Sirens are a reliable warning device, especially at night. They will also be heard on the nationwide warning day.
(Photo: dpa)
Berlin Regardless of whether it is a terrorist attack, war or natural disasters such as floods, heat waves and earthquakes: if there is a risk, the population should be informed as quickly as possible.
The first nationwide warning day after reunification in September 2020 went pretty wrong. The reports from various warning apps only arrived on the smartphones a good half hour late. If it had actually been an emergency, many citizens would not have noticed.
Next Thursday (December 8th), the federal and state governments will start a new attempt. A new warning system is also to be used for the first time. How does the national warning day work? These are the most important questions and answers.
What happens on the warning day?
A nationwide test alarm will take place on Thursday at eleven o’clock. In order to reach as many people as possible, a warning message is distributed in many different ways. For example via radio and television, websites, social media, warning apps, digital city display boards, loudspeaker trucks.
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The new Cell Broadcast warning system is to be used for the first time – what is that?
With the system, a test warning message with the highest warning level is sent to mobile devices in Germany. In contrast to other warning systems such as Nina or Katwarn, you don’t need an app to be alerted. An internet connection is therefore not necessary to receive the text messages. Cell broadcast not only works on smartphones, but also on conventional cell phones.
Does cell broadcast work on any mobile device?
The mobile phone or smartphone must be compatible with the system. Google Android, version 11 or later, and Apple iOS, version 16 or later operating systems typically have official alerts enabled. With other software versions and operating systems, the receipt of these messages would usually have to be activated – if available.
Is my personal information protected when using this system?
The service is operated anonymously, you do not have to register anywhere or provide personal data. The digital expert Manuel Atug speaks of “Fire and Forget Message” with regard to cell broadcast: The warning message goes out, but nobody knows when, how, where and to whom the message will be sent. According to Atug, data protection is not affected at all.
>> Read also: “Adapt to the new situation as quickly as possible”: Germany is only partially prepared for an emergency
Is cell broadcast a German invention?
no The system has been around since the late 1990s and is already being used to warn the population in countries such as the Netherlands, the USA and Japan. In Germany, it should go into full-coverage regular operation in February 2023. The authorities already see the system as “a real enrichment” for the mix of warning devices that are already in use today.
Will sirens wail everywhere too?
There will be many sirens, but the local authorities will decide which warning devices are used.
Some of the sirens date back to World War II. Why are they still necessary today?
Sirens are a reliable warning device, especially at night. Her howling sound wakes people up when television, radio and mobile phones are turned off. However, in many places, such as Berlin, sirens were dismantled after the end of the Cold War. The federal government is now promoting the development of new sirens. The first of these new sirens were installed in Berlin, for example, just a few weeks ago.
What do the siren signals mean?
In the event of a warning, a one-minute rising and falling howling tone is used, and a one-minute continuous tone is used to give the all-clear.
Which warning app does the federal government recommend?
The Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) recommends installing the federal emergency information and news app, Nina for short. The app was developed by the BBK and is linked to the so-called modular warning system. This is the federal satellite-based warning system that broadcasts warnings from the federal agency and local warnings from the control centers. But Nina also receives weather warnings from the German Weather Service and flood warnings. Other warning apps are Biwapp (citizen info and warning app), Katwarn and various regional warning apps.
What is the meaning of the warning day?
According to the BBK, the day should contribute to “increasing the acceptance and knowledge of the warning of the population in emergencies and thus strengthening their self-protection skills”. In addition, the technical processes in the event of a warning and the warning devices should be checked for their function and possible weak points. “We have to test new systems in order to be able to use them later,” said Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD).
More: Interior Minister Faeser in an interview – “It definitely makes sense to have an emergency supply at home.”