Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The General Directorate of Civil Defense announced on Friday that it would conduct trials of the national platform for early warning in emergencies by sending warning messages directly to mobile phones with alert tone.

The trial tests for the national platform for early warning in emergencies will be conducted in its first phase, in the city of Al-Baha and the governorates of Huraimla, Al-Ayn, Abqaiq, Al-Shanan, Bahra, Al-Qunfudhah, and Tanuma, starting from next Monday Feb.15 until Feb.22, at six o’clock in the evening.

The Civil Defense in cooperation with the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC), intends to conduct experimental tests on the national platform for early warning in emergency situations, using the cellular broadcast service, through which warning messages will be sent with a tone Loud premium audio to mobile phones connected to the network.

The General Directorate of Civil Defense noted that this was a drill. It reiterated to citizens and residents that the messages and alerts will appear on the screens of their smartphones to test the platform, and there is no reason to panic or be concerned about it. The alerts will be preceded by text messages specifying the date of their transmission.

The national platform for early warning in emergencies keeps pace with modern technologies, whereby the warning is by text messages in a targeted geographical area to warn its residents of the imminent occurrence of an emergency in the surrounding area, through mobile phones.