The UK government is set to test the Emergency Alert system by sending a notification to mobile phones and tablets this weekend. This marks the second nationwide test of the system, following the initial test in April 2023. Since its first test, it has been utilised in real emergencies on five separate occasions, such as during severe weather events.
The concept for an alert system was initially developed in the Netherlands in the early 2000s, but it was the United States that first implemented it nationwide in 2012 with its Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system.
By testing the alert system, the UK ensures preparedness for unexpected situations like storms or floods. The government aims to confirm that the alert system is functioning properly so that people can be warned when there is a nearby threat to life.
However, the government has cautioned that not all devices will sound the alarm. Older phones or devices not connected to 4G or 5G networks may not be compatible with the system, reports the Manchester Evening News.
The alert is scheduled to sound on Sunday, September 7, at 3pm across the UK. Motorists have been advised not to interact with their phones if they are driving when the alert sounds, but to wait until they have stopped safely with the engine off before acknowledging the alert.
The government is urging the majority of people to keep their alerts switched on. As stated on gov.uk: "Emergency alerts contain life-saving information and should be kept switched on for your own safety."
However, there may be some individuals who wish to opt out of receiving these emergency alerts. For instance, victims of domestic abuse are being advised to disable the alerts on any concealed devices to prevent their abusers from discovering them.
There's a straightforward method to opt out of the alarm. Below, we detail how you can do this on both iPhone and Android devices.
How to opt out of Emergency Alerts.
Anyone with a smartphone can deactivate the Emergency Alerts via their phone settings. Here's how to turn it off for iPhone users and Android users.
To opt out of alerts on other mobile phones and tablets, you might need to look for different settings.
Depending on your phone's manufacturer and software version, emergency alerts settings might be referred to by various names, such as 'wireless emergency alerts' or 'emergency broadcasts'.
According to gov.uk, the settings can typically be located in one of the following ways.
Then switch off 'severe alerts', 'extreme alerts' and 'test alerts'.
The government recommends that anyone still receiving alerts after opting out should seek assistance from the device manufacturer.