Nationwide Alert Day
The Alert Day will be held across the country for the first time on 10 September and from then on each year on the second Thursday in September. During the Alert Day, which is held jointly by the Federal and state governments, the full range of warning equipment will be tested across Germany. At 11 am sharp, sirens are sounded in every local government area.
What happens on the Nationwide Alert Day?
At 11.00 am, a test alert will be sent to all warning disseminators (e.g. radio stations, app providers) that are connected to the modular warning system (MoWaS). The warning disseminators send the test alert to their warning devices such as radios and warning apps (e.g. the warning app NINA (Federal Emergency Information and News App)) on which you can read, hear or perceive the warnings. At the same time, available warning devices (e.g. sirens and loudspeaker trucks) are triggered at the level of the states, the districts and the municipalities.
What is the idea of this Nationwide Alert Day?
The idea is to
- raise your awareness of the issue
- give you an insight into timelines and show how the system works
- draw attention to the various warning techniques, such as sirens, smartphone apps or digital display boards.
The National Alert Day is designed to help you better understand the various alerts used in emergencies and to enable you to protect yourselves and others. It is also a way to familiarise the public with the various siren signals which are now the same across the country.
Who runs the Nationwide Alert Day?
Preparations for the Alert Day are made by the Federal and state governments in a joint endeavour with local councils. At the national level, responsibility lies with BBK, the National Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance, whilst the states are tasking this to their respective Home Affairs Departments. Local government agencies with a constitutional role in emergency management are involved as well.