UK citizens reassured they can dismiss emergency alert test with a swipe

The populace of the United Kingdom has been given an assurance that they can effortlessly dismiss a trial of a novel public notification mechanism, which will sound a jarring siren on myriad mobile devices on the upcoming Sunday.

According to Oliver Dowden, the recently appointed vice-premier, no immediate intervention is necessary. However, in the times to come, this “sound that could save your life” might prove to be critical.

The trial of the system that has been engineered to notify the general populace if any life-threatening circumstance exists in proximity is expected to endure for nearly ten seconds, commencing from 3 pm.

The alert shall be disseminated to all the 4G and 5G enabled devices situated across the United Kingdom. Once it becomes operational, the system will be utilized during potentially fatal situations such as raging wildfires and deluging floods.

Dowden has voiced that the British way is to “stay composed and carry on,” and that’s precisely what the nation will do when the test alert is issued at 3 pm today. The government‘s prime responsibility is to safeguard people’s lives, and this is yet another mechanism in their arsenal to deal with emergency situations, such as wildfires or flooding, that pose an actual threat to life.

Hence, this sound could very well be the means that saves your life. Dowden has urged individuals to keep in mind that it’s merely a test today, and there is no urgency to undertake any action, as one can simply discard it as they would any other message.

Individuals who don’t desire to receive these alerts can choose to opt-out in their device settings. Nonetheless, authorities are hopeful that the potential of these life-saving messages will convince users to retain them. Phones that are switched off or in airplane mode will not receive any alert.

The Cabinet Office has likened this trial to a one-time fire drill, and the siren volume will be no greater than that of a standard mobile ringtone. Phone users will be requested to acknowledge the alert by either swiping or clicking the message before being allowed to proceed.