What did the Pandemic do for you ?

[HorseGuy]

The Covid app? I've not had it pre-downloaded on any of mine in the last few years, and the app itself closed down in 2023 and is no longer in use.

I think it is a general emergency alert app which is being tested next month. In America they are already used for many things other than just pandemics. Everything from local forest fires and flooding to warning about dangerous chemicals in the air. They can even be used for more local things like if a child or other vulnerable person has gone missing in your neighborhood.

Not only does it warn you about an emergency it also tells you what to do. For example it could tell people to go inside and close the doors and windows if there a toxic chemical leak nearby. It seems like a good idea to me.

Emergency alert drill will be ‘biggest public safety exercise in UK history’

Mobile phones will emit siren sound for up to 10 seconds during test on 85th anniversary of start of Blitz

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[HorseGuy]

Judging how shaky the peace talks between Russia and America are going at the moment it could even be used to warn people if there is cloud of radioactive fallout headed towards your area.

 

[Chris]

I think it is a general emergency alert app which is being tested next month. In America they are already used for many things other than just pandemics. Everything from local forest fires and flooding to warning about dangerous chemicals in the air. They can even be used for more local things like if a child or other vulnerable person has gone missing in your neighborhood.

Not only does it warn you about an emergency it also tells you what to do. For example it could tell people to go inside and close the doors and windows if there a toxic chemical leak nearby. It seems like a good idea to me.

Emergency alert drill will be ‘biggest public safety exercise in UK history’

Mobile phones will emit siren sound for up to 10 seconds during test on 85th anniversary of start of Blitz

www.telegraph.co.uk

Ah. Yes, the emergency alert system has been in place for a fair few years now. It’s used more regularly in the US to alert people about natural disasters and the like, though the most famous usage might be when in 2018 the residents of Hawaii were warned of an imminent nuclear strike due to a system test being accidentally sent out to the public.

It’s built into phone operating systems rather than an app, though, and is a different thing from the Covid app that Dan was talking about being pressured to download.

 

[GreyCat]

Be interesting so see if it works when phone is used over wi-fi.....

I disabled it on my old phone, but i may leave it on just to see whether it works over wi-fi via Starlink.

Not holding my breath, quite a bit of the 2-factor authentication systems don't work over wi-fi calling so.....

There's always a lot of emergency exercises go on, if you're in a relevant industry then you might hear about them and even take part. Although few Local Authorities these days have much in the way of Emergency Planning capability, there's a whole bunch of other "responders" as per the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.

GC