UK Government Launch Public Emergency Alert Service

Here at Mitie, we’re heartened to hear about the government launching a new public warning system. In the event of severe weather conditions that present a serious threat to life, If you’re a UK resident, you’ll now receive an alert via your mobile phone warning you in advance.

The safety of our people and customers has always been our top priority at Mitie. And, we have a number of robust processes and systems in place to ensure we operate within a safe environment at all times. However, there are some things we can’t control, like extreme weather. Whilst we make every effort to manage the impact this can have, we can’t always predict outcomes. The Governments new alert system will help us to go the extra mile in protecting our people and customers from serious and life-threatening injury.

If you’re interested, here’s what to expect and I’d love to hear your thoughts on this new initiative in the comments below:

In recent years we’ve witnessed some of the greatest natural disasters known to man. Including an earthquake in Turkey that killed over 50,000 people and devastating flash floods in Pakistan, America and here in the UK.?As recently as 2021, many people living in the Lake District and Scotland lost their homes to extreme flooding.

Sadly, environmental experts predict that because of the effects of climate change, we’ll continue to experience the worsening impact of severe weather events in the years to come.

In response, the UK government have launched a new public warning system. Alerts will be sent to mobile phone users about events that may put their life in danger. The service will be used to send alerts directly to mobile phones when there is a danger to life nearby. The government does not need to know your phone number or location to send you an alert and you’ll get alerts based on your current location, not where you live or work. You also don’t need to turn on location services to receive alerts.

The new system was officially launched on 19 March 2023 and there will be a first official nationwide test of the system on Sunday 23 April.

This is good news for UK residents especially because similar systems have been used successfully, saving lives, in the Netherlands and Japan. However, the government have advised emergency alerts would be used very rarely and only be sent when there was an immediate risk to life – so people may not receive an alert for months, or even years.

Reasons You Might Get an Alert?

Your mobile phone or tablet will receive an alert with advice about how to stay safe in the event of severe flooding, fires, and extreme weather. The alerts will be sent by emergency services and/or government departments, agencies and public bodies that deal with emergencies.

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In the future, if you do receive an alert you’ll hear a loud siren-like sound, and your phone will vibrate (even if your phone is on silent).

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If a mobile phone user receives an emergency alert, they’re advised to stop what they are doing, when it is safe to do so, and follow the instructions on the alert.