Does anyone know if there's an emergency alert system in the UK like they have in America?
I know we probably wouldn't have a weather related EAS like they do, as we don't experience much in the way of severe weather here (such as hurricanes/tornados etc) but the EAS is used for other alerts as well, so I was just wondering if we had one?
:-(
A former member
Not officially I don't think.
I do believe, however, that procedures in place for all radio transmitters in the UK to be switched to a single BBC service if we were to get nuked.
I'm sure there is a system in place, and it is probably tested on a statutory basis.
I imagine it would be a nationwide single service operated by whichever broadcaster was able to provide it and probably audio only (since video of devastation would cause public panic).
I know when I worked for MOD every establishment had a confidential file marked as "War Plan" which gave precise instructions for that particular location. It had to checked and upated about twice a year IIRC and more often when the security status was raised. Later it was renamed simply "Contingency Plan" and included alot of extra information about what to do during strikes and periods of civil unrest, not just when half the population had been vapourised!
Well, in my days at BBC local radio there used to be a system called RATS - for if there was a royal death. 'Royal Alert...and can't remember what the TS stood for!! Apparently they still have it.
Well, in my days at BBC local radio there used to be a system called RATS - for if there was a royal death. 'Royal Alert...and can't remember what the TS stood for!! Apparently they still have it.
Well, in my days at BBC local radio there used to be a system called RATS - for if there was a royal death. 'Royal Alert...and can't remember what the TS stood for!! Apparently they still have it.
"Royal About To Snuff" was apparently the unofficial version... RATS is similar to IRN's obit alarm (except it actually worked when the QM died!) and is apparently encoded into the 198kHz RW LW service.
I know when I worked for MOD every establishment had a confidential file marked as "War Plan" which gave precise instructions for that particular location. It had to checked and upated about twice a year IIRC and more often when the security status was raised. Later it was renamed simply "Contingency Plan" and included alot of extra information about what to do during strikes and periods of civil unrest, not just when half the population had been vapourised!
Regardless of what systems the broadcasters and the government have in place, there is a feature for listeners built into the RDS system which classifies programming as "Alert" (as opposed to Music, Speech, News etc. It;s part of the PTY feature.). AFAIK it's never been used, unless it was activated for the recent Royal Deaths... anyone know?
I presume it would be activated in the event of
really
major breaking news - eg nuclear bomb hits school in Polperro, Queen dies/abdicates, earth will be demolished by Vogons in two minutes, etc...