New Zealand’s Emergency Mobile Alert (EMA) system has been keeping people across New Zealand safe for nearly nine years – and on Sunday evening between 6pm and 7pm, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) will be undertaking the ninth nationwide test of the system.
To mark our ninth test, NEMA has answered nine commonly asked questions about the alerts, and all the details you’ll need are at the end of this release.
NEMA tests the system every year in every part of the country with mobile coverage, to make sure it is working as it should. The EMA system provides critical information to people in New Zealand when emergencies in their area pose a threat to life, health or property.
In an emergency, it can be used by NEMA, Civil Defence and emergency services to send geotargeted alerts to all cellular handsets in a selected area.
“This is a valuable life safety tool to keep our communities safe,” John Price says.
“This year marks the ninth year of NEMA’s annual tests, which consistently show around 90 per cent of people in New Zealand either receive the test message, or are with someone else who receives it.”
While EMA is an important channel, John Price says it’s only one of many ways to alert people.
“In an emergency, we need people to listen to the radio, follow MetService and their local Civil Defence Group – and most importantly, trust their ‘danger sense’. If you experience rising floodwaters, a long or strong earthquake near the coast, or the telltale signs of a landslide, then don’t wait for an alert – evacuate immediately.”
Nine questions answered ahead of our 9 th Emergency Mobile Alert (EMA) test
Can I opt out of receiving EMAs?
No. As the EMA system is about keeping you safe, there is no opt-out option. For this reason, we use the system sparingly, when there is a severe, urgent and certain threat to life, health or property.
Can I opt out of Sunday’s test?
The test broadcast will start shortly after 6pm and run until about 7pm, so if you turn your phone off or onto flight mode during this time, you won’t receive the test alert.
Can I silence alerts?
You can’t silence the alert ahead of time, because the alerts override the silent function on most phones. If an alert sounds, you can mute it by pressing the volume control button so you can read the message in peace, rather than swiping the message away – try this on Sunday!
Can you make it a nicer sound?
No, sorry. We know it isn’t the most pleasant sound, but it’s designed as such, to get your attention. It’s based on a global standard so you’ll hear the same noise if you receive alerts in other countries that use cell broadcast alerts. Whalesong or waterfall sounds would be lovely but probably won’t get you out of bed during a tsunami!
How did you get my number?
Don’t worry, we don’t have your phone number! The EMA reaches phones via a broadcasted signal that’s targeted by area, rather than to individual phone numbers. Every cellphone connected to a tower in the broadcast area receives the EMA.
In a real emergency:
Why didn’t I receive an EMA for a weather warning?
We don’t send an EMA for every weather warning – Civil Defence Groups only issue them in very severe circumstances. EMAs will seldom be used for thunderstorms, as they are very unpredictable and fast-moving.
MetService are NZ’s statutory warning provider, and you can receive push notifications through their app to receive weather notifications.
Often the best alert comes from nature itself – so remember to use your danger sense and act immediately if you experience the natural warning signs. If you encounter rising floodwaters, the telltale signs of a landslide, or a long or strong earthquake near the coast, don’t wait for an alert. Get out immediately.
Why have I received the same alert multiple times?
We only send each message once, but there’s a couple of reasons why this might happen. If you’re travelling, your phone may receive the message multiple times as it connects to different cellphone towers. And if your phone has just updated its software, it may repeat the alert as the new software won’t recognise it. This happened to many iOS users during the 2025 Kamchatka tsunami event.
Why didn’t I get an alert?
There’s usually three reasons for this:
- You’re outside the
geographically targeted area.
- You don’t have mobile
reception, or your phone is turned off/on flight mode
- Your phone is an older model
that isn’t compatible, or has missed a software update
I didn’t get the alert, but others in my house did – why?
Don’t worry, we’re not playing favourites, This usually means you’re just over the border of the area we’re targeting, and you are with a different cell network. Geotargeted areas don’t have a clean border, as cell towers for different providers are in different locations, so some “bleed” will occur for anyone on the “safe” side of the boundary. On 19 June we’ll be launching a map so you can check for yourself where any live alerts were sent.
Source: National Emergency Management Agency
