Ireland

People in Border areas receive UK emergency ‘alert’ test

Message sent to all mobile phones across North and Britain on Sunday between 3pm and 4pm

A phone receives an emergency alert test text from the UK government in Bournemouth, England. Photograph: Dan Mullan/Getty Images
A phone receives an emergency alert test text from the UK government in Bournemouth, England. Photograph: Dan Mullan/Getty Images
Freya McClements
Sun Apr 23 2023 - 16:18

A test message alert message was sent to all mobile phones and devices across Britain and Northern Ireland on Sunday as part of a new UK emergency warning system.

Road users travelling in Border counties had been advised they could see an emergency “alert” message pop up on their phone during the test.

At 3pm on Sunday the mobile phones sounded a loud siren-like alarm and vibrated to alert users to the incoming emergency message.

Entitled “Severe Alert”, the message which appeared on phones told users it was a “test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby.

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An emergency text alert test on the phone of a fan during the Premier League match. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA
An emergency text alert test on the phone of a fan during the Premier League match. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA

“In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe.

“This is a test. You do not need to take any action,” the message said.

A government emergency text warning sign outside the stadium ahead of the football match in London. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA
A government emergency text warning sign outside the stadium ahead of the football match in London. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) assured members of the public travelling in Border areas that they did not need to take any action if they received the message.

Mobile phone customers near Border areas in Ireland who were roaming on to a UK mobile phone network between 3pm and 4pm on Sunday were due to received the alert. Mobile phone customers on networks based in Ireland would not receive the message.

An emergency text alert test on the phone of another fan during the Premier League match. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA
An emergency text alert test on the phone of another fan during the Premier League match. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA

The UK system is designed to warn members of the public of life-threatening emergencies such as extreme weather, flooding or fires.

The RSA issued the following advice to road users if they received the alert while travelling on Sunday:

  • Do not be alarmed or startled if your phone makes a loud alarm sound, vibrates and flashes to flag the incoming test message.
  • Do not read or otherwise respond to an emergency alert while driving or riding a motorcycle.
  • If driving, continue to drive and do not respond to the noise or attempt to pick up the mobile phone and deal with the message.
  • Drivers are reminded never to use their mobile phones while driving. You either turn it off, switch it to airplane mode, put it on silent or simply put it out of sight.

In a real-time emergency, you should find somewhere safe and legal to pull over and read the message, the RSA said.

Freya McClements

Freya McClements

Freya McClements is Northern Editor of The Irish Times