Standard Emergency Warning Signal

The Standard Emergency Warning Signal (SEWS) is a warning siren used in Australia to alert the public of danger. The siren is played over radio, television or public address systems in public places to warn of bushfire, flood, cyclone, tsunami, earthquake or terrorist attack.

Use

Main article: Emergency population warning

The SEWS tone has also been adopted for use in the new Emergency Alert Australia system which sends standard text messages from the phone number 0444 444 444 which has information about a potential emergency, and a phone call to landlines which starts with the SEWS tone with the words "Emergency! Emergency!" followed by a message regarding the threat and a phone number and/or website with more information. The National Alert System has been tested by the Country Fire Service in Kangaroo Island, South Australia and has also been tested by other agencies.

Origins

The SEWS was developed by the Bureau of Meteorology in the 1970s for tropical cyclone warnings. It was adopted as a national emergency warning signal on 21 May 1995.

See also

• Civil Defense
• Doomsday Clock
• UK Threat Levels
• Civiele Bescherming
• Wireless Emergency Alerts, a very similar mobile emergency warning system utilised in the United States
• EU-Alert, EU equivalent using the same technology
• Emergency Mobile Alert, New Zealand equivalent
• DEFCON
• Cadena nacional
• Cell Broadcast
• Reverse 1-1-2

Historic/Defunct:

• HANDEL
• BIKINI state
• CONELRAD
• Four-minute warning
• Preparing for Emergencies

General:

• Civil defense siren
• Collective protection
• Continuity of government
• Critical infrastructure protection
• Infrastructure security
• International Civil Defence Organization
• Emergency Alert System
• Emergency management
• National Emergency Management Agency (New Zealand)
• Space-Based Infrared System
• State Emergency Service
• B-FAST

External links

• Emergency Alert Australia
• Country Fire Authority SEWS system (Victoria)
• Disaster Mitigation – the Bureau's Role at Australian Bureau of Meteorology
• Sample of siren sound