You may not be aware, but your Android smartphone actually has an emergency alert system. An unexpected emergency tone is the last thing you would want to hear, particularly if it bears unfortunate news.
Emergency alerts are issued to inform the masses of a national emergency, such as a missing person or a weather condition that could pose harm if people don't evacuate. It's not one of those things you would want to experience often, but these alerts, no matter how startling they could be, has an important purpose.
In the United States, carriers and the federal government work together in order to make these alerts possible. They are designed, so people are warned and aware of missing persons, dangerous weather, or any issue considered highly important. Emergency alerts exist because the information it contains could save someone's life -- or yours.
That being said, you don't have to be startled each time your Android phone notifies you of an emergency -- there's a way to control these alerts. They can be quite annoying and are usually loud, particularly if your smartphone comes with really good speakers. However, it's an effective way of getting your attention, especially if you're in the middle of something.
In most cases, your Android phone will vibrate when carriers issue an alert, but some models let you turn the vibration off. But for your safety (and everyone else's), it's best to leave it on. Still, it's not a bad idea to know how to edit the settings of your phone just so you're familiar with the several options.
Android phones come in various formats depending on your brand of choice, but you'll most likely see these alerts as "Emergency Alerts" or "Cell Broadcasts." Try tinkering with your settings and look for any of the two options in the display, notification, or sound settings. Better yet, simply look for this feature using your phone's search function.
If you own a Samsung smartphone, emergency alert settings should be right there in the default Messages app. Look for "Emergency alert settings" on the app's settings function, and from there, you can customize the alerts to your liking.
There are several types of alerts, depending on the nature of the emergency. The U.S., for example, has an AMBER alert system for missing children. Your Android phone may allow you to configure each type of alert; some models even allow the user to turn the alerts off completely.
If you think about it, though, it's not always that the government issues a nationwide emergency alert. It wouldn't hurt to leave it on, would it? And you can even help save a life.
