UK Government - Emergency Alerts
Some of you will be aware of the launch of the UK Government Emergency Alerts scheme this week. Vicky and I have received a few questions about the scheme, how it operates and how Aberdeenshire Council and other local responders might utilise it. This update is designed to share what we know about the Emergency Alerts scheme and in some respects what we don't know.
The scheme is owned and run by the UK Government who are responsible for issuing alerts. The link below provides a little more detail that the UK Government have issued.
About Emergency Alerts - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
There is also a little more detail on this BBC news article
Public emergency alerts to be sent to all UK smartphones - BBC News
The alert system had a limited geographical trial in East Anglia in 2022 and now there is to be a nationwide three month trial with a national test of the alert on 23 April 2023. Announcements - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The alerts works be sending a message to a smart phone. You don't need to do anything to receive one, but if you wish to opt out of the alerts you can. There is some detail on how to do that here.
How emergency alerts work - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Scottish and Welsh Governments will also have the ability to issue alerts in certain circumstances and some information has been released by the Scottish Government Emergency Mobile Phone Alerts - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).
At this stage we are not clear how Aberdeenshire Council might use the system to warn and inform of any issue in the North East and together with our colleagues locally from Aberdeen City Council, Moray Council, NHS Grampian and Police, Fire and Ambulance will hear from the Scottish Government at our next Resilience Partnership meeting on how we might access it and what the triggers for doing so could be.
In the meantime Community Councils and Community Resilience Groups should be aware of the trial and you might want to mention it in any newsletters etc. you send out.
We will of course share more information on the alert programme when we have it.
