Today for the regions of Burgas, Sliven, Stara Zagora and Yambol tests of the system for the distribution of messages to warn the population about emergency situations and disasters are coming – BG-ALERT.
The tests are intended to verify the functioning of the system as well as the public to get an idea of how these messages look on mobile devices.
They are from 12 to 12.30.
Tests began on November 7. The dates for the regions of Gabrovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Lovech, Montana, Pleven, Veliko Tarnovo, Razgrad, Ruse, Silistra, Varna, Dobrich, Targovishte and Shumen have already passed. Blagoevgrad, Kyustendil, Pernik, Sofia, Sofia Region, Kardjali, Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, Smolyan and Haskovo are coming up.
A nationwide test is scheduled to be held on November 29. During each test, for half an hour from 12:00 to 12:30, a message containing text in Bulgarian and English will be broadcast.
The receipt of the message on the mobile device is expected to be one-time and accompanied by a specific sound and vibration, even with silent mode enabled.
A number of gaps in the BG Alert system have been identified
It alone is not enough, claims an expert
We recall that that an error by an employee led to mass panic on November 1 when an unexpected number of citizens received unexpected messagesaccompanied by a loud beep.
Only our early warning system for disasters and accidents BG Alert it won’t be enough. That’s what he said Atanas Krastanov according to BNR. He is a physicist and consultant on issues related to disaster protection and the development of natural and industrial disaster protection plans, as well as an expert in international projects related to climate change and the creation and implementation of various assessment and early warning platforms for occurrence of disasters.
In his words, a number of omissions were noted in The National Early Warning System. He noted that “we’re starting to communicate something before the whole data system is in place.” Such are historical records of where and what happened, under what conditions, or to have information collected from field observations, real-time data analysis, etc. There must also be well-written and worked out evacuation plans, trainings, and clarity what comes next, what are the hypotheses, specified Atanas Krastanov.
BG-ALERT: Man received over 1,000 alerts from Disaster Alert System
During today’s test of the system in the regions of Veliko Tarnovo, Razgrad, Ruse and Silistra
