Governmental and Emergency Services users. Successful live tests of the service have already taken place in East Suffolk and Reading.

ENDS -

Notes to editors

• For the UK-wide test, people will have to acknowledge the alert on their device’s home screen before they can use your phone’s other features. People do not need to take any further action for the test. 

• 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 who represent vulnerable groups.
• The Government has worked in partnership with the Devolved Administrations at every stage of the project. Devolved Governments may also use this system to send out alerts if required for an area within Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
• The Met Office are supporting the launch of the UK- wide Emergency Alerts service which will complement their existing official National Severe Weather Warning Service

What does the alert look and sound like?

• Emergency Alerts will appear on your device and you will hear a loud siren-like sound for up to 10 seconds.
• The alerts appear on your device's home screen - you have to acknowledge them before you can use your phone’s other features. 
• They appear as a notification and may include telephone numbers or website links containing further information. 
• A loud, siren-like sound and vibration will accompany the message to raise awareness of the hazard or threat.
• You can see what they look and sound like here when the embargo lifts on Sunday: gov.uk/alerts

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.

What if you do not wish to receive the alerts?

• People who do not want to receive these alerts can opt out of them in their device settings.
• However, given the life saving potential of the alerts we would urge everyone to remain opted in

Pilot Tests

• Successful live public tests of the service have already taken place in East Suffolk (covering a rural population) and Reading (covering an urban population).
• Post-test surveys recorded positive support: