Emergency warning text and siren to be sent to every phone in Australia
When a test alert is sent out by the Commonwealth’s AusAlert emergency alert system in July, a loud siren will sound on every mobile phone within mobile range across the country.
The federal government will test the new national alert system at 2pm AEST on 27 July. The system is designed to replace current situation-based emergency alerts.
From nationwide to street-by-street messages, AusAlert can be triggered on all phones in a designated area and will be used to warn of impending natural disasters such as fires, floods and hurricanes. It will also be used in relevant areas to alert the public to threats to public safety, such as shooting incidents, as well as biosecurity threats, such as disease outbreaks.
There are two alert levels, with a “critical” level of emergency sound appearing on the home screen and regardless of the phone’s settings. Phones can be set to disable lower level “priority” alerts.
It cost the government $132 million to develop and study AusAlert’s cell technology; This means it is not tied to telecommunications providers’ networks and will work regardless of the volume of traffic on any given network.
“This is an important project that will help us and emergency services organizations deliver a key finding from the Royal Commission into the National Natural Disaster Regulations that will help them alert people when they are in danger, save lives and protect property during a disaster,” said Emergency Services Minister Kristy McBain.
Ahead of the national event, an alert will be sent to nine locations in June, including Majura in the ACT, Launceston in Tasmania, Port Douglas in Queensland, Liverpool in NSW, Tennant Creek in the NT, Geelong in Victoria, Goomalling in WA, Port Lincoln in SA and Queanbeyan in NSW.
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Mike Foley is the climate and energy correspondent for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.
