A new national telephone-based warning system that will alert Australians in the event of a life-threatening emergency will begin operating next week.

In Torquay today, the Premier John Brumby announced that this week’s large-scale community testing had been successful and that the Emergency Alert system was almost ready for operation, providing emergency services with another way to warn communities in an emergency.

“The task for all levels of government, emergency services agencies, communities and families is to work together to make our state as fire-safe and as fire-ready as possible,” Mr Brumby said.

“Our Government and emergency service agencies are rolling-out unprecedented new resources and measures for the largest-ever firefighting effort. This is being backed by record funding for our emergency services.

“Victoria led the delivery of the new national system because we wanted a system in place this fire season that could alert communities in the event of a life-threatening emergency such as a bushfire.

 “Today concludes the public trial of Emergency Alert with over 50,000 messages successfully issued to landlines and mobile telephones based on a billing address to the communities of Torquay, Colac, Dandenong Ranges and the City of Maribyrnong.

“In addition, more than 2000 Country Fire Authority and State Emergency Service volunteers also participated in the trial - this is a great example of how communities are working together to prepare our State for the fire season and I thank everyone who has been involved in the trial of this important new tool.”

The Premier and Emergency Services Commissioner Bruce Esplin joined communities in Torquay today for the final day of public testing of the Emergency Alert. Since Tuesday, authorities have been trialling the system across communities.

The Emergency Alert, formerly referred to as the National Emergency Warning System, will be operational next week and will provide emergency service organisations with another way to warn communities in the event of an emergency.

 In a life-threatening emergency, Emergency Alert will allow emergency services to deliver messages outlining the nature of the emergency threat and recommended actions to mobile phones and fixed phones based on the billing address.

Mr Brumby said the system would enable emergency service organisations to send 300 text messages per second and 1000 voice messages per minute.

 “Emergency Alert will provide another useful tool for emergency services but it is vital that people do not rely on any one form of warning in a bushfire and individuals, families and communities in bushfire-prone areas still need to do their own bushfire survival planning,” he said.

 “We wanted this system in place in Victoria specifically for the bushfire season but emergency services will be able to use it to alert communities to a range of other emergencies such as severe weather, flooding or large-scale incidents that threaten the community.

 “In the case of a bushfire, the system will enable the incident controller to use the newly developed technology to select a geographical area on a map that needs to receive a warning and immediately dispatch that message to phones in that area.

 “Communities will be alerted to emergencies via a voice message on landline telephones based on the location of the handset, and a text message on mobile phones based on the subscribers’ billing address.

"When you receive a message from Emergency Alert it is crucial communities do not call 000 unless they are in critical need of emergency services (police, fire or ambulance)."

Following the Council of Australian Governments decision on 30 April 2009 to develop the system it was agreed that Victoria would lead the process of the procurement and implementation of a telephone emergency warning system.

 Up to $15 million has been made available from the Rudd Government for the system to be built and implemented nationally.

Mr Brumby said the Victorian Government was grateful to the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Premiers and Chief Ministers for agreeing to fast-track the roll-out of this technology.

“We undertook a selective tender process to enable the Emergency Alert system to be built as quickly as possible and I congratulate Telstra on their work to get this system built,” he said.

The Victorian Government, in partnership with the Rudd Government, is exploring the feasibility of developing an additional capability to deliver mobile phone messages based on the physical location of a handset at the time of the emergency.

 For further information about the public trial visit www.oesc.vic.gov.au