With the introduction of Cell Broadcast, Latvia has acquired a modern early warning system. Concluding the public information campaign "Cell Broadcast – Be Informed and Act!", the Ministry of the Interior and the State Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) remind the public that Cell Broadcast, emergency sirens, public media, the 112 website and mobile application, as well as notification tools available to the state and municipalities, are complementary tools to inform residents about threats as quickly and accurately as possible.
For several decades, the basis of Latvia's early warning system was the emergency sirens and public media: upon hearing the sound of the siren, residents had to turn on Latvian Radio or Latvian Television channels to find out what had happened and how to act. However, this method of notification requires additional steps to obtain information. Furthermore, SFRS statistics show that emergency sirens reach only about 30% of the population and, for example, are not audible at all in remote rural areas.
Therefore, Cell Broadcast has been introduced in Latvia – a notification method that ensures that messages can be received by residents who have an updated smartphone turned on. The main advantages of Cell Broadcast are the speed of the broadcast and the ability to send a targeted message to residents only in the area where the threat is current.
The Ministry of the Interior and SFRS remind that other early warning tools also operate in Latvia. It is a unified ecosystem where Cell Broadcast is the most modern and effective tool, but all tools support and complement each other.
"There will always be someone who does not receive or does not want to receive information about a threat. However, our goal, while caring for human health and lives, is to reach all residents of Latvia. That is why the early warning system consists of diverse tools. And, of course, the most important factor is the human element. Technology provides the opportunity to receive notifications, but it will depend on people how responsibly they treat their own and others' lives, take into account the recommendations of the responsible services, and care for those around them," says SFRS Chief, General Mārtiņš Baltmanis.
Emergency sirens work in close conjunction with public media – Latvian Radio and Latvian Television, the LSM.lv portal, as well as the national news agency LETA: sirens draw the public's attention, while the media inform about the incident and the necessary actions. Information can also be sought on the mobile application "112 Latvija" and the website 112.lv, where a guide for action in emergency situations and comprehensive safety advice is available at any time.
An important part of the early warning system is the additional notification means available to the state and municipalities, for example, loudspeakers installed in cities or operational vehicles from which emergency service employees can notify residents about the incident using loudspeakers. This method of notification requires careful route planning and is not possible if emergency service employees are busy with other tasks, but it is the most resistant to power outages or any other infrastructure disruption.
In turn, mobile operators can send SMS messages to their customers at the request of SFRS. This takes longer than notification via Cell Broadcast, but it can be an effective solution in situations where, for example, foreign travelers roaming in Latvia need to be notified, or Latvian residents abroad need to be informed about the conditions in the country where they are currently staying. (This is only possible if the person is also using a number with a Latvian connection abroad.)
SFRS reminds: upon hearing emergency sirens, you must go indoors, turn on the television or radio to find out what has happened, follow the instructions, and make sure that friends and relatives have also received the information. Conversely, upon receiving a Cell Broadcast notification, it must be read, and the instructions provided therein must be followed, and it must be ensured that those around are informed about what is happening. SFRS also recommends following the emergency services and responsible institutions on social media.
Cell Broadcast was introduced in Latvia with co-financing from the European Regional Development Fund.
Read more about Cell Broadcast at 112.lv.
