RESIDENTS living in border counties across Ireland have been told not to be concerned if they receive an emergency alert warning on their mobile phone this weekend.
The UK Government is testing its emergency alerts service across the UK on Sunday, September 7, including in Northern Ireland.
First launched in Britain and Northern Ireland in March 2023, when the alerts service was tested in April of that year some residents in the Republic of Ireland’s counties which lie on the border with the North also received the test alert.
In a public notice issued by the Irish Government this week, residents were told not to be concerned if they receive the alert again this weekend.
“On Sunday, 7 September, at 3pm, the UK Government will test its emergency alerts service across the UK, including Northern Ireland,” the Irish Government said in a statement.
“As happened during the April 2023 test of the system, people living in, or visiting, the border counties may receive a message on their phone or mobile device, followed by an audio alert and a vibration of up to ten seconds,” they added.
“This emergency alert will look and sound different to other types of messages such as SMS text messages,” they explained.
“There is no cause for concern, and no action is needed.”
Mobile phone users will receive the alert even if their device is set to ‘silent’ or ‘do not disturb’ and they do not need to be connected to WiFi or mobile data to get the alert.
As such anyone who carries a hidden phone for safety reasons has been advised to turn their phone off to avoid the phone potentially being discovered.
“Vulnerable people, including victims of human trafficking and domestic abuse, may carry hidden phones for personal safety reasons,” the Irish Government spokesperson said.
“Anybody in this position who would prefer if their phone did not sound, should turn their phone off or switch it to airplane mode.”
First launched on Sunday, March 19, 2023, the UK’s alert service allows the Government to send a message to all mobile devices to warn of a life-threatening emergency nearby, such as extreme weather, severe flooding or a fire.
See More: Border Counties, Emergency Alert, Ireland, UK
