On Tuesday 29 June, between 1 – 2pm, a new Emergency Alert system is being tested in the wider Reading area. There is a potential that those in the surrounding areas may also receive alerts.
The UK government’s new Emergency Alerts system will enable people to be contacted via their mobile phone when lives are in danger. It will be used to warn you in emergencies such as severe flooding or terror attacks.
Emergency Alerts are sent to all compatible mobile phones within an area of risk. They don’t track your location, need your phone number, or collect personal data. Only the government and the emergency services will be able to send them. If you don’t have a mobile phone, you’ll still be kept informed through other channels.
If you get an Emergency Alert on your phone, you’ll hear a loud, siren-like sound. A message on your screen will tell you about the emergency and how best to respond. You’ll be able to check an alert is genuine at gov.uk/alerts
To ensure the Emergency Alerts system works effectively, we’ll be carrying out a series of tests. The first test will be in Reading on 29 June, between 1pm and 2pm. If you receive a test alert, you won’t need to do anything on this occasion. If you receive one in the future, read the alert carefully and follow the instructions.
Following the test, please complete the user survey at gov.uk/alerts so we can gather and respond to feedback and make improvements to Emergency Alerts.
To find out more about Emergency Alerts, visit gov.uk/alerts or read the Emergency Alerts factsheet