FR-Alert: why the phones of some French people will ring today

In several departments, the FR-Alert system will be activated this Tuesday morning during an exercise. This alert system allows the State to send an emergency message to the population of a given area to warn them of a natural, industrial, health disaster or a terrorist attack.

In Seine-et-Marne, 56 municipalities are concerned. “The FR-Alert will be implemented in all areas concerned by a SEVESO site with a Special Intervention Plan (PPI),” specifies the prefecture in a press release. People who receive this alert on their phone do not need to do anything in particular. The word “exercise” will be clearly indicated on the message: the authorities do not expect any behavior or reaction from those who receive it.

Oise, Maine-et-Loire, Saône-et-Loire Dordogne

The Lot department is also concerned. “Tuesday October 13, 2026, in the morning (between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m.), the Lot prefecture is organizing a civil security exercise,” she indicates. The message may also be received by residents of the communes of Liourdres and Astaillac, in the neighboring department of Corrèze.

“No worries, this will be an exercise intended to test the alert and security systems,” further specifies the State representative in the department. Other areas are affected in France in the departments of Oise, Maine-et-Loire, Saône-et-Loire and Dordogne.