That test warning of a dire emergency

Did you get the government's experimental emergency warning message on your phone at 3.00pm today? Were you as disappointed as I was?

The message itself was just as expected, and I was fine with it. 

I had however hoped for more compelling sound effects, on the lines of a current police, ambulance or fire vehicle siren. Or perhaps the loud ringing noise such vehicles emitted decades ago. Or perhaps something like a shrill and piercing trumpet. Or a foghorn. But all I heard was a rather subdued droning noise that I can't now quite recall: it was that forgettable. Like the tickle from my FitBit, it was sufficient to disturb me from my afternoon kip, but it certainly didn't get my adrenalin surging. I might not have noticed it at all if I'd been in another room, or engaged in something that needed my full attention. 

It might also have been a good idea to get the phone screen flashing red or yellow.

So why the muted noise, and no flashes? These emergency messages are to warn you that some life-threatening incident is coming your way, such as a river overflowing its banks, or an especially high tide, or noxious fumes from a factory accident, and you need to get away fast. Perhaps it was decided - as this was only a test - that it was unnecessary to send out something that would actually shock people into paying proper attention. Maybe they had visions of startled people dropping boiling kettles and hot saucepans. We are not used to sudden emergency messages. But we'll have to get used to them. I'm sure that nature, disturbed by climate change, has a few nasty surprises in store for the years ahead. I for one would welcome being warned if a tsunami, or a tornado, or a small meteorite, were on its way.