Not only earthquakes, but also tidal waves, the collapse of a large dam, heavy rainfall and radioactive contamination
Today, June 28, the first experimental phase of EN Alertthe new national public warning system that will alert the population in case of emergencies of various kinds, including extreme weather events, nuclear radiological emergencies and other human or environmental disasters. The experimentation will take place in Tuscany and, by the end of 2023, will be extended to all regions and autonomous provinces. For example, Sardinia on June 30th, Sicily on July 5th, Calabria on July 7th And Emilia-Romagna on July 10th.
what is it alert
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IT Alert is a public warning system managed by Civil protection currently in the testing phase which, once operational, will allow for timely dissemination alarm messages on all mobile phones of people potentially affected by serious emergencies or imminent catastrophes.
how it alert works
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The system is based on cell-broadcasta one-way communication technology that allows you to send text messages to all mobile devices located in a given geographical area, regardless of the mobile operator used. The messages are transmitted through the cells of the mobile network and can also reach phones that they are not connected to the internet or who do not have a messaging application installed. In this way, a large number of people can be contacted quickly and effectively. It’s a feature already present natively in the latest generation telephones and successfully used in other countries of the world. IT Alert messages can be sent within a group of cell lines geographically closeable to delimit an area corresponding to that affected by the event.
system limits
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This technology can be instrumental in saving lives, but it is not free from imperfections. For example, a message addressed to a specific area could also be delivered to users located in neighboring areasthus generating a false alarm; or, in the total absence of coverage, the message could not be delivered. Finally, it does not provide specific indications on any individual exposure to the hazard. It is a tool that was created to “foster a personal conduct of risk awareness and the adoption of prevention and safeguard measures”.
I have to download an app
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It is not needed download any app or sign up for any service to receive IT Alert notifications. It is enough to have the phone on, not in airplane mode and connected to the network to receive alarm messages. However, it is important to keep in mind that notifications may not activate the ringtone or brighten the screen if the mobile is in silent mode. Once the IT Alert message has been received, it will appear directly on the device screen, momentarily blocking all other phone features. Simply tap on the notification and acknowledge receipt for restore normal operation. IT Alert notifications will arrive on all devices with operating systems iOS or Androidso also the tablets, but not on laptops. IT Alert does not install any software inside the device, nor track the location of the phone. It is a one-way system: no data is sent outside.
what happens in case of danger?
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Users who are in the area affected by an imminent or ongoing danger, “will receive a text message, accompanied by a well recognizable and different from the classic ringtones, which will indicate who sends it (IT Alert)”. During the test period, the goal is to make IT Alert known, get people used to this type of notification and test the system: but it is important to underline that there is no real emergencyat least at this stage.
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