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Official information channels

Person viewing information on a tablet
In an emergency, a lot of information circulates, especially on the Internet. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish between useful and superfluous information, between current and outdated information, or even between rumour and proven fact.

So look for the official communication channels of your municipality, province or local emergency services (police, fire brigade) to make sure you always receive the right information. You can also subscribe to BE-Alert.

Website

Often there will be a notice on the website of your municipality, province or local police or fire district with information about the emergency, possibly supplemented by frequently asked questions or an information number.

Social media

Authorities also disseminate information about emergencies on social media.

Not sure if the profile is official? Often the text in the bio, previous posts or the logo can give you an indication. In an emergency, news sites also often refer to the official communication channels on social media.

To find out if your municipality or local police or fire district has social media channels, go to the website and look for the Twitter and Facebook logos, which will lead you to the official profiles.


Some channels you can follow:

BE-Alert

You can also receive a message from BE-Alert. Through BE-Alert, governments can send you a text message, e-mail or voice call directly.  Do you doubt that the message is real?

  • A BE-Alert message always starts with 'BE-Alert'.
  • A BE-Alert message is sent from the number 1789 or 0477 77 77 55.
  • A BE-Alert message is always free of charge. You will never get a message asking for your bank details.

Please note: If you have given permission, you can also receive public service messages via BE-Alert, for example with information about rubbish collection. These messages do not start with 'BE-Alert', and they are sent from the numbers 8686 or 0477 77 77 55.