Public to be assured in emergency alert drill in September
It will assure the public that they 'do not need to take any action' and include a message in both English and Welsh.
The Government has been carrying out a public awareness campaign to ensure people know when the test is taking place, including those facing domestic abuse who may have hidden phones.
On Monday, the Cabinet Office said the text message will include both English and Welsh and be sent to mobile phones on 4G and 5G networks in the UK.
It will read: 'This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a UK government service that will warn you if there's a life-threatening emergency nearby.
'You do not need to take any action. In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe.
'Find simple and effective advice on how to prepare for emergencies at gov.uk/prepare.
'Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information or to view this message in Welsh. Ewch i gov.uk/alerts am ragor o wybodaeth neu i weld y neges hon yn y Gymraeg.'
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said: 'Just like the fire alarm in your house, it's important we test this system so that we know it will work if we need it.
'The alerts have the potential to save lives.'
Since the first national test of the system in April 2023, five alerts have been sent, including during major storms such as Storm Eowyn in January when lives were at risk.
Other activations took place when an unexploded Second World War bomb was discovered in Plymouth, as well as during flash floods in Cumbria and Leicestershire.
Some MPs have called on ministers to use different modes of communication for the alert in order to ensure it reaches people who do not have access to a phone.
Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokeswoman Sarah Olney has suggested the Government follows Scandinavian examples where the public have been handed pamphlets about preparing for emergencies.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Willie Jones obituary
My former English teacher Willie Jones, who has died aged 94, was an inspirational guide to thousands of students in the UK and, later, Japan. He combined a passion for texts with a warmth and patience that made the analysis of writing an adventure. He could have become a students' guru but shrank from leadership; his talent was a gentle helping hand. He wrote voluminously but suffered agonies over clarity and precision. His eyes welled when reciting Shakespeare. Born in Hereford, Willie was the eldest of the three children of Alice (nee Morris), who dreamed of teaching but was apprenticed to a dressmaker at 14, and Bill Jones, a butcher. Bill had left school at 11; Willie's parents and some perceptive teachers at Hereford high school for boys helped him to gain a place to study English at St Catharine's College, Cambridge. Before university, two years' national service, including a commission as a second lieutenant, widened his world. He corresponded with army friends and pupils for the rest of his life. In 1956 he taught on placement at Shrewsbury school in Shropshire, returning in 1959 after a spell at St Bees school in Cumbria and becoming head of English before setting off across the world to teach at Hokkaido University in Sapporo in 1979. Willie was loved at Shrewsbury, where he galvanised drama classes, was an outstanding pastoral teacher and a long-distance runner, but Japanese culture brought out his best. It led to the flowering of a fascination with craftsmanship, dating back to his father's skill, which was the opposite of 'butchery' in the pejorative sense. Writing was his craft, and he applied it to studies of the relationship between English and Japanese, and essays on the craftsmen and craftswomen of Hokkaido. These became a book, while he continued to teach as an emeritus professor, the first foreigner to hold the title, until a few months before his death. Watching a Zoom class last year on As You Like It instantly brought back 1960s Shrewsbury for me. Willie was looked after in his last years by a devoted family in Sapporo after the state system was unwilling to maintain support for a foreign citizen. Masa and Ai Ikeda and their children, Hina and Sora, became his second family as well as carers and took his ashes be scattered on Coles Tump in Herefordshire, where he had played as a boy. He had called the area 'that in-between border-land which is not quite one thing, not quite the other, from which I have always needed to take my own liminal bearings'. He is survived by his brother, Robert, sister, Rosemary, and nieces, Gwen and Emma.
Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
One natural item to use that will see 'gravel weeds and ivy dead in 5 days'
Weeds and ivy can be a nightmare for gardeners, but one natural item that you'll already have in your cupboard can help to kill them in just a few days Gravel weeds and ivy can prove troublesome for even the most experienced and dedicated gardener, prompting many to hunt for a quick and safe method to eliminate them. Because of the permeable and naturally scattered surface of a gravel garden, weeds can sadly push through and ruin your immaculate appearance. Regarding the climbing plant, English ivy, its clinging nature can penetrate gaps and openings, weakening your structures and wrecking your garden. Frustrated with tackling these two problematic plants, a gardener turned to the Gardening Hints and Tips page on Facebook to request guidance on whether they could utilise salt. Sarah Ford posted: "Good morning, has anyone used salt to kill the weeds growing in their gravel drive and ivy in their garden? If so, was it successful and how long did it take the weeds and ivy to die?" Numerous gardeners were astonished that you can employ salt to destroy plants, especially weeds and ivy, whilst others revealed their triumph tales of using it, reports the Express. Steve Hall said: "Yes, ordinary table salt works. Put plenty on but keep well away from anywhere you want to grow." Carol Saith said: "I put salt on my driveway especially, and the weeds were dead in five days, the ivy too." Catherine Ions said: "Salt first, then boiling water. It does kill them, and they stay away for a long time." Kellie Hare said: "I use salt between my gravel paving and in three to five days they're gone." Cheryl Edwards said: "Yes, just salt sprinkled liberally, ensuring it doesn't blow onto any adjoining grass/plants, so on a non-windy day. Used to use weed killer, but we have hedge hogs visit, so decided to try it, and it definitely works." Sandi Briskall added: "Works really well, I had a lot of ivy and weeds growing in my garden. I put salt on the top, and in around seven days, they start to blacken and die." But what makes salt so effective against unwanted plants? Salt operates by extracting moisture and throwing off their natural water equilibrium. When sprinkled on weeds, it dehydrates the plant matter by pulling water out via osmosis, leading to dehydration and ultimately killing the plant. This straightforward method can prove surprisingly successful against numerous typical weeds and even stubborn ivy. The horticultural experts at Buckinghamshire Landscape Gardeners said: "Ivy has a serious dislike of salt, especially when it comes into contact with its inner parts. If you have a stubborn Ivy plant, which has a thick base, salt can help to kill it."
Glasgow Times
12 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow firefighters to cycle 400 miles to honour fallen colleagues
The challenge will see crew commander Gavin Callander and firefighter Grant Baillie pedal from the SFRS national HQ in Cambuslang to Bicester Community Fire Station in Oxfordshire in just two days. Their journey is in honour of firefighters Jennie Logan and Martyn Sadler, who lost their lives in the line of duty in June. Both were based at Bicester Community Fire Station. Read more: Some fire truck response times in North Glasgow could increase - here's why Gavin, 40, from Knightswood Community Fire Station, and Grant, 46, from Polmadie Community Fire Station, will be joined by two additional team members from English fire services, who will be running and cycling from their respective home stations. Gavin said: 'I didn't know Martyn personally, but we were both at Royal Berkshire at the same time. 'Royal Berkshire is a small brigade and everyone knows everyone. 'I have a lot of good friends there and they've been hit really hard by this. 'That is obviously an extra incentive and it's why I'm determined that, even if it takes me all night, this will get done. 'Martyn and Jennie made the ultimate sacrifice while working to protect others, and that's what I'll be telling myself if things get tough while cycling. 'It'll be tough, but in comparison, I'm only cycling for two days. 'I'll suck it up and make sure that it gets done.' Gavin and Grant will leave SFRS HQ on August 5 and intend to meet up with their English counterparts on August 7, in Bicester. There, they plan to present flags from their respective services and messages of support to representatives from Oxford Fire and Rescue Service. A flag signed on behalf of all SFRS staff by chief officer Stuart Stevens will be among those presented. Read more: Glasgow to add 720 new on-street bike storage spaces amid 'strong demand' Stuart said: 'We were all shocked and saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Jennie and Martyn and our thoughts very much remain with their families, friends and colleagues. 'The determination and selflessness shown by Grant, Gavin and their teammates in preparing for and taking on this challenge is inspiring. 'I wish them every success as they get ready to begin their journey. 'We are all right behind them.' All funds raised from this charity challenge will go to the Fire Fighters Charity. More information about the challenge, including how to donate, can be found online here: Lyndsay Campbell, regional fundraiser for the Fire Fighters Charity, said: 'It's so inspiring to see our firefighting family come together to take on this impressive fundraising challenge in memory of Jennie and Martyn. 'The money raised will provide care and support to those in need in our firefighting family.'
