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Original poster

Emergency test broadcasting message on phone

98 replies

TheTroubleWithShoes · 11/05/2021 07:56

Has anyone else had this?

I just woke up, a minute before my alarm went off, to my mobile making a very loud rather frantic beeping noise.

It took me a minute to work out what it was but when I looked it said it was a test of the emergency broadcasting system and that I didn't need to do anything else.

Has anyone else had this happen?

OP posts:
Original poster
TheTroubleWithShoes · 11/05/2021 08:55

Street sirens? Oh no. I'd be permanently on edge waiting for them to go off. I have a phobia of sirens.

OP posts:
Iwantacookie · 11/05/2021 08:56

No but your taking it a lot more calmly than me if that had woke me up I think I would of cried

TheManInTheIronedMask · 11/05/2021 08:57

Please post this on the Preppers board. It would make our day Wink(while being sympathetic to your distress. Naturally Grin)

TheManInTheIronedMask · 11/05/2021 08:58
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 11/05/2021 08:59

I jumped out of my skin at a siren going off once. Then again a few weeks later. Then DH told me it the alert n the part time fire station so that the part timers would drop everything and get there ASAP which was why it was loud enough to be heard quite a distance away... (We only heard it at home when the wind was right, whereas he heard it regularly at work). It was like the air raid sirens I war films.

CormoranStrike · 11/05/2021 09:00

@TheManInTheIronedMask

I misread firelighters for firefighters 😂
loginfail · 11/05/2021 09:03

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

I jumped out of my skin at a siren going off once. Then again a few weeks later. Then DH told me it the alert n the part time fire station so that the part timers would drop everything and get there ASAP which was why it was loud enough to be heard quite a distance away... (We only heard it at home when the wind was right, whereas he heard it regularly at work). It was like the air raid sirens I war films.
The very rural town I was brought up in in the UK used to have one of those way way back in the days before mobile phones or even pagers.

We forgot to mention it to some relatives who were on a rare visit from the big city and I remember it scaring the *** out them when it went off at oh dark thirty one morning.....

HoulYerWheesht · 11/05/2021 09:07

Ok so this is terrifying.....

MaryTeenOfScots · 11/05/2021 09:13

I was talking today about that siren for volunteer firefighters. It does sound like the bomb sirens from WWII.

I'm in NZ and we have a mobile emergency alert system. It was used at the beginning of our level 4 lockdown. I also got one when there was concerns about water contamination nearby, and I think the people affected got one when there was an earthquake and a tsunami warning in March. Maybe the UK are looking at introducing something similar? I hope you get to the bottom of it!

Ostara212 · 11/05/2021 09:13

Oh bloody hell
I really hope this isn't a thing, I'd be furious.

I wonder if it can work if your phone is off, on silent or DND?

AMillionMilesAway · 11/05/2021 09:15

I'll let you know in about a week. I finally got the covid stay at home one a week after everybody else I know!

Sexnotgender · 11/05/2021 09:15

@TheQueef

I think you are meant to stock pile bog rolls and ram raid a garden centre. Don't panic though.
Best stock up on tinned tomatoes and pasta too. Just in case.
BottomOfTree · 11/05/2021 09:21

A town near me has a big petrochemical plant and they have sirens and I’d imagine there must be a text alter system as I know they’ve had a few instances of being told to stay inside (nothing major in end!). We have a drinks factory in our small town and I sometimes hear a siren there which is quite disconcerting as I’m not sure if we are suppose to do anything when it goes off (after 3 years living here I should probably check that out Blush).

Does the uk need a text alter system? How are people alerted to say floods just now - I know you can sign up to a flood website but if you didn’t how would you be altered to your towns river bursting its banks say? Just the police and firefighters chapping and being aware of your surroundings?

TheTeenageYears · 11/05/2021 09:22

We live in Asia and get emergency alert messages like that. They would quite literally wake the dead they are so loud. In our case it will go to anyone with a sim from this country, not linked to a locally purchased phone as we have iPhones purchased in 4 different countries but all get the alerts. The technology must be built into phones as standard.

FreezerBird · 11/05/2021 09:22

CormoranStrike

TheManInTheIronedMask

^^

I misread firelighters for firefighters 😂

Either would work, I think.

Original poster
TheTroubleWithShoes · 11/05/2021 09:26

I live 5 minutes from a fire station. Perhaps I should see if there are any firefighters willing to have a quick fondle. It'd certainly soothe my nerves.

OP posts:
Original poster
TheTroubleWithShoes · 11/05/2021 09:28

Short clip. If anyone wants to hear the sound. Not that it's very exciting.

OP posts:
CliffordTheBigBlueDog · 11/05/2021 09:32

I had this message as well this morning. My phone was on silent so didn't hear the beeping sound.

Imreaaaaady · 11/05/2021 09:33

Fucking hell I'd have shit the bed at that noise alone!

Original poster
TheTroubleWithShoes · 11/05/2021 09:39

I had this message as well this morning. My phone was on silent so didn't hear the beeping sound.

I'll see you in the bunker, Clifford.

Fucking hell I'd have shit the bed at that noise alone!

I almost did shit the bed. Who needs laxatives?

OP posts:
Ostara212 · 11/05/2021 10:06

@TheTroubleWithShoes

I live 5 minutes from a fire station. Perhaps I should see if there are any firefighters willing to have a quick fondle. It'd certainly soothe my nerves.
this made me lol.

what time did this happen? Bloody awful.

Original poster
TheTroubleWithShoes · 11/05/2021 10:08

It happened at 7:44 then 7:59 this morning.

OP posts:
Ostara212 · 11/05/2021 10:10

@TheTroubleWithShoes

It happened at 7:44 then 7:59 this morning.
I'd be fuming

I hope this isn't a thing

LandGirlJudy · 11/05/2021 10:20

it went off at oh dark thirty one morning

I've never heard that expression before. I kind of like it

AwaAnBileYerHeid · 11/05/2021 10:29

Yes! I'm a nurse and one of my patients called me over to their bedside a couple of hours ago to show me this alert on their phone. It was a shrill beeping noise which stated something along the lines of 'this is an O2 test but that it would in future notify the phone holder if there was a danger to life nearby'...or something along those lines. Strange.