News
9 February, 2025
Emergency alert number not a scam
Queensland Police Service (QPS) is urging Queenslanders to save and favourite the Emergency Alert (EA) number +61 444 444 444 on their phones, to ensure they get urgent, life-saving notifications, specific to the area they are in, during an emergency or disaster.
EA is the national telephone-based warning system used to send voice messages to landlines and text messages to mobile phones to warn people of emergencies, including dangerous weather with potentially severe impacts.
Residents are being asked to check that the number is not blocked on their device and to add it to their ‘favourites,’ so they don’t miss alerts, no matter what time of day it is issued.
Moreton District Chief Superintendent Adam Guild emphasised that EA alerts are different from council or Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) notices, as it uses geographical targeting to send warnings.
“EAs pertain to a certain geographical location that is being impacted by emergency or disaster events occurring,” he said. “If someone is receiving a message from this number, it is for specific action to be taken in relation to something that will have a direct impact on the area they are in.”
“EA is drafted based on specific information and the subsequent impacts that disaster may have on an area. That message is then pushed out to anyone in the path of that specific disaster, whether they live in that area or are visiting.”
For the Moreton Bay and Somerset regions, these disasters could include heavy rain, flash flooding, or bushfires, with Mr Guild reminding locals that Moreton Bay saw two specific events in 2024 involving flash flooding and heavy rain, which affected the Caboolture, Samford, and Bray Park areas.
EAs are not issued for every circumstance, but the message will include important, potentially life-saving directions that require residents to take action to stay safe.
Residents do not need to register to receive an EA from the system, as it is sent out automatically from caller ID number: +61 444 444 444.
“We find people block and ignore the message, so it’s really important people know it is not a scam message and is a direct message from police,” Mr Guild said. “Be prepared; it’s that time of season, so people should have a plan if disaster hits.”
Visit the Disaster Management website for the latest EA details, and for local area information, visit council disaster dashboards.
