Notice to Parisians: do not panic if you receive an alert ringing on your phone on Tuesday noon. This is the third full-scale test of the “FR-Alerte” information system in the capital, particularly in view of the Olympic Games.
All people present in the 17th arrondissement – except for the Epinettes district and Porte de Clichy – between noon and 1 p.m. will receive “a notification accompanied by a specific sound signal”, specifies the Paris prefecture. Even if the phone is in silent mode. Transport users departing from or arriving in Saint-Lazare may also receive this message.
” Raise awarness “
The objective of this type of test is to “raise awareness among the population” about this new alert method and to provide information on the behaviors to adopt. Avoid spreading false rumors on social networks, calling 17 or contacting the police. In short: no specific action is requested. People who have received this message can respond to an online questionnaire on the prefecture website.
This system makes it possible to warn in real time “any person with a mobile phone of their presence in a danger zone in order to inform them of the behaviors to adopt to protect themselves”, specifies the prefecture. In the event of a major danger – whether natural, industrial, terrorist, etc. – this system allows safety instructions to be quickly disseminated. The device is triggered by order of the prefect.