‘Keep Calm and Carry On’: Public assured they can ‘wipe away’ today’s 911 alert | UK News

The public has been assured that if their phones start blaring this afternoon, they can “wipe away” today’s nationwide alarm system test.

Newly-appointed Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said no action was needed if it kicked off at 3pm today, but in the future it could be the “sound that could save your life”.

The system is designed to warn the public if there is a danger to life nearby, mirrored similar systems used in the Netherlands, USA and Canada.

It will take for about 10 seconds at 3 p.mwith the alert being sent to every 4G and 5G device across the UK.

It is planned to use it to warn people of life-threatening situations such as floods and forest fires.

Mr Dowden said: “Keep calm and carry on – this is the UK way and that is what the country will do when it gets this test alert at 3pm today.

“Government’s most important job is to keep people safe and this is another tool in the toolbox for emergencies like floods or wildfires and when there is a real risk to life.

“So it’s really the sound that could save your life.

“I want to encourage people to remember that today is just a test; there is no need to take any action and you can just swipe it away like you would any other message you receive.”

People can opt out in their device settings, but officials are hoping users will keep them on.

Phones that are powered off or in airplane mode will not receive a notification.

Those who receive the notification will be prompted to confirm their arrival by swiping or clicking on the message before continuing to use their devices.

Continue reading:
Everything you need to know about the emergency alert test
Emergency warnings in other countries – and times when they went wrong…

Planning the areas of entertainment and sport how to protect yourself from interference to major events when the test starts.

The World Snooker Championship organizers suspended play at the Crucible in Sheffield just before 3pm and resumed after the alarm went off.

The Society of London Theater said it shared the government’s guidance with its members, advising them to tell attendees to turn off their phones to “minimize disruption to the shows”.

Speaking for moviegoers, a Vue spokesperson said: “Before any screening at Vue, we encourage our customers to turn off their mobile phones to fully immerse themselves in the cinematic experience.”

The St George’s Day Test coincides with major sporting events including the London Marathon and the Premier League games between Bournemouth and West Ham and Newcastle and Tottenham Hotspur which start at 2pm.

Officials said they have been working with the Football Association and organizers of the marathon to ensure the impact of the test remains limited.

Motorists have been warned it will remain illegal to pick up their mobile phones during the test as they will be caught holding a phone behind the wheel with six penalty points and a £200 fine.

Domestic Violence Activists also warned that the alert could put people at risk by revealing the location of secret phones hidden by those at risk.