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Original poster

This bloody emergency alert

403 replies

Random789 · 21/04/2023 21:07

It's going to be like when they test the fire alarm at work, isn't it?
You get more and more tense waiting for it, then three minutes before it is due to go off you forget all about it. Then it does go off and you scream like a lunatic and jump so hard that you dislocate something in your neck.

I'd rather just get fried in a nuclear attack and avoid all the stress.

OP posts:
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8
Scalottia · 22/04/2023 05:52

Are you this dramatic about everything OP? Jump so much that you dislocate your neck? Righto then.

@LizzieSiddal you are honestly really worried? Carnage? Peak MN overdramatics.

Okunevo · 22/04/2023 06:37

Rosula · 22/04/2023 01:08

Why?

Show quote history

I don't want my phone to make a loud noise if it's set to silent or vibrate as it is normally.

PortiasBiscuit · 22/04/2023 06:40

An emergency signal strikes me as an excellent plan, why are people being so melodramatic about it?

Okunevo · 22/04/2023 06:56

PortiasBiscuit · 22/04/2023 06:40

An emergency signal strikes me as an excellent plan, why are people being so melodramatic about it?

Have you read the thread? There are many reasons why people may be anxious.

aberlot · 22/04/2023 07:16

@Snellytheelephant

Genuine question and I do not mean to offend - those that are worried they will panic, what do you do if a strangers phone rings next to you? Or if your landline rang back in the day? Or if you’re in an office or doctors and their phone rings? Or if you’re waiting for a phone call and have turned your phone off silent? Does this affect your work?

It's not about hearing something ringing. It's about the potential for the alert to go off whilst I am in my home, my safe place where I get to minimise any unexpected things from happening. Hyper vigilance is very difficult to explain but in order to fully relax I need to know there wasn't be any random alerts. It doesn't affect my work because I can't work. If someone else's phone rings when I am out it doesn't bother me in the slightest but when I am at home it's the fear of unexpected noise, not the noise itself. I could quite happily leave it in for the test as it is a planned time but going forward living with the potential alert raises my fears. Living in fear is a horrendous way to be and I wish people would be slightly less flippant about it, not you in particular as you have asked nicely, but a lot of others here. The other week I had to buy a new appliance because I heard a strange noise coming from existing appliance and it scared me so much I couldn't relax for days. It's not the noise, it's the 'omg, what's that?, something isn't right'. My phone is always on silent and I actually have no objection to receiving this information, but the method isn't the right one for me. People are using the 'oh what if it's a missing child' to suggest it's awful to switch these alerts of but the reality of my life is that I am not going to be of much use of a child is missing because I am going to be inside my house anyway. So the alerts that would benefit me personally, I can take my chances over. Add to that the fact that as soon as one of these goes off for real it will be all over social and mainstream media I really don't think my disabling is a huge issue. I

Just to reiterate, genuinely do not want to cause offense, just want to try to understand better as I currently can’t understand how it is different to a phone ringing or text alert under any other circumstance for so many people.

It's about being able to control the unexpected. I can easily ensure my phone doesn't ring in the middle of the night. I can't control this. That promotes fear in someone who has c-PTSD and the only way I can manage that it to switch it off.

I apologise for my earlier comments in the threat I got fully wound up and rested badly because I am so exhausted with trying to explain to people who are just of the opinion that I am being ridiculous. I'm not, I have worked for years to get to the point in my life I am at now and I know exactly how to maintain a safe feeling in my home.

Notanothernewname · 22/04/2023 07:24

I used to hear the Broadmoor siren for years so I'm used to sirens and alerts. I suppose in the case of living near there it could be useful if a patient escaped they could use it, but I've turned it off as I listened to a clip of it yesterday and the sound went straight through me.

I'd hate to be somewhere with loads of people with it going off, it would be horrendous.

moonspiral · 22/04/2023 07:28

Notanothernewname · 22/04/2023 07:24

I used to hear the Broadmoor siren for years so I'm used to sirens and alerts. I suppose in the case of living near there it could be useful if a patient escaped they could use it, but I've turned it off as I listened to a clip of it yesterday and the sound went straight through me.

I'd hate to be somewhere with loads of people with it going off, it would be horrendous.

Why was there a Broadmoor siren?! Did they escape regularly?

Tessisme · 22/04/2023 07:38

My dad worked at Harland and Wolff and at the end of the working day a loud horn sounded when the tens of thousands of men finished their shift. I suppose it was to let the women know to get the spuds on😅 (well, it was the 1970s/1980s and we were always a bit behind the times). We were about a mile and a half from the shipyard and could hear it from inside the house. On rare occasions, though, it sounded at an unusual time and everyone would know there had been an 'event' - usually an accident. It was very chilling and obviously the panic would set in among families.

This phone alert seems sensible and a more efficient and universal version of the siren I remember, in that people will be able to read on their screens what exactly is happening and take appropriate action, rather than speculating like we did!

Aquafernspindle · 22/04/2023 07:39

It's great that the UK has rolled out the system. Any alert in the future will be localised and there to help.

I've had an alert in the US that told us a severe storm was coming. It was very good to have the details as we were road tripping and did not know about it.

Fizbosshoes · 22/04/2023 07:52

Not fully the same subject, but when I was at secondary school (1990s) a loud bell signalled the end of lessons, break, lunch and home time. Regardless of whether the teacher was halfway through explaining something, everyone would pack up and rush off as quickly as possible. I was most surprised that my dC, now at secondary school, say they don't have a bell for lessons at school! (But they do have sn intruder alarm and fire alarm)

LlynTegid · 22/04/2023 07:54

I object to the timing, Sunday afternoon.

My phone will be switched off then.

FeltedDogs · 22/04/2023 07:55

It is so funny that British people are so excited about this
Everywhere else has had it for years. Wait till you catch up with our healthcare and education not to mention Police who attend crimes 😅

JustDanceAddict · 22/04/2023 07:58

I was in the US a few years ago and a couple went off about weather or something- it was really a non-event! I get that those who are vulnerable need to turn off their phones but mines always on silent so it’ll prob just buzz!!

Justalittlebitduckling · 22/04/2023 08:01

JenniferBooth · 21/04/2023 22:02

@Justalittlebitduckling does that include the women who have another man in their lives due to the husband being emotionally abusive

Is that abuse tipping into the physical what you are looking forward to.

Obviously not. What a horrible thing to accuse me of. That’s an entirely different scenario.

Notanothernewname · 22/04/2023 08:03

moonspiral · 22/04/2023 07:28

Why was there a Broadmoor siren?! Did they escape regularly?

Show quote history

Every Monday morning there were two sirens one warning and the 2nd all clear. It was a test if it went off any other time it wasn't a test. Some of the most dangerous mentally unwell people are at Broadmoor. If someone escaped it was to let people living around the area know and schools to put their actions in place. No one has escaped in years though.

tiredofallthecrap · 22/04/2023 08:04

Sorry if this has already been asked/answered in the thread but I'm curious. I'm leaving mine on as I want to know what it sounds like. But how long does it go for? And can you stop it when it starts, like an alarm, or do you just have to listen to it until it ends?

elmooie · 22/04/2023 08:12

Random789 · 21/04/2023 22:53

My husband and I have surnames that start with letters at opposite ends of the alphabet. There was a significant gap between his alert and my alert

I guess that means that, post-apocalypse, we will have far more survivors from the first half of the alphabet than the second half? Not fair, really, but I'm not going to complain as my surname will be one of the earliest into the bunker.

🤣 Nor will I random. Quick, all the A to F’s - into the hidey hole first! sorry husband and children it just isn’t your lucky day

Okunevo · 22/04/2023 08:14

JustDanceAddict · 22/04/2023 07:58

I was in the US a few years ago and a couple went off about weather or something- it was really a non-event! I get that those who are vulnerable need to turn off their phones but mines always on silent so it’ll prob just buzz!!

This is one of the problems, it will still sound if phones are on silent or vibrate, there is no choice.

maryberryslayers · 22/04/2023 08:24

Why would anyone not want to know of an emergency situation?
Think of all the horrible things that have happen of the past few years that people might have avoided walking in to if they'd have known.
It's literally a loud beep, I get it might 'trigger' people but it's just the same as a police/fire engine siren, which are unavoidable in daily life.
We had one about a gunman whilst in Canada and told to stay indoors, lock up shops etc, we then had a message an hour later to say he'd been apprehended and we could go about our day, very useful and no doubt saved many lives.

toomuchlaundry · 22/04/2023 08:34

@LibertyLily surely it’s the conspiracy theorists turning it off, if you don’t think there is anything sinister about it you will keep it on

TwoFluffyDogsOnMyBed · 22/04/2023 08:38

I don’t know when it is as don’t read or watch the news. It seems odd to me because the government don’t care about people usually. I’d rather not have the alerts and have an ambulance service.

toomuchlaundry · 22/04/2023 08:38

I’m also amazed so many people haven’t heard about it before, it’s been in the news for ages, even many threads on here. How do people live in such bubbles?

Womencanlift · 22/04/2023 08:39

tiredofallthecrap · 22/04/2023 08:04

Sorry if this has already been asked/answered in the thread but I'm curious. I'm leaving mine on as I want to know what it sounds like. But how long does it go for? And can you stop it when it starts, like an alarm, or do you just have to listen to it until it ends?

10 seconds. I don’t think you can switch it off like an alarm

All this drama for 10 seconds. It’s a bit embarrassing really.

For those that have genuine reasons (like health reasons) and even those that have ridiculous reasons (it’s Sunday afternoon!), if you don’t want to hear it switch your phone off before 3 and then turn it back on after

QuintanaRoo · 22/04/2023 08:41

Notanothernewname · 22/04/2023 08:03

Every Monday morning there were two sirens one warning and the 2nd all clear. It was a test if it went off any other time it wasn't a test. Some of the most dangerous mentally unwell people are at Broadmoor. If someone escaped it was to let people living around the area know and schools to put their actions in place. No one has escaped in years though.

Show quote history

I used to live near Rampton and they tested the siren every week, same day and time. I always used to think if I was an inmate wanting to escape that would be the day and time to plan your escape!

TeaserandtheFirecat · 22/04/2023 08:58

Not even sure now I will get an alert! I want it, but scrolling down my android notifications and advanced notifications out of curiosity, I cannot find emergency or wireless alerts setting 🤔