Emergency text messages are sent to mobile phones for prompt evacuation in the event of a disaster. Emergency text alarms can be sent to people in disaster areas via Cell Broadcasting Service (CBS) system. Short messages, including disaster alerts and areas of occurrence, are sent as transmission content and can include simple public action tips. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) developed ‘Emergency Ready’ app to satisfy the growing need for emergency information amongst elements of the population that don’t fully speak Korean: foreign residents, multicultural households, and tourists. The app can call emergency contact numbers, such as 119, and shows videos on how to perform CPR, provide emergency care, and use a fire extinguisher or a fire hydrant. In the case of a civil defense alert, the app shows on a map the location of the nearest shelter.
FEATURES
- The government posts the precise movements (without names) of anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 – everything from the seat numbers they occupied in movie theaters, to the restaurants where they stopped for lunch.
- The government obtains the information from cellphone records, credit card receipts, and other private data it is authorized to collect in a health emergency.
- Short messages, including disaster alerts and areas of occurrence, are sent as alarm content, and some include simple public action tips.
- People can receive emergency text alerts in Korean, English, and Chinese.
ONGOING RESULTS
- People obtain relevant information in a better, faster, and more efficient way.
Sources: Namuwiki, Koreanet
