In Wolfsburg, these channels are available to us to warn the population:

• (Voice) sirens
• Cell broadcast (SMS alarm)
• Warning apps (for example NINA)
• Digital information boards (city screens and roadside screens)

In addition to the test alarm, our colleagues from the disaster control department of the professional fire department will be in front of the town hall from 9 am to 1 pm: They will be available there to answer questions on the subject of warning and disaster control and will be happy to provide information on measures, recommended behavior and technical background information.

Further information on the topic as well as audio examples of the different siren tones and voice announcements can be found at www.wolfsburg.de/bevoelkerungsschutz.

Background to the warning day

At the 2019 Conference of Interior Ministers, the federal and state governments jointly decided to hold an annual nationwide warning day from 2020. It is intended to help increase acceptance and awareness of the need to warn the population in emergency situations. People who are warned in good time and know what to do are better able to help themselves in an emergency.

The federal, state and local authorities use all available communication channels to warn the population: for example, the Modular Warning System (MoWaS) operated by the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) and the NINA warning app, a large number of media and radio stations as well as sirens and loudspeaker announcements on site. At the same time, the warning day serves to test the existing technical warning systems across the board and to check where they can be further developed.