FOOTIE fans will be told to turn off phones moments before today’s 3pm emergency alert system test — to avoid putting off players.
The siren is timed around the second-half kick-offs at Newcastle v Spurs and Bournemouth v West Ham.
ReutersToday’s national emergency alarm is set for 3pm, mid-way through two Premier League weekend fixtures[/caption]
Three Women’s Super League games will be in progress and the World Snooker Championship will stop temporarily.
And with the alert going out to more than 85million phones on 4G or 5G networks, the Society of London Theatre is advising audiences to turn off handsets to minimise disruption to Sunday matinees.
Ministers want to remind people that the alert is just a test and to ignore the sound.
It will not sound if emergency alerts are turned off or on phones in flight mode.
Deputy PM Oliver Dowden, said: “Keep calm and carry on, that is the British way and it is exactly what the country will do when they receive this test at 3pm today.
“The Government’s No1 job is to keep people safe. This is another tool in the toolkit for emergencies such as flooding or wildfires, and where there is a genuine risk.
“So it really is the sound that could save your life.”
The message will say: “This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby.
“In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe. This is a test. You do not need to take any action.”