What are Emergency Alerts?

Emergency Alerts are a public information service that have been developed by the Government to alert citizens to emergencies, both nation-wide and in their local area, that represent a severe threat to life and/or property.

The technology used allows a message to be broadcasted to a defined area, meaning any device in, or entering that area immediately receives the message, detailing the emergency and actions people need to take to ensure their safety.

Their purpose is to help save lives in emergency situations by issuing a warning and clear instructions about how best to respond. While the alert service will initially be used as part of the Government coronavirus response capability, it could also serve a wider purpose and be used as an emergency response for other scenarios, such as severe flooding or terror attacks. Emergency Alerts is the Government’s way of warning people when lives are in danger.