The population of the Port d’Alcúdia area will receive a simulated message on their mobile phones this Wednesday at 12:00 noon. In this way, the Balearic Islands will test the new system of alerts to the population, known as ES-Alert or reverse 112, which allows the generalised and immediate sending of emergency notifications in the event of an extraordinary emergency or catastrophe to mobile phones that are connected to the telephone networks within a given area.

Smartphone users connected to the mobile phone antennas located in the Port d’Alcúdia area will receive an alert notification on their devices that will be displayed in a similar way to a text message. The notification will announce that it is a test, will occupy the entire screen and will be accompanied by a beep and a vibration. Depending on the characteristics of the emergencies for which the alerts will be issued, the beep and vibration will occur even when the phone is muted, locked or in “Do Not Disturb” status.

The specific text of the alert will be: “TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST. This is a message from the new emergency alert system of the Directorate-General for Emergencies and the Interior via mobile phone networks. Once you have read the message, press “Accept” to remove it from the screen. No action is required. Do not call 112. TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST”.

This project, promoted by the Directorate General for Civil Protection and Emergencies of the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, aims to be a reality by the summer of 2023. Future alerts will clearly identify the type of emergency, the specific area and recommendations to the population, as well as the body issuing the alert. The system will help to gain reaction time in the event of floods, fires, explosions, gas leaks, etc., although there are phenomena that will continue to be unpredictable, such as a cap de fibló or an earthquake.