Trial alarm and trial warnings on nationwide warning day

On the nationwide warning day, warning devices will be tested in Germany. Warning apps will beep, sirens will wail and test warnings will appear on digital billboards.

The warning day is a joint action day of the federal government and the states. It will take place for the first time on Thursday, 10 September 2020 from 11 am.

The aim of the warning day and the trial warnings is that

• You are familiar with emergency warnings, and
• Know what to do following a warning.

Warnings are issued by the appropriate federal, state and local agencies. Warnings are issued, for example, for natural hazards such as flooding, dangerous weather, or utility outages.

The day of action also aims to raise awareness of the warning tools available. These include for example

• Sirens,
• mobile phone warning apps,
• digital billboards, or...
• interrupting the radio programme to read out a warning.

The Federal Government and the Länder prepare the nationwide warning day together with representatives from the municipalities. It takes place annually on every second Thursday in September.

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Forms: not applicable

Online procedure possible: not applicable

Written form required: not applicable

Personal appearance required: not applicable

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On warning day, mock warnings and mock alarms are triggered by various means. The following procedure is planned:

• At 11:00 a.m., a trial warning will be sent to all agencies participating in the warning system of the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK), the so-called warning multipliers. Radio stations and the technology (servers) for warning apps, for example, are connected to the warning system.
• The warning multipliers send the sample warning via their systems or programs to those devices on which you read, hear or perceive the warning - for example, radios or the Federal Emergency Information and News App (NINA).
• At the same time, available warning means are triggered by the responsible authorities in the federal states, counties and municipalities for trial purposes, such as sirens and loudspeaker trucks.
• With each warning, you will usually receive recommendations on what you can do to protect yourself or where you can get more information.
• At 11:20 a.m., a rehearsal all-clear signal is again sent to participating agencies.

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