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Sirens sound in Germany on Thursday. The emergency case is rehearsed throughout Germany on the day of the national warning; radio and television also participate. Much effort, what for?
Regardless of whether it is terrorist attacks or natural disasters such as floods, heat waves and earthquakes: the population must be informed as soon as possible when there is a threat. Authorities rely on an arsenal of warning devices, from the well-known siren to the special NINA app. This Thursday everything will be tested in Germany for the first time.
What happens on the day of the warning?
A nationwide test alarm will go off Thursday at 11:00 am All existing warning devices must be tested. These include, for example, warning applications, news on radio and television, but also sirens. The all clear continues at 11.20 am
Why is the warning day September 10?
In most parts of the country there is school again, so you can assume it will reach as many people as possible. The warning day will take place every year on the second Thursday in September.
Will mermaids howl everywhere too?
There will be many sirens howling, but the local authorities will decide exactly which warning devices are used.
Some of them date from the Second World War. Why are mermaids still necessary today?
Sirens are a reliable means of warning, especially at night. His howl wakes people up when the television, radio and cell phone are on.
So why do you need other warning devices?
Sirens can only announce that there is imminent danger, but not what. Vehicles with loudspeakers can be used to warn the public in a much more specific way. And about that NINA app, the federal emergency news and information app, the warning even goes directly to the mobile phone.
How does this application work?
NINA was developed by the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief (BBK) in Bonn and is linked to the so-called modular alert system. This is the federal government’s satellite alert system that broadcasts BBK warnings and local warnings from control centers. NINA also receives weather advisories from the German Meteorological Service and flood advisories.
What is the meaning of the warning day?
“People in crisis situations have been shown to draw primarily on what they know and what they have already learned,” says Christoph Unger, Chairman of BBK. So it makes sense to practice something like this. There are also a growing number of natural disasters, for example the 2018 and 2019 heat waves, terrorist attacks like in Halle or Hanau or currently the corona pandemic. These events have shown that an alert system is important.
Is there a general recommendation on how to behave in an emergency?
The BBK says: “With each warning, you will usually receive information about the danger and recommendations on what you can do to protect yourself. In general, stay calm, read the media and inform your neighbors if necessary.”
