BE-Alert test in the Brussels-Capital Region on 4 April

On Thursday 4 April, safe.brussels will test the BE-Alert SMS alert system in collaboration with the National Crisis Center (NCCN). This test will be carried out on a large scale to test the tool's capabilities and encourage the registration of citizens present in the Brussels-Capital Region on that day.

According to recent figures, there are currently 1,223,699 addresses registered on the platform, of which only 6% are from Brussels. In light of this, and in support of the 4 April test, safe.brussels has launched a month-long 100% digital campaign to raise awareness among Brussels residents. The test is part of the national BE-Alert system testing day, held quarterly on the first Thursday of the month. This type of large-scale exercise tests the system's capacity and speed while identifying potential areas for improvement. The National Crisis Center will carefully analyse the results of the test once it has been completed.

Sophie Lavaux, high official for the Brussels-Capital Region, appeals for greater awareness, "Although 95,000 Brussels residents have already registered for BE-Alert in the Brussels-Capital Region, the number of sign-ups remains relatively low. We are taking part in this test day to remind people of the importance of being alerted in the event of an incident, and of adopting the right reflexes. We are also involving our partners to amplify this crucial action for everyone's safety by supporting, via the network of regional administrations, the dissemination of a message aimed at the agents of Brussels' public services. Registering with BE-Alert is free and can make all the difference in an emergency. It enables messages from public authorities to be received directly and immediately in the event of an emergency."

WHAT IS BE-ALERT?

BE-Alert is a platform that enables authorities - whether a mayor, the high official of the Brussels Agglomeration or the Minister of the Interior - to inform citizens facing an emergency situation, so that they can adopt the right behaviour for their own safety and that of their loved ones. Many situations can lead to a BE-Alert message being sent: storm, fire, flood, major breakdown, etc. However, BE-Alert will not be used systematically, but primarily if recommendations need to be passed on to the people concerned. Depending on the situation, the authority can either communicate only with people registered for the zone concerned or extend the message to anyone present in the affected zone at the time the message is sent.

WHY REGISTER WITH BE-ALERT?

Although the authorities are able to send an SMS based on location, it is still particularly useful for Brussels citizens and commuters working in Brussels to register with BE-Alert.
By registering on the platform, people can register several means of contact (so that they receive voice messages on a landline, for example) and up to five different addresses, enabling them to be informed of an emergency situation concerning their workplace, the home of more vulnerable relatives, etc., even when they are not on site.
Citizens can register at https://www.be-alert.be/. 

Registration is entirely free, of course.

WHAT ABOUT GDPR?

Privacy is fully respected, with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) strictly followed. The information provided by citizens will never be used for any other purpose. They can also modify or delete the data they have entered on the platform at any time. With regard to sending messages to unregistered persons, the detection of mobile phones present in the target area takes place outside the BE-Alert system and only at the level of phone operators. As no personal data is transmitted to the authorities, it is impossible for them to identify individuals, or even the mobile phone numbers present in a given area.

Find out more on the BE-Alert website.