Being informed of the risks that may affect your safety is essential, especially in times of natural disasters or emergencies. In Spain, the system of Civil Protection has implemented the calls emergency alerts to alert the population quickly and efficiently via their mobile phones. Although these systems have been in place for some time, not everyone has these notifications activated on their devices, which can be a risk in serious situations.
We are going to explain to you in detail how these work. Civil Protection alerts, how to activate them on devices iPhone y Android, and what it means to subscribe to them. Activating these alerts can save lives and prevent material tragedies. We will tell you step by step what you should do to have your mobile ready to receive important notifications.
What is the ES-Alert system and how does it work?
EN-Alert SMS is the name of the emergency alert system used by the Spanish Government to send alerts to the population's mobile phones. This technology uses the radio signal from telephone antennas, which means that any device located in the geographical area covered by that antenna will receive the message. The great advantage of this system compared to traditional SMS is that it is not affected by a possible saturation of mobile networks, which is crucial in times of emergency.
The importance of Civil Protection alerts
The main objective of the alert system is to warn the population of emergency situations. imminent or ongoing, such as floods, earthquakes, attacks or any other type of calamity that may endanger life or property. These alerts usually include specific information about the risks, as well as behavioral recommendations, such as avoiding travel or following the advice of the 112, the emergency number in Spain.
A recent example of the importance of these alerts occurred during the DANA which affected the Valencian Community in November 2024. Unfortunately, many people did not have notifications activated on their phones, which made the situation worse, as they did not receive the notice in time.
How to activate Civil Protection alerts on Android
The process to activate alerts Civil Protection on Android devices may vary slightly depending on the device manufacturer, but in general the steps are as follows:
- Accede to Settings on your mobile.
- Look for the option of Notifications or, in some cases, Security and emergencies.
- Within these menus, you will find the option to Wireless emergency alerts.
- In that section, activate both allow alerts as Civil Protection Pre-alerts.
If you're having trouble finding the option, you can use the search box within Settings and type in key terms like "alert", "civil protection" or "emergencies". Another alternative is to check your mobile manufacturer's support page, as some devices may have different specific paths.
How to activate Civil Protection alerts on iPhone
In the case of iPhone, activating Civil Protection notifications is quite simple and requires following these steps:
- Open the app Settings on your iPhone.
- Go to Notifications.
- Scroll to the bottom of the screen and you will see an option called Civil Protection Pre-alerts. Activate it.
It should be noted that only iOS versions from the 15.6 allow you to receive these notifications, so if you do not find this option, you may need to update your phone to the latest version available.
Common problems when enabling alerts
On some older or outdated devices, the alert system may not work properly because the operating system version is not supported or the phone software has not been synchronized with ES-Alert system updates.
Another common problem is that the phone does not have coverage at the time of sending the message or is in airplane modeIt is essential to ensure that your mobile phone is on, has coverage and is updated to receive these alerts at all times.
What to do when receiving a Civil Protection alert?
When you receive an alert of this type, the first thing you will notice is a loud beeping accompanied by a persistent vibration. This sound is different from the other alerts on your phone, and is designed to immediately grab your attention.
Read carefully the message that appears on your phone screen. This will include information about the type of risk and recommendations on how to act. In most cases, these alerts ask you to avoid unnecessary travel and follow the instructions of local authorities.
It is important keep calm, follow the instructions in the message and stay tuned to other sources of information, such as radio, television or social media, for additional updates. If you are with other people, make sure they have also received the notice and are aware of the risk.
Finally, remember that even if you don't use alerts on a daily basis, having them enabled can make a big difference when it really matters.