Emergency alert warning to be sent to 87,000,000 UK phones – all you need to know
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To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video. Up Next. Millions of phones will blare with the sound of a 10-second siren again later this year when the Government issues another test of its ‘Armageddon alert’ system.
The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is designed to warn the public if there is a danger to life nearby. It will be tested again as part of a series of steps ministers are taking in response to recommendation from the Covid inquiry. There is no exact date yet for when the Government plans to test the EAS alarm, but it is expected to be later this year.
The alert has been deployed four times since it was launched in 2023, including in areas hit hardest by Storm Darragh this winter. Once established, the system is intended to be used in life-threatening situations including flooding and wildfires. People who do not wish to receive future alerts will be able to opt out using their device settings but officials hope the life-saving potential of the messages means users will keep them on.
When it was last tested, the message that appeared on phones said: ‘This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK Government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby. ‘In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe.
