A spokesman for Nema tonight told the Herald; “Everything seems to have worked.”
He said to receive the alert, your phone must be on, updated and connected to a cellphone tower.
Over 1400 people had already filled out a feedback form on tonight’s emergency mobile alert, which Nema would look through in the coming days.
The spokesman said Nema would receive a detailed report from telecommunications companies tomorrow on the cell tower transmission.
He said Nema hadn’t received a call from any of the companies tonight, meaning initial indications suggest the alert was “successful”.
The director for emergency management, John Price, says, “If you get an alert, you must stop and read the message, and take it seriously. It will tell you what the emergency is and what to do. It will also tell you which agency sent the message and, if needed, where to go for more information.”
“From previous tests, we know that around nine in 10 people either received the alert themselves or were near someone who did. Most phones can receive the alert and we expect a similar proportion of people to receive it this year.”
Auckland Civil Defence Emergency Management Committee chairwoman Sharon Stewart says the alert provides a great opportunity for households to think about being prepared for a potential emergency.
“This could include making an emergency plan with a meeting point or preparing a grab-bag for yourself or your household.”
Auckland Emergency Management (AEM) acting general manager Adam Maggs says in the event of an emergency, these alerts are just one of several channels used by emergency management agencies.
“In an emergency event, an Emergency Mobile Alert will be broadcast to all capable mobile phones. News media and social media channels will be used to alert Aucklanders as well. You should also act on natural warning signs - if you feel your life is in danger, don’t wait for an official warning. Take immediate action.”
The test tonight allowed New Zealanders to familiarise themselves with what an alert looks and sounds like, and how their phone presents the message.
AEM has used this alert system multiple times over the past year during the January 2023 floods and Cyclone Gabrielle.
