Cyprus government introduces emergency alerts via SafeCY mobile application

On Wednesday, March 11, the Cypriot Minister of the Interior and the Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy announced an upgrade to the SafeCY mobile application. This new feature enables the delivery of targeted push notifications for emergency or security incidents to users located within a specific radius of a geofenced area. The officials explained that this system complements existing SMS alert methods. Unlike SMS alerts, which rely on the subscriber's registered home address, the SafeCY notification system utilizes real-time geolocation data to reach users effectively at their current location. The initiative was developed in collaboration with the Civil Defense to improve public safety and awareness. Officials acknowledged that the system is limited to users who have the application installed on a smartphone, noting it serves as a secondary, supplementary tool. An instructional video was released to demonstrate the installation process and the functionality of the new alert system.