People across Scotland are being encouraged to prepare for the UK’s second national Emergency Alert test, which will take place at approximately 3pm on Sunday, September 7.
The system is designed to help protect lives by delivering urgent safety advice directly to mobile phones during major emergencies.
The nationwide drill follows the first use of the system in Scotland during Storm Éowyn in January this year.
It was the largest-ever live deployment of the system, authorised by UK Government Minister Pat McFadden, to help save lives as the Met Office issued a rare "danger to life" red weather warning.
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The live alert for Storm Éowyn reached millions of mobile phones across Scotland. It delivered a direct and unmissable instruction for people to stay indoors, providing clear guidance amid forecasts of 100mph winds and the threat of flying debris.
During the upcoming national test, mobile phones connected to 4G and 5G networks will vibrate and emit a loud siren-like sound for up to ten seconds. A test message will appear on screens, making it clear the alert is a drill and that no action is required.
Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray, said: “It is absolutely vital that people get prompt and accurate information in any emergency. Earlier this year, millions of Scots received a UK Government emergency alert that provided a clear warning about the threat from Storm Éowyn.
"To ensure this critical system continues to work effectively, we will run a UK-wide test on Sunday 7 September at around 3pm. This will be one of the biggest public safety exercises in our nation’s history, and testing it now is about making sure it works for everyone, right across Scotland and the whole of the UK."
Ahead of the test, the UK Government is running a public information campaign to notify people it is taking place, including communications targeted at vulnerable groups such as victims of domestic abuse. The campaign has also featured the first national information video in British Sign Language.
The full text of the test message was revealed last week: “This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a UK Government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby. You do not need to take any action. In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe. Find simple and effective advice on how to prepare for emergencies at gov.uk/prepare. Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information or to view this message in Welsh. Ewch i gov.uk/alerts am ragor o wybodaeth neu i weld y neges hon yn y Gymraeg.”
The test follows a UK Government commitment to regularly check the system to ensure it works optimally and to familiarise the public with the alerts. This approach is in line with standard practice in countries with established alert systems, such as Japan and the USA.
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