Emergency Alerts: The Government of India has launched the Wireless Emergency System to alert citizens during disasters and emergency situations. This system sends alerts i.e. messages using cell broadcast technology through mobile towers. This alert is received on your phone in the form of SMS, pop-up or sound notification. Even if your phone does not have a SIM or data is not turned on, you will still get an emergency alert in any disaster or emergency situation.
Emergency mobile alert is a way to get information about emergencies in your area. Emergency mobile alerts are sent to your mobile in case of earthquake, flood, landslide etc. There is no need to download any separate app for this. This feature is already present in Android phones. You just have to turn it on.
What is Wireless Emergency Alert?
- The Government of India, in collaboration with the Department of Telecom, has launched a new initiative called Wireless Emergency Alert System.
- This system is designed to alert citizens about natural disasters and emergency situations.
- This is a part of the emergency notification system, under which the government already warns people using SMS and public address system.
- The Wireless Emergency Alert System operates using cell broadcast technology.
- Through this technology, the government can send alert notifications directly to people’s mobile phones through mobile towers.
Some special advantages of this system
- This system helps to alert people about natural disaster or emergency situation as soon as possible.
- Message to many people at once: This system can reach even those who do not have a smartphone or internet connection. This means that emergency alerts can be received even through a simple feature phone.
- There is no need to have a SIM in the phone for emergency alert.
- Wireless emergency alerts can play a vital role in protecting citizens from natural disasters and emergency situations.
How to enable emergency alert on phone
step 1: In Android phones, you will find the option of wireless emergency alert in ‘Safety and Emergency’ under Settings. To check whether this feature is enabled in the phone or not, you will have to go to the phone settings.
Step 2: Open the Settings of your Android smartphone.
Step 3: Then scroll down and tap on the Safety and emergency option.
Step 4: Now you will see the option of wireless emergency alert here.
Step 5: Here, check if the toggle for Emergency Alert is on or not. If it is off, then turn the toggle on.
Step 6: If it is on, then check whether all types of alerts are enabled or not? This includes Extreme Danger, Critical Danger (the government is currently testing it), AMBER Alert, Test Alert and Area Update Broadcast. If all these alerts are not on, then you can enable all of them to get emergency alerts.