Australia will soon have a new way to warn people during emergencies. AusAlert is a national warning system that sends emergency messages to compatible mobile phones, tablets and smart watches. AusAlert will be used to warn people about bushfires, floods, cyclones, severe weather, public health emergencies and security incidents.

The test will help people know what an AusAlert looks and sounds like. It will also check that the system works. During the test, compatible devices will vibrate and play a loud siren-like sound for about 10 seconds. A message will also appear on the screen.

The message will clearly say it is a test.
You do not need to do anything if you receive the test alert.

• In the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria, the test will happen at 2:00 pm AEST

To minimise disruptions to our school day we will be requesting that students who hand their phones in to the office turn them off for the day.