At 11:00 a.m., the National Warning Center at the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) issued a test alert via the Modular Warning System (MoWaS). At the same time, the Ludwigsburg Integrated Control Center activated the connected municipal sirens in the district with the “public warning” siren signal. The all-clear was given at 11:45 a.m. Both the warning and the all-clear via the sirens in the district proceeded as planned.
“Warning Day is important because we can’t wait until an actual emergency to test our warning systems,” says Jürgen Vogt, Chief County Administrator and Department Head at the District Office. “We want to know whether the technology works, whether the procedures are effective, and, above all, whether the warning actually reaches people.”
This is precisely where the Warning Day provides significant added value: it allows the public to experience warnings firsthand. Residents can learn about the various warning methods and become familiar with what a warning looks like in an emergency and what information is important at that time.
Different warning systems complement one another
The importance of a mix of warning systems also becomes clear during Warning Day. Not all cities and municipalities in the district have sirens. In Ludwigsburg, Korntal-Münchingen, Marbach am Neckar, and Vaihingen an der Enz, there are no sirens available for disaster warnings. In an emergency, these areas rely on loudspeaker trucks, the NINA warning app, and cell broadcast, among other methods.
“No single warning method can reach everyone, everywhere, all the time,” explains Vogt. “That’s why different systems must work together. Warning Day helps us test this coordination and identify potential weaknesses.”
Warning Day Is Also a Learning Day
In addition to the technical testing, there is also an important educational aspect: The public should know what the warning signals mean and where to find reliable information. In an emergency, the one-minute wailing tone means: There is an immediate danger, or one is expected shortly. In such cases, people should use the media and follow official instructions. The all-clear is signaled by a one-minute continuous tone. For the first time during Warning Day, the all-clear was also sent to cell phones via Cell-
-Broadcast.
“Civil protection is a shared responsibility,” emphasizes Vogt. “We can continue to improve our warning systems—but citizens can also contribute by familiarizing themselves with the warning options and knowing how to react in an emergency.”
The results of today’s Warning Day will now be evaluated in detail. The public can share their experiences with Warning Day via the survey conducted by the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance at www.warntag-umfrage.de.
Further information on the National Warning Day is available at www.bundesweiter-warntag.de.
