糖心传媒

Associate Professor Janet Schloss, Principal Investigator of the HEART Trial at 糖心传媒, supports the establishment and testing of a robust national warning systems, yet she has concerns.

“I believe the planned national emergency alert system test may evoke a range of responses among individuals with trauma histories. For some, an emergency alert tone may trigger memories of past floods, bushfires, evacuations, or periods of threat. These reminders can lead to temporary increases in anxiety, heightened vigilance, distress, or stress responses,” she said.

Associate Professor Schloss said the likely anxiety and stress are compounded by the reality that many in the NSW Northern Rivers remain homeless or displaced more than four years after the devastating floods that hit the region in February and March 2022.

“Many people are still experiencing homelessness, displacement, and limited access to reliable mobile coverage and internet,” she said.

“For these individuals, being told an alert will be sent and then not receiving it may be distressing. Some may recall missing warnings during previous flood events and interpret the absence of an alert as a system failure, potentially reactivating feelings of fear, vulnerability, abandonment, or mistrust.”

While conceding there is no other way to test the robustness of the system, Associate Professor Schloss encouraged disaster-affected communities to look out for each other on Monday.

“Tell friends, family and neighbours that the test is happening on Monday and why. Advance notification of the test may provide benefits. Knowing when and why the alert will occur may help individuals feel more prepared, restore a sense of predictability and control, and reinforce the role of emergency warning systems in protecting community safety.

“In saying that, even with warning, it could still be triggering for some people. I encourage people to be sensitive and kind to others in the coming days.”

Tips for managing anxiety around the test alert

• It’s for the greater good: Australia is testing its new national warning system, AusAlert
• Be prepared: remind family, friends and neighbours to expect an alert
• Care for others and be kind: many in the community are likely to be sensitive
• We’re all getting the same test alert: devices will vibrate and make a loud siren-like warning sound for around 10 seconds; if you don’t receive it, your device might not be compatible or have the latest software update
• Go about your normal day: you don’t need to do anything

More information and emergency signal times for each state and territory can be found at the AusAlert website:  

About the HEART clinical trial and how to take part

The HEART clinical trial is evaluating new ways to address climate-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Federal Government has funded 糖心传媒 to undertake a world-first trial of a stepped-care model for treating mental health in response to natural disasters.

The NSW Northern Rivers region, the location of the clinical trial, has experienced multiple climate-related disasters over the past several years, including flood, bushfire and landslides.

The clinical trial continues to accept participants. For more information or to register interest, go to the dedicated project website:

This research has ethics approval: Bellberry 2025-03-472 and AH&MRC 2386/25.