Gransnet forums

News & politics

Emergency Alert!

(93 Posts)
62Granny Sun 19-Mar-23 18:12:11

Apparently on the 23rd of April I the early evening every mobile phone will receive an Emergency Alert notification and sound . Even if your phone is on silent it will still come through and you won't be able to use the phone until you acknowledge receipt of it, the Government is gaining access our phones whether we want it or not apparently they will use it to notify you of flooding or huge fires in your area but what next, are we entering an era of Government propaganda being put out via our phones? I am not happy about this but short of getting rid of my mobile I don't see a way out.

Ilovedragonflies Mon 20-Mar-23 16:55:21

I'm another sceptic that thinks this is Putin/China related. If they send nukes here I'll be sitting outside with my little dog, waiting to go together.

11unicorn Mon 20-Mar-23 16:45:49

We have this in the USA and I find it really useful.
Not just for disasters but they also send out an alert when a vulnerable old person goes missing or when a child has been abducted - of course only in your relevant area - with description and car they are in. I find it so important as it no doubt has helped find people much faster

Urmstongran Mon 20-Mar-23 16:44:22

23 April is St George’s Day.
Wonder if there be dragons to slay once we’ve been warned?
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

lilydily9 Mon 20-Mar-23 16:34:48

Living in a flood-risk area, I welcome it. The last time we faced the risk of flooding, there was nothing on any of the BBC channels to keep us up to date. It was the day Nelson Mandela died and he was the focus of attention on every one of their channels. I did complain!

Ampersand Mon 20-Mar-23 16:07:48

I wholeheartedly support this action

Lake Ohau NZ - In 2020 my oldest friend was woken at 1am by such an alarm/alert on her phone as her village was on fire. Fortunately no lives were lost but 48 of 40 homes were completely destroyed. My friend had moved there after her house was destroyed in the Auckland earthquake

JackyB Mon 20-Mar-23 15:57:11

They tried this out in Germany a while back. If I remember correctly it was as a reaction to the devastating floods in the Ahr valley. Haven't had anything since.

win Mon 20-Mar-23 15:53:02

What about all the scam alerts we are bound to receive?

rosie1959 Mon 20-Mar-23 15:48:40

Sounds like a good idea to me can see absolutely no point in turning it off.
Not quite sure how the government can possibly control people by just sending a warning of any impending danger.

MadeInYorkshire Mon 20-Mar-23 15:24:52

Dempie55

Germanshepherdsmum

Where did you find about this? It seems very unlikely.

It is a true thing, reported on Sky New and The Guardian.

Absolutely true!

More propaganda and control from our fearmongering Govt. Go to setting, notifications and turn Emergency Alerts OFF! On Sky News the Minister was talking about Civil Resilience - I reckon more like Civil Resistance!

Sawsage2 Mon 20-Mar-23 14:53:11

I think we're spied on anyway. Every time I turn on the TV its ALWAYS the ads first.

welshgirl2017 Mon 20-Mar-23 14:14:45

In 2020 we were in Greece and in lockdown on the island of Crete. The Greek govt. were sending out edicts direct to everyones mobile phones about what you could and could not do in relation to movements etc. You had to enter a code into the mobile and send it back to notify if you needed to go out, for example shopping, doctors etc... and if you got stopped by police without having notified the authorities via your mobile you could be arrested! So the UK plan is pretty tame compared to Greek authorities.

katy1950 Mon 20-Mar-23 14:10:41

Omg the dam thing will be buzzing all the time you only need to listen to the weather forecast when they tell you to stay indoor cos we may get 2 cms of snow which could result in the lost of life such drama

LadyHonoriaDedlock Mon 20-Mar-23 14:03:56

pooohbear2811 I decided more than 40 years ago that when the 4-minute warning comes I'll go outside and sit in the street. Life won't be worth living after a full-scale nuclear attack. Have you seen Threads? or read/seen When The Wind Blows?

Germanshepherdsmum Mon 20-Mar-23 14:02:50

Where I live in the sticks there’s no signal so I won’t be disturbed.

CatsCatsCats Mon 20-Mar-23 13:52:01

One more reason for me to feel grateful I don't have a mobile phone

GrannyGravy13 Mon 20-Mar-23 13:45:58

Jeezy peeps, this could save lives. We live just over the bridge from where the great flood of 31st January 1953 occurred, 58 people lost their lives homes were lost it was devastating.

I can remember the test flood warning sirens through most of the 70’s.

It seems sensible to me.

Glorianny Mon 20-Mar-23 13:41:12

My DS told me about it. My first thought was a nuclear warning. But on further consideration I've decided it is far more lightly to be a get out clause. "We sent out a warning, if you get drowned in a flood/caught in a storm/in a major pile-up, it's your own fault because WE WARNED YOU!!!!

Jaxjacky Mon 20-Mar-23 13:38:12

rowyn

And how would they get all the numbers? Sounds like a belated April Fool to me.

It’ll be sent via all the mobile phone companies to all of their customers HannahLoisLuke.

Coco51 Mon 20-Mar-23 13:26:49

I’d sooner know when an emergency is likely than when flood waters are lapping at the door!

knspol Mon 20-Mar-23 13:06:01

Good idea but slightly worrying as to why the govt has decided after all these years that we now need to have such a warning system. A similar system has been operating in some European countries for many years.

pooohbear2811 Mon 20-Mar-23 12:44:22

Oreo

Seems like a good use of tech to me.
If Putin goes nuclear we can be prepared to hide under the table.🤪

that was my first thought - nuclear weapons incoming, ...t.ake your door off and prop it against the wall.....personally if they are incoming I think my instinct would be to get near it and get vaped straight away rather than suffer the predicted consequences when a few dozen have gone off round the world.

nipsmum Mon 20-Mar-23 12:42:57

I don't have a mobile phone. I live very well without it, I'm sorry I don't care.

HannahLoisLuke Mon 20-Mar-23 12:40:23

Germanshepherdsmum

Where did you find about this? It seems very unlikely.

It was all over the radio and tv news yesterday, but my understanding is that only people in areas prone to flooding or forest/ heathland fires will receive this test alert. I may be wrong and it will include everybody.

Dottynan Mon 20-Mar-23 12:38:43

Katie59
Anyone is very welcome to listen to my conversations. Can't imagine they would gain much from me. Probably hear me asking my husband not to forget the onions.

Dixieblue Mon 20-Mar-23 12:33:26

I think the reasoning is BS, floods and fires. My perspective is that it’s for if/when we are at war with Russia/China but obviously they can’t say that and spread panic among us. Does anyone else agree with me?