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Topics: UK News
Jess Hardiman
A time has been set for the UK’s emergency 'armageddon alert' due to be tested on iPhones and Android across the nation later this month.
The new public alert system is designed to warn Brits about impending disasters if they pose a ‘danger to life’, and is modelled after similar examples used in the US, Canada, Japan and the Netherlands - which let people know about disasters like flooding or wildfires in their area.
Mobile phone users across the UK will be sent a siren-like emergency warning which will leave people unable to do anything else with them until they acknowledge that they've seen the alert.
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A test is due to take place on Sunday, 23 April, when a 10-second sound blast will be sent to phones.
The government said it selected a specific time that minimises disruption while being ‘quiet’ enough that people won’t miss it.
It had originally been planned for the early evening, but this was moved to avoid a clash with the FA Cup semi-final, with kickoff at 4.30pm.
The government also wanted to avoid conflict with the London Marathon, which starts at 9.30am that day.
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The new time for the alert is 3.30pm, so if you suddenly hear a loud alarm noise, don’t start scrambling down to your underground bunker: it’s just a test.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Oliver Dowden, the minister in charge of the system, told the BBC News, that a national test for the system was necessary, but that the time had been specially chosen to avoid disrupting people’s lives.
"We chose the afternoon for it because that is quieter than the morning when people are more likely to be shopping or attending church services," he said.
Dowden added that the alarm would only be used in situations where there was an immediate risk to life - and, in most cases, would be targeted to specific areas rather than the whole country.
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"You are not going to be spammed by the government with constant incoming messages,” he added.
“The bar for this is exceptionally high.”
Officials have also said the system may not be used for months or even years.
In a statement, National Fire Chiefs Council chairman Mark Hardingham said: “For 10 seconds the national test may be inconvenient for some, but please forgive us for the intrusion because, the next time you hear, it your life, and the life-saving actions of our emergency services, could depend on it.”
Dowden also said getting the system operational with a national test means the nation has 'another tool in our toolkit' to be kept safe during life-threatening emergencies.
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He added: “It could be the sound that saves your life."