A loud emergency warning will be sent to every mobile phone in Australia on Monday, July 27, at 2pm AEST to test the government’s new national alert messaging system, AusAlert.
It will allow emergency services and some government agencies to send targeted warning messages, replacing the older more cumbersome state-based technology.
According to AusAlert, the message will tell you:
- What the emergency is
- Where it is happening
- How serious it is
- What you should do
- Who the message is from
- Where to find more information
It may be used for a range of situations, including:
- Natural hazards, such as bushfires, floods, cyclones and tsunamis
- Public safety and security threats, such as serious public safety incidents or terrorism
- Biosecurity incidents, such as animal or plant disease and biohazard outbreaks
- Health emergencies, such as pandemics or other national public health events.
There are two levels of alert. “Critical” will sound and vibrate even if your phone is on silent or “do not disturb.” Or “priority” which you can opt out of on your phone settings.
Alerts can be targeted to areas within 160 metres, such as a single building to allow for precise evacuation messages. If you are not in the affected disaster area, you will not receive the alert.
The alerts can reach millions of mobile devices almost instantly and use cell-broadcast technology which means they don’t rely on provider networks and can be sent regardless of traffic volumes.
The technology is considered international best practice and is used by more than 30 countries for emergency warning communication.
Prior to the national event, an alert will be sent to 10 locations in June at Majura and Queanbeyan in the ACT, Launceston in TAS, Port Douglas QLD, Liverpool and Queanbeyan NSW, Tenant Creek NT, Geelong VIC, Goomalling WA, Port Lincoln SA.
