Posted by Dr Michelle Wright
The Alertswiss App. What is it and how can you use it? Dr Michelle explains all in this week’s Health Matters.
Earlier this summer in the commune where I live, the alert sirens sounded fairly early one morning. It wasn’t the first Wednesday in February, their yearly test. I did get up and go outside but couldn’t see much activity in my neighbourhood.
What is the Alertswiss App?
And then I was reminded of the Alertswiss App: an essential tool that can protect you and your loved ones.
Whether it’s a natural disaster, a power outage, a contamination of drinking water, or a pandemic outbreak, Alertswiss ensures that you get the information you need, when you need it the most.
We all know that in an emergency, every second counts. And the ability to quickly reach the affected population is crucial – that’s exactly what Alertswiss is designed to do.
It’s an information platform that centralizes details about incidents happening across Switzerland. Managed by the Federal Office for Civil Protection, in collaboration with cantons and local authorities, Alertswiss sends alerts, warnings, and important updates directly to your smartphone. This means that as soon as a potential danger is identified, you’re notified in real time.
And these notifications come in three levels:
- Alert: This is the most critical. When you receive an alert, there’s immediate danger, and you’ll get mandatory instructions on what to do. Imagine a forest fire approaching your area – an Alert would guide you on the safest course of action.
- Warning: A warning signals a possible danger, but it’s less urgent. You’ll receive recommendations on how to stay safe, but they’re not mandatory. Think of it as a heads-up – like a severe weather forecast.
- Information: Lastly, information keeps you updated on incidents relevant to public safety, even if there’s no immediate threat. Maybe there’s a power outage in a nearby town, or maintenance work on critical infrastructure – things you should know about, but not panic over.
All these notifications are issued by the authorities responsible for managing these incidents, typically the cantonal police or other regional agencies.
How do you get these life-saving notifications?
It’s simple. The Alertswiss App sends you push notifications for incidents in your selected cantons or wherever you are at the moment, as long as your smartphone has an active internet connection. This way, you’re always in the know, no matter where you are in Switzerland.
And if you want more details on a particular incident, you can head over to the Alertswiss website, where you’ll find comprehensive information on the ongoing situation.
Coming back to my early morning wakening recently, sure enough, when I had redownloaded my Alertswiss App – I’d recently got a new phone – then I could see that the siren going off in my commune was indeed a false alarm.
So, if you haven’t got the App already, don’t wait for the unexpected to catch you off guard, download it today and add that extra layer of safety and piece of mind. Go to alert.swiss to find all of the information and links that you need.
