- Trial run of numerous alarm sirens scheduled for national warning day
On Thursday, numerous fresh alarms systems in Lower Saxony and Bremen will undergo their initial test during a trial alert for the National Warning Day. The alert, scheduled for approximately 11:00 AM, will be initiated by the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) in Bonn.
Residents are anticipated to receive a warning notice not just via sirens and public address systems in their vicinities, but also via the Cell Broadcast System on their mobile phones.
For many alarms systems, National Warning Day will mark their first significant practical examination, as several counties and cities have reported in conjunction with the event. In numerous locations, older alarms systems have been deactivated or modern alarms systems have been installed in their place. Owing to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the calamitous flood in the Ahr Valley in 2021, numerous authorities at federal, state, and local levels have come to the conclusion that these warning mechanisms should also be accessible for warning the population in emergency and disaster situations.
For the first time in around 30 years, alarms will be activated in Hannover
For instance, there are many new alarms systems in the Nienburg district, the city of Wilhelmshaven, and the Emsland district - alone, more than 200 digital alarms systems have been set up there since spring 2023, according to the district administration.
The state capital of Hannover plans to test its newly installed alarms system network for the first time during the National Warning Day. 80 alarms systems are already available for this purpose, and by the end of the year, there will be a total of 112. According to the city, this will be the first time in around 30 years that such alarms system signals will be heard in the city area. "Hearing loud warning signals will be unfamiliar for many people and could trigger unpleasant feelings and memories in some segments of the population," said the director of the fire department, Christoph Bahlmann. However, only if the systems are tested can they be prepared for use in an emergency.
Alarms system network still incomplete - call for master plan
In other places, alarms systems are still absent or the installation of the systems is not yet complete, such as in the Verden district. The city of Braunschweig, for example, does not yet have an alarms system warning network - installation is being arranged there.
"Many counties in Lower Saxony are currently rebuilding or modernizing the alarms system to complete the official warning array and to be able to warn effectively around the clock, even in addition to the mobile network," said the managing director of the county association, Hubert Meyer, upon request.
Currently, prolonged delivery times for modern alarms systems are especially problematic. The county association is also advocating for a fully funded master plan for civil protection, as there is also a significant need for investment in vehicle procurement and critical infrastructure, Meyer added further.
Test also of mobile warning systems
Especially in rural areas, alarms systems cannot be heard everywhere. Therefore, some counties and cities also utilize mobile alarms systems and warning messages that travel to the affected areas in case of an emergency to warn the population. For example, mobile announcement and warning messages will be tested for the first time in the Luechow-Dannenberg district. Vehicles and motorcycles with corresponding systems are in operation in various locations. "This is a first trial run," said Sebastian Jessen, responsible for civil protection in the district, in a statement. "We want to gather experience values, we want to know how long the teams actually need and where there might also be bottlenecks - so that we can intervene if necessary."
In Bremen, alongside 38 permanently installed alarms systems, the Ministry of the Interior will also deploy four mobile alarms systems for the first time. Additionally, church bells in Bremerhaven will ring.
Most municipalities rely on a variety of warning methods. For instance, warnings are also disseminated through social media channels or digital information boards. The district of Northeim has recently added a warning telephone to its mix of warning methods. By calling a specific number, warnings can be heard around the clock, not just on Warning Day.
The state of Bremen will deploy four mobile alarms systems for the first time, alongside their 38 permanent ones, during the trial in The Hanover. Despite the variety of warning methods used by most municipalities, such as social media channels and digital information boards, the district of Northeim has recently introduced a warning telephone for continuous use.
