Warning day 2023
That’s why the sirens will sound again on Thursday
Many of the warning sirens mounted on roofs will be heard across Germany on Thursday.
© CorinnaL/Shutterstock.com
Sirens will be wailing and cell phones will be ringing all over Germany on Thursday. What’s behind the nationwide warning day.
On Thursday, September 14, 2023, the warning day will start at 11 a.m. and is scheduled to last until 11:45 a.m. The main goal is to reach as many people in Germany as possible with government warnings. All participating districts and municipalities can decide whether they would like to use their own warning devices such as sirens and loudspeaker trucks in addition to the BBK warnings.
The warning system relies on a variety of communication channels, including the cell phone warning channel Cell Broadcast, warning apps such as “Nina”, radio and television warnings, sirens, information boards in cities and warnings on platforms and in Deutsche Bahn trains.
Thanks to Cell Broadcast, most people are reached
Of particular note is Cell Broadcast, a system that broadcasts alerts to mobile devices without the need for an app. It works on both smartphones and older phones as long as they are compatible. Most current Android and iOS versions support receiving such alerts.
The warnings are divided into three levels: warning level 1 for acute dangers, warning level 2 for serious threats and warning level 3 for events that can affect normal daily routine.
Sirens, apps, radio and TV: disaster protection on all channels
The main goal of the warning day is to further expand the warning infrastructure and ensure that as many people as possible are reached. Each warning day serves as a stress test for the warning systems to check their reliability in an emergency.
The use of sirens is still relevant, especially at night when other devices are switched off. Sirens use specific signals for warnings and all-clears. The federal government also recommends installing the “Nina” app, which was developed by the BBK and is linked to the federal warning system.
The nationwide warning day serves the purpose of increasing acceptance and knowledge of warnings in emergencies, checking technical processes and strengthening the population’s self-protection skills. In the event of a civil defense case, the nationwide warning is issued by the BBK, while regional authorities send out warnings in other cases.