We helped create UK emergency alert system - but question how government is using it
Former minister Oliver Dowden is questioning the government's use of the UK's emergency alert system after a nationwide wildfire warning was issued. He argues that the system should be reserved for life-threatening emergencies in narrow geographic areas.
Why it matters
The debate touches on the balance between public safety communication and the potential for 'alert fatigue' among citizens.
Image source, AFP via Getty Images Image caption, There are calls for ministers to launch a review of how emergency alerts are used
As the Conservative minister who launched the UK's emergency alert system, Oliver Dowden was more than familiar with the loud bleeping sound coming from his phone earlier this month.
What took him by a surprise was the message on the screen.
Like millions of people across England and Wales, the "severe alert" on 14 August warned him of a "very high risk of wildfires nationally" and against doing anything that could start a fire, including lighting disposable barbecues.
It was the biggest use of the system to date - but Dowden has now weighed in to question whether it was strictly necessary.
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