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Millions of people across Australia are expected to have a mass alert sent to most smartphones on Monday (July 27).
This is part of a new warning system, known as the AusAlert system, that the country is preparing to test out for the first time.
Australians can expect the alert to pop up on their devices at 2pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST).
The alert is expected to appear on most smartphones, as well as some smartwatches and Android tablets, and will let out a loud siren designed to grab the attention of users.
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The sound will also still play even if the device has been switched to silent mode or ‘Do Not Disturb’.
The nationwide trial comes ahead of AusAlert’s official launch later this year in October and marks the first time that the emergency warning system will be tested across the entire country.
Unlike the usual SMS alerts that are currently used during emergencies, AusAlert will deliver notifications directly through mobile phone towers using cell broadcast technology, which will allow authorities to send messages to compatible devices in a specific area without relying on text messaging.
According to the Australian National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the test alert will clearly state that it is only a trial and that no action is required.
Pat Hetherington, who is the interim coordinator general at NEMA, explained: “What people should expect to hear is a siren that will last for about 10 seconds.”
He added: “It will be noticeable, but it won’t be too over the top.”
Hetherington described the alert as being ‘loud enough to get people’s attention’ but is expected to be quieter than a fire alarm.
This new warning system comes after the nation’s devastating bushfires in 2019 to 2020, with an inquiry concluding that Australia requires a more consistent and reliable national emergency alert system.
According to NEMA, the AusAlert system 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’.
An AusAlert message will provide the following information:
