BE-Alert test messages will be sent to Brussels residents

Thousands of Brussels residents will receive an SMS message on their phones on Thursday, 7 April, as part of a test of the BE-Alert system.

The aim is to test the infrastructure and the capacity of telephone operators in the context of a massive SMS transmission, and also to promote awareness of the Be-Alert tool in general.

Sophie Lavaux, director general of Brussels Prevention Security (BPS), said the number of people currently registered in the system amounts to just 65,000 in Brussels, which is still relatively low. 

Along with Brussels minister-president Rudi Vervoort, Lavaux stressed the importance of registering with BE-Alert in order to be notified of emergencies like power failures, drinking water pollution, evacuations or weather warnings. It also provides information about the situation in Ukraine.

Thursday’s test is part of the national BE-Alert test day, which takes place every three months on the first Thursday of the month.

In addition to the SMS test, promotional materials will be shared on social media encouraging residents to register so that they can receive messages directly and without delay from the municipal, regional or federal authorities in the event of an emergency. 

The services of the high official in charge of security in Brussels and the National Crisis Centre will be sending the messages based on the location of citizens present in the territory of the capital region that day.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is strictly followed under the alert system.