Norway launches ‘Emergency Alert’ service

Norway has launched its new Emergency Alert service, designed to notify the public about serious or emergency incidents that can be a threat to life and health.

As well as hearing traditional sirens, members of the public will also receive an emergency alert on their mobile phones alerting them to what is happening and giving instructions on what to do.

The service is free, works independently of phone subscriptions and personal information and works on mobile phones with the latest software updates.

In its first phase, Emergency Alert will be used for national warnings when large areas of Norway’s population need to be warned quickly about emergencies like extreme weather, radioactive emissions, or major terrorist attacks.