Visitors to Northern Ireland warned of UK Emergency Alert Test this Sunday

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is advising all road users who may be travelling in border counties to be aware of a testing of the UK Emergency Alert system.

The system will send a test ‘alert’ message to all mobile phones and devices across Britain and Northern Ireland on the afternoon of Sunday, September 7.

Customers on mobile phone networks based in Ireland will not receive the message. However, customers near border areas in Ireland who roam onto a UK mobile phone network during this time will receive the alert/message.

As part of the test messaging alert, recipients will hear a loud, siren-like sound and the phone will use a distinct vibration. A message will appear on the home screen of the phone until it is acknowledged.

The UK Emergency Alerts System, which is operational across Britain and Northern Ireland, was launched in March 2023 and was tested in April 2023.

The system enables the UK Government to send an 'alert' message to all mobile phones and devices (such as certain tablets) if there is an emergency (for example, an extreme weather event) where lives are endangered.

Members of the public do not need to take any action.

Road users are advised of the following advice if they get the alert while travelling this coming Sunday:

Do not be alarmed or startled if your phone makes a loud alarm sound, vibrates and flashes to flag the incoming test message.

Do not read or otherwise respond to an emergency alert while driving or riding a motorcycle.

If driving, continue to drive and do not respond to the noise or attempt to pick up the mobile phone and deal with the message.

Drivers are reminded never to use their mobile phones while driving. You either turn it off, switch it to airplane mode, put it on silent or simply put it out of sight.