This initiative, organized by the Cabildo de Tenerife, aims to familiarize citizens with the tool of the National Civil Protection System. The General Directorate of Emergencies, attached to the Ministry of Territorial Policy, Territorial Cohesion and Water, intends to evaluate the system's operation after previous tests across the archipelago and its real use in situations such as forest fires or heavy rainfall floods.
The message will be issued by the Emergency and Security Coordinating Center (Cecoes) 112 between 08:00 and 14:00 on Friday. Although the drill focuses on a simulated fire in the urban-forest interface of La Guancha, the alert could extend to nearby municipalities in northern Tenerife, such as San Juan de la Rambla, or higher areas of Icod de los Vinos and La Orotava, and even, occasionally, to the south or southeast of La Palma.
Users will receive the alert with a distinctive sound and vibration, even if they are out of coverage at the time of sending and later enter the area. It is important to note that the message will not be received if the phone is turned off or in airplane mode. Authorities advise drivers not to be alarmed and to stop their vehicle in a safe place to read the emergency warning and press “accept,” after which the message will disappear from the phone screen.
Likewise, it is advisable to explain the functioning of this system to elderly people in advance to avoid unnecessary alarms. The alert message will also be available in English if the mobile device is configured in that language. Most mobile phones with data connection are compatible with ES-Alert, only requiring the alert reception option to be activated, which is usually set by default in Android 11 or higher and iOS 15.6 or higher versions.
The Ministry has reported that these tests are disseminated in advance to prevent alarm situations among the population. All 4G and 5G mobile terminals within the coverage area will receive a text message with the word “PRUEBA” (TEST), accompanied by a beep and vibration, which will disappear once read and accepted. There is no need to reply or call 112.
This tool of the National Civil Protection System is already operational in the Canary Islands and has been used in recent forest fires in La Palma and Tenerife, as well as during storm Therese in La Gomera and Tenerife. The ES-Alert system allows alerts to be issued in cases of catastrophes or emergencies such as fires, volcanic eruptions, or adverse weather phenomena, without the need to install applications, complementing the usual emergency communication channels.
