Government Set To Test Civilian Disaster Response Communication
This week the Spanish government is set to test its disaster alert system by sending messages to mobile phones over the next three weeks.
The Civil Protection service said today, Saturday, October 22 that it would start the ES-Alert System Test from Monday 24th October with tests undertaken in the different autonomous communities on separate days.
The tests come amind heightened tension with Russia over the invasion of Ukraine as well as possible natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, wildfires and pandemic responses.
They have assured residents they should not be alarmed by the test nor should they think that it is a scam, but they should take note of how the test will work.
Phones that receive the alert will hear their device whistle and vibrate until the user confirms receipt of the message. The alert will contain a written message which once acknowledged, the alarm and vibration will stop.
Test Date October 24: Cantabria, Andalusia and Asturias.
Test Date October 27: Extremadura, Valencia and Galicia.
Test Date 2 November : Murcia, the Balearic islands, Madrid, Aragon, Navarre and Catalonia.
Test Date: November 10: Basque Country, Castile and León, the Canary Islands and Ceuta
Test Date: November 16: Castilla-La Mancha, La Rioja and Melilla.
According to SIA, the Spanish cybersecurity overseeing the test company,“the antennas broadcast to any phone that is connected to the system.
“Among the advantages of the system are its immediacy, the fact that it takes up very little bandwidth, and works automatically for all the devices in the coverage of an antenna.”
