Australia is set to introduce AusAlert, a cutting-edge national emergency warning system aimed at providing quicker and more dependable alerts during critical events such as bushfires, floods, and cyclones.
The public will get a firsthand experience of this system during a countrywide test scheduled for Monday afternoon.
Monday’s trial will serve to highlight any potential issues, allowing authorities to address them before AusAlert is deployed in genuine emergency scenarios.
What will happen on Monday?
During the test, compatible devices will emit a 10-second siren, vibrate, and display a full-screen alert.
The message displayed on the screen will clearly indicate that it is only a test and no action is needed from recipients.
In the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria, the test will happen at 2pm AEST.
In South Australia, the Northern Territory and Broken Hill, the test will happen at 1.30pm ACST.
In Western Australia, the test will happen at 12pm AWST.
Do I need to do anything?
It’s just a test, so you don’t need to prepare besides informing yourself of what’s going to happen in those ten seconds.
The alert is designed to ensure warnings are not missed, but authorities have advised people who rely on concealed mobile phones for their safety to switch those devices off or place them in airplane mode before the test.
Drivers are also reminded not to handle their phones if an alert is received while on the road.
“You’ll get a notification on your home screen that is much larger than you would normally see,” Emergency Management Minister Kirsty McBain said.
“It will say: ‘This is a test. We are testing AusAlert. You do not need to take any further action. You can get more information from the AusAlert website.'”
How does it work?
The AusAlert system, developed following recommendations from the Black Summer royal commission, uses cell broadcast technology to send location-based alerts directly to compatible mobile phones.
Unlike the current SMS-based system, it does not rely on a single mobile tower, making it more resilient if parts of the network are damaged or congested.
McBain explained the technology, saying it uses triangulation, or a modular square of towers.
“As long as it pings off any of those towers, you still receive your AusAlert notification.”
Advice for concealed phones
The alert is designed to override silent mode and Do Not Disturb on compatible devices.
While that’s intended to make sure warnings aren’t missed, it also raises important safety considerations for some.
Karen Bentley, Chief Executive of WESNET, the national peak body for specialist women’s domestic and family violence services, said there are steps people with concealed phones for safety can take.
“If you have a concealed or hidden phone to support your safety, you should consider turning that device off or switching it into airplane mode one hour before the national test, and keeping it off or in airplane mode for 24 hours,” she said.
“A phone on silent or Do Not Disturb will still receive the alert. A phone that is switched off or in airplane mode will not.”
What about state-based warnings?
From October, several emergency agencies will begin rolling out AusAlert as a new way of warning people about life-threatening emergencies.
State and territory emergency services will decide when and where AusAlert is used past this date.
The system is intended to complement, not replace, existing emergency warnings and information from broadcasters and emergency services.