Sirens sound, warning messages appear and cell phone alarms scream: Thursday is the sixth nationwide warning day. Then the warning systems in Thuringia will also be put to the test, as the Interior Ministry announced. What it's all about.
What is the warning day anyway?
The federal, state and local governments want to use the day to check how well the warning systems for actual emergencies and dangerous situations for the population - fires and severe storms, for example - work. The warning day occurred for the first time on September 10, 2020. It usually takes place on the second Thursday in September. Various channels are being tested that can be used to warn of dangers.
“A natural disaster can strike us at any time or our critical infrastructure can be attacked. It is therefore important that Thuringians are constantly prepared for such events. The nationwide warning day is intended to remind citizens of their own responsibility,” emphasized Interior Minister Georg Maier (SPD).
The warning day is intended to identify and eliminate sources of error. In order to avoid an incomplete picture, it is important that as many districts and independent cities as possible participate with their fire departments, said Maier.
What happens on Thursday?
From 11 a.m., the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) will trigger test warnings nationwide via the so-called modular warning system. This in turn is linked to warning channels, including mobile phone apps and radio stations. These send the test warning to televisions, radios and smartphones with a time delay.
The so-called cell broadcast system should trigger a shrill sound on most cell phones that are switched on and not in airplane mode - even if there are no warning apps installed and the device is set to silent. According to the BBK, there is no other way to reach more people.
At the same time, states, districts and municipalities can trigger local test alarms, for example by sounding sirens, using loudspeaker trucks or digital city information boards. The all-clear was given at around 11:45 a.m.
What if there is an actual emergency?
The warning system remains ready for use at all times, even during the nationwide test warnings. If a dangerous situation actually arises, the responsible authorities can reach people as usual via the modular warning system and its channels.
How did the warning day go in Thuringia last year?
According to the Ministry of the Interior, the warnings via sirens, smartphones and radio reached a large part of Thuringia's population. Across the country, 1,211 sirens were triggered - 475 of them digitally. Many people were also warned via their smartphones. There were also loudspeaker announcements in Jena and Erfurt.
Not all digital city information boards worked. Not all DAB+ radios were controlled successfully - the function was not available everywhere in Thuringia.
What does the siren network look like now?
According to the Ministry of the Interior, the siren infrastructure is constantly being expanded and converted. In the current year, around 1.23 million euros were allocated by the state and around 229,800 euros by the federal government for the upgrading or construction of new sirens. Further state funding is still on the horizon. For this year, the ministry lists 176 new buildings and 91 conversions. But this only concerns those into which federal or state funds flow. There is therefore no current overview of the sirens that municipalities are responsible for with their own resources.
What if it lags on Thursday?
Following the test alarm, citizens can share their experiences and take part in a BBK online survey from Thursday 11 a.m. to September 17th.
