[JayG]

A reminder for those with a mobile phone or other device (not all are compatible - none are if they happen to be switched off at 1500 today!):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65177316

https://www.gov.uk/alerts/how-alerts-work#compatible-devices

[Lardman]

Data about you, your device or location will not be collected or shared

Not a lot of point in testing something if you're not recording the results. It's still a mystery to me what immediate risk to life the government might wish to warn me about.

[Aunt Sally]

I hate to think what emergencies it could be needed for.  I could write quite a long list. 

[Lardman]

I hate to think what emergencies it could be needed for.  I could write quite a long list. 

How many of those require a proactive alert which you could then take action based on to reduce that risk to your life.

[New shoot]

I might be wrong here but I thought they were testing it nationwide today, but it could be used to alert on phones within a certain area if needed e.g. in the event a river is just about to flood or a bad storm is about to hit.  Worse case scenario, it could warn you not to venture out or get out of the area fast if there was a major incident nearby.  I can see that being useful in cities.

You can opt out of alerts if you want, using the settings in your own phone.  I have an iPhone and there are buttons to toggle on and off for extreme or severe alerts at the very bottom of the page of the notifications bit.  I guess they are not too bothered recording exactly who gets them, but it is just a method of getting information out there fast to a large number of people 

It is modelled on an American system that they use mainly for storm and tornado warnings over there (according to the blurb I have read).

[Lardman]

I've seen lots of the discussion about why they want to introduce the system but none on why they actually need to. We don't get the extreme weather events other counties do and there's plenty of warning when we do get something of note. In the case of other incidents you'd hope the relevant response force would be dealing with it long before an alert could be broadcast.

Don't get me wrong - I have no problem with them doing it, I just haven't seen any real justification as to why they need.

[Aunt Sally]

I hate to think what emergencies it could be needed for.  I could write quite a long list. 

How many of those require a proactive alert which you could then take action based on to reduce that risk to your life.

Probably close to zero    depending on how geographically tightly the warning could be targeted.

[wighty]

We didn't get one, alert that is, but the Island is notorious for areas where certain providers signals don't work.   I too don't understand why we need it.

[snowdrops]

No, I’ve no particular issues of it happening but I have plenty of questions as to why.
I.E, who got the contract for devising it & which MP or civil servant’s relative/friend owns the company and how much has it cost?
How long before it’s realised it’s not working or a waste of money & needs further consultations & exorbitant costs? Or scraping?
Is it fit for purpose?
To what ends is it for?
As Lardman says if it’s in case of a terror attack, one would hope the agencies who are employed to deal with such things would be better aware now and able to stop anything before it gets to needing to alert anyone in the immediate vicinity.
Answers on a postage stamp please
If it’s for tornadoes or terror attacks, how would one know which way to run or get out of the way?
Is it just a case of ticking the box again?

[Growster...]

Didn't hear a thing anyway! Having a post-prandial snooze after a fabulous morning 'making things'!

They can send a car round or something, but I may not be bothered to answer the door...

[Aunt Sally]

I found it a little odd that the message played with it was in a very broad American accent. Nothing wrong with that in essence as it’s American software but would it have been difficult to change it to a UK accent to make it feel more focused on the UK ?

[coldandwindy]

I can see the point for smaller things because there would be a useful response-
"The dam burst. Get to high ground"
"Toxic smoke coming your way from a chemical fire - close the windows & stay inside"

Big things, I think I'd rather not know.
" 4 minutes to nuclear armageddon so you should...er....that is why don't you.... ok look, you know that very expensive whiskey you were saving...might as well" 

[Goosegirl]

Can't say I understand the point either. I used to get coastal flood alerts via email but not now we've moved.

[Hampshire Hog]

One odd result I had to enter my broadband password on my main computer yesterday evening not needed to do that before. I wonder if that was an unintended side effect of this odd alarm

[Yorkie]

As someone who remembers unexpected evacuations of York owing to flooding twice in the last 20-odd years, I can definitely see the point.

It would be sent to everyone with a 4G or 5G phone from specific cell site (mobile phone) masts, so will inform those who are not necessarily local and/or signed up to flood alerts. So they don't need to know your details - they just push the notification to those geographically relevant.