Twitter Proves Some Brits Were Never Going To Keep Their Chill With The Emergency Alert

Cue the screaming memes.
An example of the emergency alert
UK Government
An example of the emergency alert

Phones around the country starting buzzing on Sunday afternoon as the UK government sent its first ever emergency alert at 3pm – and there was quite the range of reactions online.

The UK Government was testing a method to warn the general population about severe threats to life such as fires, flooding or terror attacks.

The siren-like sound and accompanying “severe alert” notification only popped up on screens for around 10 seconds on 4G and 5G devices, but it was enough to cause a real wave on social media.

First up, were the people who just seemed completely unbothered...

The uk when there's an actual emergency alert because we never take stuff seriously #EmergencyAlert pic.twitter.com/BHT7WYJdxy

— ames (@sukispanesar) April 23, 2023

My UK phone got the emergency alert earlier. I hope you’re all ok over there. pic.twitter.com/VJRhwLa8Ws

— Michael Fry (@BigDirtyFry) April 23, 2023

The Great British public: terminally unbothered by the #emergencyalert test. pic.twitter.com/H7lmwRkkFm

— Richard Main (@RPMain) April 23, 2023

BBC News:
“Let’s go now to our live shots of people around the country receiving the alert”

Great British public:
*milling about not really bothered*#emergencyalert pic.twitter.com/1Hs4MJ9MBu

— Alex Watson (@imalexwatson) April 23, 2023

Then there were those who were well and truly alerted (and completely stunned when it went off one minute early on some phones).

"We've known about this alarm for weeks, who's gonna get a fright?"

Me when the alarm went off a minute early#emergencyalert pic.twitter.com/fhfp0r736K

— Laura Buchanan (@Bee_Face_Ka_Boo) April 23, 2023

Everyone at 3pm today #emergencyalert #emergencyalertuk pic.twitter.com/fkNU2oWrvu

— Deano (@DeanJCox0218) April 23, 2023

That emergency alert came at 2:59pm not 3pm that scared the shit out of me #emergencyalert pic.twitter.com/SpmmtiVvJJ

— Hannah (@grealodias) April 23, 2023

The entire UK on Sunday getting the emergency alert at 3pm pic.twitter.com/uOSxUychnl

— chris🧼 (@bleachy_chris) April 19, 2023

the uk government sending the emergency alert a minute early pic.twitter.com/3GO7cqM4SC

— swirly ☥ (@swirlingthings) April 23, 2023

When the Emergency alert starts at 2.59pm instead of 3 just to catch people off guard #emergencyalert pic.twitter.com/67OFhzBCg8

— Aaron Bumby (@Aaron_Bumby) April 23, 2023

I didn’t expect it to sound scary #emergencyalert pic.twitter.com/dCvxxA1LGD

— caitriona (@livelaughlarne) April 23, 2023

me just now: #emergencyalert pic.twitter.com/vdBFFhHVsc

— s 🇫🇮🇸🇪🇨🇿 (@kaarijaa) April 23, 2023

Me: *knew about the emergency alert for weeks and literally waited for it to go off*

Also me just now: pic.twitter.com/BcPd4nzVx0

— Bad Wolf Archives (@BadWolfArchives) April 23, 2023

Me when the alert came through at 2:59pm and not 3pm #EmergencyAlert pic.twitter.com/DS3ZLhdLsw

— MB (@bowx_) April 23, 2023

Others, though, were waiting in anticipation.

Everybody in the UK waiting for the emergency alert pic.twitter.com/UXI6X1kDsV

— Jake McBain (@JakeMC_) April 23, 2023

Me receiving the emergency alert message sent by the government: pic.twitter.com/4ZHqx9T1hy

— Steven Bonaventure x (@absolutegazelle) April 23, 2023

And an unlucky few were gutted not to receive one at all (an issue the government is going to be investigation as part of their review).

i didn’t get the uk government emergency alert. pic.twitter.com/B9Ku5Bsyxm

— tweets by cian™ (@CianOMahony) April 23, 2023

My severe emergency alarm didn’t go off so if there’s a National emergency can someone let me know because the government don’t think I deserve to be informed. Thanks x #emergencyalert #EmergencyAlerts

— Cats💛 (@cats_julianne16) April 23, 2023

No emergency alert on my white slim line telephone with automatic redial pic.twitter.com/297byFw2SC

— Joe Mander (@jmmander) April 23, 2023

Everyone got an emergency alert except from me. Not even a fake apocalypse wants me pic.twitter.com/uxa7YdGvqz

— 𝓗𝓪𝓻𝓿𝓮𝔂 (@EdgeOfUnravel) April 23, 2023
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