Armageddon alert date: When mobiles in Birmingham will receive siren-like public warning alarm test

In just a couple of weeks, millions of phones in Birmingham and the West Midlands will take part in testing the government’s new ‘armageddon alert’, a new alarm system intended to be used to warn the population of life-threatening emergencies such as floods, storms and wildfires. The alert will send a siren-like signal to your mobile phone, along with a message.

The new alert is modelled after existing systems in countries like the US and Canada, and will initially be used to warn of serious weather-related events, but could be used for any sort of emergency in the future. According to the government, the system will be able to reach around 85% of mobile phone users in an affected area.

The new system was summarised in the December document UK Government Resilience Framework, and will “allow government organisations and emergency responders to send alerts, with a distinctive message appearance and tone, to every compatible mobile device within a chosen geographical area at very short notice.”

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden MP, said: “We are strengthening our national resilience with a new emergency alerts system, to deal with a wide range of threats - from flooding to wildfires.

“It will revolutionise our ability to warn and inform people who are in immediate danger, and help us keep people safe. As we’ve seen in the U.S. and elsewhere, the buzz of a phone can save a life.”

Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, Mark Hardingham, said: “Together with every fire and rescue service in the country, I’m looking forward to having Emergency Alerts available to help us to do our jobs and to help communities in the event of emergencies.

“We’ve seen this type of system in action elsewhere across the world and we look forward to having the facility here in the UK - by working together with fire services and partners we want this system to help us to help you be as safe as you can if a crisis does hit.”

Phones in Birmingham will take part in the national emergency test on Sunday April 23, 2023. Those who wish to not take part in the test can opt out in their mobile phone’s device settings.