he government on Wednesday issued new self-protection guidance and announced the launch of a nationwide mass SMS alert system, urging citizens to remain calm and vigilant. Speaking at a press conference, interior minister Constantinos Ioannou said the system will allow authorities to send rapid written warnings to all mobile phones in Cyprus, providing timely instructions […]
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Test emergency text at 7pm on Wednesday
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Paphos Life
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memory man
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Re: Test emergency text at 7pm on Wednesday
New SMS alert test planned within days, Cyprus Civil Defence chief says
Cyprus’s mass public notification system for crises will be completed by early June, Civil Defence Commander Maria Papa said on Thursday, promising “a perfected system for timely and accurate information.”
Speaking after a meeting with DIKO president Nikolas Papadopoulos, Papa said Cyprus was at “a very good level of readiness” but acknowledged that “there are weaknesses.”
She said Civil Defence was working within the framework of preparation and prevention “without panic” and that the service must “be prepared for every eventuality.”
Papa described this week’s SMS alert test as “an additional interim solution,” initiated by the Deputy Ministry of Innovation in cooperation with mobile providers.
She said “there were some weaknesses” and that the Deputy Ministry was carrying out a feedback review today to identify problems and provide the required solutions. The process would be repeated in the coming days, she said, adding: “that is the intention.”
Addressing the public directly, Papa urged citizens to follow official announcements on protective measures, saying that “being informed increases your resilience and allows you to deal with danger more effectively.”
https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/local/c ... nder-papa/
Cyprus’s mass public notification system for crises will be completed by early June, Civil Defence Commander Maria Papa said on Thursday, promising “a perfected system for timely and accurate information.”
Speaking after a meeting with DIKO president Nikolas Papadopoulos, Papa said Cyprus was at “a very good level of readiness” but acknowledged that “there are weaknesses.”
She said Civil Defence was working within the framework of preparation and prevention “without panic” and that the service must “be prepared for every eventuality.”
Papa described this week’s SMS alert test as “an additional interim solution,” initiated by the Deputy Ministry of Innovation in cooperation with mobile providers.
She said “there were some weaknesses” and that the Deputy Ministry was carrying out a feedback review today to identify problems and provide the required solutions. The process would be repeated in the coming days, she said, adding: “that is the intention.”
Addressing the public directly, Papa urged citizens to follow official announcements on protective measures, saying that “being informed increases your resilience and allows you to deal with danger more effectively.”
https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/local/c ... nder-papa/
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memory man
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Re: Test emergency text at 7pm on Wednesday
Cyprus to test district-by-district SMS alert system this afternoon after first test failures
Cyprus will run a second test of its emergency SMS alert system on Friday, sending messages district by district between 16:30 and 19:00, after the first test on Wednesday drew widespread complaints from residents who said they had not received the message at all, received it in the wrong language, or received it significantly late.
Large numbers of residents took to social media — including Facebook, X, and Instagram — to report failures, undermining the Interior Ministry’s claim that the system had functioned normally. Some Greek-speaking residents said they received the message in English only, while some English-speaking residents reported receiving it in Greek only. Many said they received no message at all. The message also directed citizens to the Interior Ministry’s website, which critics noted could prove problematic for elderly people who struggle with technology.
The ministry had nonetheless announced after the first test that it had successfully sent the mass alert and that two further planned messages would not be sent unless circumstances required them. “Given that the system was tested with the first message and is functioning normally, the two remaining messages will not be sent today and will only be dispatched if it becomes necessary,” the announcement stated.
The ministry said the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy had worked with telecoms providers since the first test to improve the delivery process. Messages in the second test will be sent according to the following schedule: pre-paid subscribers with no registered address at 16:30; Paphos district at 17:00; Famagusta district at 17:30; Nicosia district at 18:00; Larnaca district at 18:30; and Limassol district at 19:00. Each message will specify the district to which it relates.
The ministry clarified that messages are sent based on each subscriber’s registered address with their provider — not their current location. Subscribers who are in a different district from their registered address will receive a message relating to their registered district. Those with no registered address on file will receive a message regardless of district.
The purpose of the test is to assess the system’s ability to send a large volume of messages in a short period of time. The ministry described the measure as supplementary to existing public information channels and said it would remain in place temporarily until the new Early Warning System goes live in June.
Citizens who receive a message are advised to remain calm. Those with access to a basement in their home, a neighbouring building, or their current location should go there on foot. Those indoors without a basement should stay inside, away from doors, glass, and windows. Those outdoors should move to the nearest indoor space. At schools, hospitals, and stadiums, staff will implement the relevant protocols; citizens are advised not to drive to these locations. Until further instructions are issued by the authorities, citizens should remain in a basement or indoors and avoid moving outside on foot or by vehicle.
https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/local/c ... t-march-6/
Cyprus will run a second test of its emergency SMS alert system on Friday, sending messages district by district between 16:30 and 19:00, after the first test on Wednesday drew widespread complaints from residents who said they had not received the message at all, received it in the wrong language, or received it significantly late.
Large numbers of residents took to social media — including Facebook, X, and Instagram — to report failures, undermining the Interior Ministry’s claim that the system had functioned normally. Some Greek-speaking residents said they received the message in English only, while some English-speaking residents reported receiving it in Greek only. Many said they received no message at all. The message also directed citizens to the Interior Ministry’s website, which critics noted could prove problematic for elderly people who struggle with technology.
The ministry had nonetheless announced after the first test that it had successfully sent the mass alert and that two further planned messages would not be sent unless circumstances required them. “Given that the system was tested with the first message and is functioning normally, the two remaining messages will not be sent today and will only be dispatched if it becomes necessary,” the announcement stated.
The ministry said the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy had worked with telecoms providers since the first test to improve the delivery process. Messages in the second test will be sent according to the following schedule: pre-paid subscribers with no registered address at 16:30; Paphos district at 17:00; Famagusta district at 17:30; Nicosia district at 18:00; Larnaca district at 18:30; and Limassol district at 19:00. Each message will specify the district to which it relates.
The ministry clarified that messages are sent based on each subscriber’s registered address with their provider — not their current location. Subscribers who are in a different district from their registered address will receive a message relating to their registered district. Those with no registered address on file will receive a message regardless of district.
The purpose of the test is to assess the system’s ability to send a large volume of messages in a short period of time. The ministry described the measure as supplementary to existing public information channels and said it would remain in place temporarily until the new Early Warning System goes live in June.
Citizens who receive a message are advised to remain calm. Those with access to a basement in their home, a neighbouring building, or their current location should go there on foot. Those indoors without a basement should stay inside, away from doors, glass, and windows. Those outdoors should move to the nearest indoor space. At schools, hospitals, and stadiums, staff will implement the relevant protocols; citizens are advised not to drive to these locations. Until further instructions are issued by the authorities, citizens should remain in a basement or indoors and avoid moving outside on foot or by vehicle.
https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/local/c ... t-march-6/
