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Original poster

Government alert?!?!

694 replies

hotmumshit · 14/08/2026 19:02

Uh Oh Wow GIF by Bounce

Omg? First use of the government phone alerts, i think??

OP posts:
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14
Tableforjoan · 14/08/2026 19:11

Thing is I’d understand an alert if there’s a fire near by get ready to evacuate.

But a national alert for don’t have fires means people are like on this thread already are going to turn off alerts because it’s being abused basically.

potentialdogowner · 14/08/2026 19:11

Important message, but hardly urgent and very annoying to be sent around kids bedtimes 😫 youngest was just dropping off…!

Original poster
hotmumshit · 14/08/2026 19:10

Turned the cooker off

Will also, from monday, prep a little 'go bag' for me and dd as we are on the 2nd floor of a flat conversion

OP posts:
AllaMova · 14/08/2026 19:10

I completely freaked out and thought World War 3 was starting.

Good thing I didn’t overreact.

TraitorsSandwich · 14/08/2026 19:10

I also jumped out my skin !! Very glad my LO went to bed a bit early tonight as that would have put me back to square 1 with the bedtime routine !

Enfrancais · 14/08/2026 19:10

It just dulls the impact of it completely.

MelonSorbet · 14/08/2026 19:10

SadiraOfTyr · 14/08/2026 19:08

Why on earth would people want to switch them off?? We’ve had them before for severe storms and escaped dangerous prisoners. They can target a local area as well as issuing a national alert.

I'm perfectly capable of keeping up with the news and figuring out what to do for myself.

Aiming4Optimistic · 14/08/2026 19:10

I'm actually a bit annoyed - that made me jump out of my skin, just to tell me something I've already seen the PM say in the news 6 times already!

Nesbi · 14/08/2026 19:10

I think this system is great - it is a serious message and needs to be understood

PensionPTake · 14/08/2026 19:10

Made us all jump. Then I thought there must be something serious happening nearby (a wildfire maybe) but no it's just to tell us not to bbq etc. I don't think it's an appropriate use of the alert system and if they use it for stuff like this people will take less notice when they go off or just turn it off altogether.

tinyspiny · 14/08/2026 19:10

Yes it is a bit nanny state saying don’t use fireworks etc but unfortunately the country is full of morons who are still doing it

Tapoopoo · 14/08/2026 19:10

This reply has been deleted

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Soubriquet · 14/08/2026 19:09

SadiraOfTyr · 14/08/2026 19:08

Why on earth would people want to switch them off?? We’ve had them before for severe storms and escaped dangerous prisoners. They can target a local area as well as issuing a national alert.

It worries me that they can be switched off. They are emergency alerts for a reason.

Since they are used to rarely, it shouldnt be permitted

Lunalara · 14/08/2026 19:09

Enfrancais · 14/08/2026 19:08

It shouldn't be for information purposes but for actual danger.

Yeah I think if there is a wildfire within a radius then it should go off.

Screamingabdabz · 14/08/2026 19:09

Jeez the govt can’t keep sending national alerts to just ask people not to be utter morons surely?

Newsenmum · 14/08/2026 19:09

hdhdjd · 14/08/2026 19:03

Turned them off now! Horrid

Seriously? And if there is a threat to life youd rather not know?

Sesma · 14/08/2026 19:09

MrsM2025 · 14/08/2026 19:04

AIBU that I don’t think this alert system should have been used for this?

No it shouldn't, not nationwide, only to those with a wildfire near

MiceSpiders · 14/08/2026 19:09

I think the fire in Stourbridge has taken out about 20 houses, it seems appropriate to me to just it. We've had several wildfires near us in the last couple of weeks and tbh the fire service bed to be available for those, not people twatting about with tin foil tray BBQs

SmallGoddess · 14/08/2026 19:09

StripyHorse · 14/08/2026 19:07

It doesn't help that the alert vanishes when you click it - which is my instinct to stop the noise. Ours came out in Welsh first followed by English a few minutes later. My Welsh is OK, but I need to read it fully, whereas in English I pick out key words from a message flashing up. It meant the message had vanished before I realised what it was for.

Go to Alerts in Settings. You can a) turn them off and b) see any previous alerts

SendforJulietOne · 14/08/2026 19:09

I'm in a pub garden, it went DEAD SILENT

NovemberMorn · 14/08/2026 19:09

I thought the mobile phone was on the blink.😆

Aiming4Optimistic · 14/08/2026 19:08

Mine came through in Welsh first. Which is all very well but quite a lot of us don't actually speak it! If it's that bloody urgent , maybe send the English out at the same time and not a few minutes later!

Enfrancais · 14/08/2026 19:08

It shouldn't be for information purposes but for actual danger.

beeble347 · 14/08/2026 19:08

Bit of an overreaction no? Yes it was surprising. The wildfires are also serious and it's insane that people are going out to dry grass and shrubland, leaving disposable barbecues and dropping cigarettes.

Though I think the government needs to take much more decisive action on things like the farmers warning of food shortages this year.

Original poster
hotmumshit · 14/08/2026 19:08

I'm still in shock, will need a wine

OP posts: