The nationwide civil defence practice alarm is set to sound again this Saturday, October 7. Between 12:00 and 12:45, after the “siren rehearsal” signal, the three civil defence signals, “warning,” “alarm,” and “all-clear,” will be broadcast throughout Austria. This serves to check the technical equipment of the warning and alarm system and is also intended to familiarize the population with the signals and their meaning.
With the sirens, KATWARN Austria/Austria will be tested again, the Ministry of the Interior announced on Tuesday. This system, which transmits information and warnings from various authorities based on location, occasion or topic to mobile devices such as smartphones, has supplemented warning options such as sirens, loudspeakers and media for several years.
Austria is one of only a few countries with a nationwide siren warning system. The warning and alert system is operated by the Ministry of the Interior together with the offices of the provincial governments. The signals are emitted via about 8,300 fire department sirens. Depending on the hazardous situation, they are triggered centrally by the federal warning center in the Ministry of the Interior’s situation center, the provincial warning centers, or the district warning centers.
The meaning of the signals: “siren rehearsal” (15 seconds), “warning” (three minutes of constant continuous tone): Approaching danger! Switch on the radio, television (ORF), or the Internet and observe behavioural measures. “Alarm” (one minute rising and falling wailing tone): Danger! Protect areas or rooms, and follow the instructions on the radio or television (ORF) or the Internet. “All-clear” (one-minute continuous tone): End of danger! Follow further instructions on radio and television (ORF) or the Internet.
- source: APA/picture: pixabay.com
This post has already been read 1750 times!