Starting Monday, October 24, a pilot rollout will begin for certain mobile devices owned by citizens in selected autonomous communities. The phones will emit a series of beeps, and a prominent warning message will appear on the screen while the device vibrates. This audible and visual alert is the method Civil Protection will use to notify people about floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, severe pollution events, or any other type of emergency or incident.
The new security framework is integrated into Spain’s emergency protocols. It will initially run as a test or drill that involves hundreds of mobile devices. The system is known as Es-Alert, the latest instantaneous channel for emergency notifications to the public. The Interior Ministry plans to validate the system before it is incorporated into the National Warning Network.
The so called reversal of 112, a new emergency alert approach, has been under testing for several days. Phones equipped to beep and display warning messages will follow a scheduled sequence that keeps the public informed about potential hazards as they arise. The calendar for the initial tests unfolds as follows:
- Monday, October 24, tests will run on selected phones in Cantabria, Andalusia and Asturias.
- Thursday, October 27, the same testing will occur in Galicia, the Valencian Community and Extremadura.
- Wednesday, November 2, testing expands to Catalonia, Navarra, Madrid, the Balearic Islands, Murcia and Aragon.
- Thursday, November 10, the Canary Islands, Ceuta, Castilla y Leon and the Basque Country will participate.
- Wednesday, November 16, testing reaches Castilla-La Mancha, Melilla and La Rioja.
When citizens in these regions receive the beeps, the accompanying text will indicate that the event is a test and that no action is required. There is no need to evacuate or change plans during the drill.
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Nevertheless, even with a scheduled timetable for the emergency alert tests that will cause phones to beep, the precise timing of the warning itself remains uncertain. Existing mobile devices are preconfigured to receive true wireless emergency alerts, yet some users may not have activated the test warnings. If that is the case, the alert will not reach them, even if their device is technically capable of receiving it.
Emergency beeps on all mobile phones
The National Civil Protection System, which is undergoing improvements, already operates additional public warning systems for disaster scenarios. Some of these have been demonstrated at very local levels during events such as the La Palma volcano crisis. The Es-Alert approach promises to be one of the fastest and most effective options yet, due to its real time capability and broad reach.
The system relies on mobile signal repeaters that can reach all numbers within a given area and immediately communicate with compatible terminals when activated by a public emergency center, which does not have to be government owned. Es-Alert technology has been funded through recovery and resilience resources, as explained by the Interior Ministry. Distribution began on June 21 following a cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation. This initiative illustrates how rapid contact with the public can be achieved in crisis moments and aligns with similar alert frameworks in North America that prioritize speed and clarity in life threatening situations.]