Sunday 23 April 2023 3pm - UK emergency alerts: How to stay safe - Women's Aid (information for anyone who hides their phone from an abuser)

[IwantToRetire]

A nationwide test of the UK’s emergency alert service will take place at 3pm on Sunday 23 April. The alerts will warn you if there’s a danger to life nearby, such as flooding or fires.

However, Women's Aid is concerned about the potential safety risks to survivors who may be keeping their phones hidden from an abuser, as the alert is a loud, siren-like sound with a screen message and vibration.

Survivors can opt out from receiving emergency alerts to avoid their device from being detected.

Emergency Alerts will be sent to compatible mobile phones within an area of risk. Emergency alerts work on:

• iPhones running iOS 14.5 or later
• Android phones and tablets running Android 11 or later

The alert may still be received on earlier versions of Android. To check, search your device settings for ‘emergency alerts’.

Women's Aid has more details about how to do this at https://www.womensaid.org.uk/uk-emergency-alerts/

(I'm adding this here because although there has been quite a lot a publicity about it, some may not be aware. Although there is discussion on chat about it I couldn't see that MNHQ have posted about it.)

Thanks for the reminder

Great reminder. I got the original message weeks ago and I've forgotten to set up to avoid disruption.

Bump

Has this been posted in Relationships?

Has this been posted in Relationships?

I dont know, as I am afraid I dont know much about other forums on mumsnet.

When I searched nothing came up but 2 "chat" threads and was surprised as I thought MNHQ might have posted something.

But please feel free to post the info on Relationships or wherever appropriate.

Even if only the link to Women's Aid (England) as above.

Similar info from https://www.womensaidni.org/the-uk-emergency-alert-system-hidden-phones-what-you-need-to-know/

OK I've posted on Relationships.
The phone will vibrate and sound the alarm, and its no use turning it off or turning down the volume. You have to disable alerts.

That's great.

I shared it here as it came up on facebook, and just thought it would be good even if it only helps one woman.

Also on NextDoor but that will probably result in a torrent of abuse.

I had alarm at 3pm on phone
on a walk with dog
it made me jump! And cut off The Archers!
I didn’t get a message though.

It didn't work on my phone even though I've not turned alerts off to my knowledge. It did on DDs.

The whole thing seems incredibly badly thought through. I can't really see the benefit, people will always be missed (phone battery dead, don't have a mobile phone etc) and it seems like it could cause unnecessary panic. Though no doubt someone somewhere is making massive profit off these emergency warnings, which perhaps is the main point.

I didn't get it either. My alerts are on and my phone's eligible in terms of software. Odd.

Well mine came early!

It does seem more and more irrespective of who the Government is that we just cant organise anything.

Alerts are quite common in other countries, eg re tornados etc.. So as usual the UK is about a decade behind and in trying to catch up hasn't even used the expertise from countries who have learnt how to do it.

Instead we had 2 government departments fighting over not having to take on the cost of doing it.

Seems you need to have a newer phone kept up to date, and not have a contract with 3 Network.

And even if it had worked to let us know for example that the Russians had exploded a nuclear bomb, we dont have any civil defence structure to tell us what to do!

Anyhow, hope the info about how to turn it off did reach those who needed to do this for their personal safety.

Yes agree, couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery and the other side couldn't either (they probably couldn't define 'piss up' or 'brewery').

I hope anyone in danger managed to turn the alerts off too but I'm yet to be convinced that the risk the government has put these people in were offset by the benefits.

I knocked it off straight away because I was with someone in the middle of an important conversation. Now I can’t find the body of the message to read it. In real life circumstances, I hope they don’t use it for anything important. 🤪