National Alerting Test - 24 Nov 19

The national alerting test will take place on the evening of Sun 24 Nov 19. The national alerting tool, the Emergency Mobile Alert, will be tested in conjunction with the regional alerting tools, the Red Cross Hazard App and Text Alerting. The sirens in the eastern Bay of Plenty (Whakatāne and Ōpōtiki) will be tested for 30 seconds. The platforms used to keep the public informed (TV, digital content, social media, radio and newspapers) will be used to promote the test.

Emergency Mobile Alerts are messages about emergencies sent by authorised emergency agencies to capable mobile phones. The alerts are designed to keep people safe and are broadcast to all capable phones from targeted cell towers. The alerts can be targeted to areas affected by serious hazards and will only be sent when there is a serious threat to life, health or property, and, in some cases, for test purposes. These are not text messages but messages broadcast via cellular data. More information can be found here.

Red Cross Hazard App is a free comprehensive and convenient way for you to be ready for emergencies. The app is designed to help you identify hazards, reduce risks and stay informed. You can customise which hazard alerts you receive for anywhere in New Zealand. More information can be found here.

Text Alerting is suitable for people who have a phone which is not capable of receiving the Emergency Mobile Alert. A text message can be sent to those who subscribe to warn them of hazards in their area. For information go to bopcivildefence.govt.nz/be-warned/ and click on text alerting.