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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I’ve turned my emergency alert off because I’m such a rebel!

514 replies

StupidFaces · 23/04/2023 09:47

Urgh

Facebook … numerous posts over the last days consisting of:

“EMERGENCY ALERT SWITCHED OFF!!”

“Leaving my emergency alert on so I can reply and tell them to go and fuck themselves!”

“Remember everyone, emergency alerts can and should be switched off by tomorrow!”

“That’s my emergency alert turned off lol”

Why??? What’s so big and clever about turning the alert off? Don’t people realise that most countries have had this for years? Turning it off doesn’t make you Billy Big Bollocks and boasting about it just makes you look stupid!

YABU - I’ve turned mine off and I’m proud of it! Down with the establishment!

YANBU - people are ridiculous

OP posts:
AllIeveknewonlyou · 23/04/2023 10:53

@HeidiUpTheMountain yep, agree

Comedycook · 23/04/2023 10:53

I do find it amusing that so many people think the government actually give a shit about us.

IrregularChoiceFan · 23/04/2023 10:54

Ponoka7 · 23/04/2023 10:38

So exactly what I get on breaking news, or by putting on the local radio station if in the car. There's many people who don't need this (unless it's really about a war), so they aren't the names they've been called on here.

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What about the emergency missing children alert? They have this is America and it has helped some children be saved. That sort of thing usually takes a day or so to end up on even local news.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 23/04/2023 10:56

I'm going to take the batteries out of my smoke alarm too.

And next time there's a risk of high winds, I'm going to put my washing out.

That'll show 'em.

berksandbeyond · 23/04/2023 10:56

Ponoka7 · 23/04/2023 10:31

I've opted for no smoke alarms. They got popular because of people leaving chip pans on after coming in from the pub. Or falling asleep smoking. There's no children in my households, I have fire escape windows. I'm in more danger falling off the ladder when changing the batteries. I'm 55.

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Okay well, I’m not really sure how to argue with something as stupid (and selfish) as that to be quite honest. Really hope you’re not my next door neighbour!

IrregularChoiceFan · 23/04/2023 10:57

Coolblur · 23/04/2023 10:47

IrregularChoiceFan ha ha, no, that's ridiculous! Just pointing out some have good reason to turn it off, but I guess they're not the ones shouting about it

100% there will be totally valid reasons for turning it off but advertising how much of a conspiracy theorist you are on FB is just idiotic.

Personally don't give the government half as much credit as these people do, whilst saying how shit the government are 🤣🤣

Kyse · 23/04/2023 10:59

sylvandweller · 23/04/2023 09:59

If there ever is a real emergency, those who turned it off are going to get a really brutal lesson in Darwinism 😁

I've just seen someone say they've switched it off so they can stop the cull
Did point out it's helpful if you're on a dog walk to know if there's you know, an escaped prisoner, gunman, terrorist, dangerous something in your area

IncyWincyGrownUp · 23/04/2023 10:59

I’ve turned it off because my kids are autistic and the last thing I need in my life is another random noise setting one of them off in a panic. I’m not being big and clever, I’m just being practical for my household.

Nimbostratus100 · 23/04/2023 10:59

Leftbutcameback · 23/04/2023 10:49

Wildfires are a big risk and increasing significantly due to climate change. We can’t have hurricanes in this country (sea temp not warm enough), and tsunamis are rare because we’re not on a fault but possible (could be caused by a big landslip). Storm surges are a big risk but are easier to forecast although the details of the impacts are hard to get right. In my area we had our first ever red severe weather warning last year, and people in the south east aren’t really used to that sort of extreme weather.

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well, we have wind storms that we call "hurricanes" - inaccurate, but it doesn't really matter.

Huge Tsunamis in the UK are a definite, not a possible, the tsunamis here are rare, but absolutely massive when they come, and they will come again, but noone knows when - tomorrow?, next year? a hundred years? a thousand years?

meteorite strikes is another possibility.

Festivemoose · 23/04/2023 11:00

Ponoka7 · 23/04/2023 10:31

I've opted for no smoke alarms. They got popular because of people leaving chip pans on after coming in from the pub. Or falling asleep smoking. There's no children in my households, I have fire escape windows. I'm in more danger falling off the ladder when changing the batteries. I'm 55.

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My friends house fire started by an electrical fault in the middle of the night when she was asleep. Her fire alarm woke her and she managed to escape. You are a fool.

OhhhhhhhhBiscuits · 23/04/2023 11:00

Leftbutcameback · 23/04/2023 10:49

Wildfires are a big risk and increasing significantly due to climate change. We can’t have hurricanes in this country (sea temp not warm enough), and tsunamis are rare because we’re not on a fault but possible (could be caused by a big landslip). Storm surges are a big risk but are easier to forecast although the details of the impacts are hard to get right. In my area we had our first ever red severe weather warning last year, and people in the south east aren’t really used to that sort of extreme weather.

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I think the hurricane of 1987 will disagree that we can't have them in the UK. There was also a hurricane in the 1700s that killed thousands of people.

Rare but they do happen.

Winesoakedteatowel · 23/04/2023 11:03

the UK is lagging on this - other countries have had text services and similar for years. Not a big deal.

Historically people watches television and the radio but now as we’re all glued to our phones it’s the most obvious way to announce anything mildly important.

OR there is some imminent event we’re not being told of and to be honest I couldn’t really care, UK life is so unbelievably fucking dire anyway.

ShowUs · 23/04/2023 11:03

I live in Plymouth where the awful Keyham shooting happened where a gunman killed 5 people including a 3 year old girl. If a national alert could potentially warn people of situations like that then I'm all for it.

I completely agree.

My DB lives in Keyham.

At the time he was walking around the same area and had absolutely no idea what was going on so carried on and took his DD to the park and shop.

If he had an alert he would have taken his DD straight home.

In this country it will most likely be used for terrorist attacks which I think is a great idea.

DiscoDragon · 23/04/2023 11:04

I'm not voting because your options are stupid! I have turned mine off although I have not felt the need to share/discuss this fact with anyone other than my partner. Our 9yr old son has autism and does not like alarms/sirens/loud noises and quite frankly neither do I.

Stripedbag101 · 23/04/2023 11:05

I have left mine on to see what’s it’s like!

don’t understand why people are so worked up.

but if anyone has a secret phone they need to switch it off

Leftbutcameback · 23/04/2023 11:05

OhhhhhhhhBiscuits · 23/04/2023 11:00

I think the hurricane of 1987 will disagree that we can't have them in the UK. There was also a hurricane in the 1700s that killed thousands of people.

Rare but they do happen.

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This explains why we don’t have hurricanes in the UK. It requires higher sea temps than are possible for us https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/weather/tropical-cyclones/hurricane#:~:text=Do%20hurricanes%20occur%20in%20the,cannot%20form%20at%20our%20latitudes.

Although the wind storms we have can be very damaging they are nothing like the hurricanes in terms of maximum wind speed and storm surge risk. The 1987 storm wasn’t a hurricane, although it would probably have been a red weather warning if it happened today.

Hurricanes

Hurricanes are amongst the most powerful and destructive meteorological systems on earth. Each year several make landfall in various parts of the world and can cause considerable damage to property and loss of life.

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/weather/tropical-cyclones/hurricane#:~:text=Do%20hurricanes%20occur%20in%20the,cannot%20form%20at%20our%20latitudes.

KittyAlfred · 23/04/2023 11:05

I’m annoyed at this emergency alert malarkey because of the amount it must have cost to put in place. Schools, hospitals , public services are drowning, libraries closing, bus services being cut, food banks struggling, homeless hostels overflowing - but we can find public funds to tell people when there’s a flooded river 10 miles away ffs

CrunchyCarrot · 23/04/2023 11:05

Mine's left on, partly because I want to hear what it's like for future reference and partly because I can't understand why people are so bothered about it! It's being implemented to help, not for some nefarious purpose! I'm in favour of it.

ShowUs · 23/04/2023 11:06

berksandbeyond · 23/04/2023 10:56

Okay well, I’m not really sure how to argue with something as stupid (and selfish) as that to be quite honest. Really hope you’re not my next door neighbour!

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The ironic thing is that it would probably be your smoke alarm that eventually goes off and makes you call the fire brigade, which could potentially save that posters life.

ShowUs · 23/04/2023 11:08

KittyAlfred · 23/04/2023 11:05

I’m annoyed at this emergency alert malarkey because of the amount it must have cost to put in place. Schools, hospitals , public services are drowning, libraries closing, bus services being cut, food banks struggling, homeless hostels overflowing - but we can find public funds to tell people when there’s a flooded river 10 miles away ffs

evolution haters GIF

Yep that’s what it’ll be used for.

KnickerlessParsons · 23/04/2023 11:08

KittyAlfred · 23/04/2023 11:05

I’m annoyed at this emergency alert malarkey because of the amount it must have cost to put in place. Schools, hospitals , public services are drowning, libraries closing, bus services being cut, food banks struggling, homeless hostels overflowing - but we can find public funds to tell people when there’s a flooded river 10 miles away ffs

It wouldn't cost very much. Certainly not nearly enough to save just one of those institutions.

SoupDragon · 23/04/2023 11:09

The amount of whinging about this is unbelievable. That said, complaining about stuff is something the British are very good at I think. They should have sold it as a queue alert.

Tessisme · 23/04/2023 11:09

I can't help but wonder what our lovely (not) government is really up to with all this at this particular point in time though....

Oh, ffs. Nothing. They are up to nothing. Would next month make it less suspicious? Next year? Why on earth does everything have to be a conspiracy?

Thinkwicebeforeyouleavemylife · 23/04/2023 11:09

People are just stupid and paranoid. The same people turning it off are those who believe the 15 minute cities thing is some kind of conspiracy/the government trying to spy on us. Its an alert designed to help us. I don't understand why people are so scared of it.

SoupDragon · 23/04/2023 11:10

KnickerlessParsons · 23/04/2023 11:08

It wouldn't cost very much. Certainly not nearly enough to save just one of those institutions.

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Quite. Pretty much everyone is already carrying the required technology around in their pockets.