The emergency message that will no longer have its own name
The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (CRT) is deleting a rather particular signature from our screens. The one that says “Presidential Alert” when that strident alarm goes off on your cell phone. No more presidential branding in the midst of chaos.
Now they want the text to be “perceived as an instrument of civil protection.” Translation: it doesn’t look like a campaign spot when there is a hurricane or earthquake. Because, let’s be honest, who thinks about votes when the roof is falling in?
“It is necessary to clearly reflect the message that is disseminated to the population”
The consultation is open until February 16. Citizens, specialists and even telephone companies can participate. Ten days to decide how they are going to scare us from now on.
Three levels of scare
The curious thing is the legal detail that motivated the change. It turns out that according to current guidelines, the person who really sends the alerts is the National Civil Protection Coordination, not the Presidency. Someone at CRT read the fine print.
The new messages will have three categories:
- Maximum alert
- Extreme alert
- Serious alert
Each one with its specific text. Because a shower is not the same as an earthquake, even though both wet us.
The irony is that we have been receiving these presidentially stamped alerts for years when, technically, it should never have been that way. Institutional memory appears to have selective gaps. Or maybe someone finally revised the manual.
In the meantime, if you have ideas about how the alarm about the next natural disaster should sound, there’s still time. Just remember: no proper names, please.
