A new Emergency Alerts service has launched across the country, allowing the Government and emergency services to send an alert directly to phones when there is a risk to life.
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, welcomed the system which could help Cumbrian communities which repeatedly bear the brunt of flooding and extreme weather events.
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. Initial use will focus on the most serious weather-related incidents such as flooding and storm events.
Following successful tests in East Suffolk and Reading, a UK-wide test is due to take place on Sunday, 23rd April, which will see an alert broadcast to mobile phones. The alert will appear on your device’s home screen and must be acknowledged before you are able to use your phone’s other features. Moreover, people should be aware that a loud siren-like sound and vibration may accompany the message.
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. A similar service is already being bused successfully around the world in nations such as USA, Netherlands and Japan.
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, said:
“Having witnessed the devastation that follows storm events and flooding across our county, I’m optimistic that this new service can help communities like ours when tragedy strikes and help keep people safe.
“We’ve made great progress boosting Cumbria’s digital infrastructure, but this announcement really brings home the need to innovate further so that even the most remote communities can stay safer and more informed during a crisis.”
