National Warning Day on March 13th: This is how we are warned!

National Warning Day on March 13th: This is how we are warned!

On March 13, 2025, a national warning day will be held in North Rhine-Westphalia. It is an important exercise in which the sirens are tested at 11 a.m. in Leichlingen and in the entire Rheinisch-Bergische Kreis. This campaign includes all participating circles, independent cities and municipalities in the state. The focus is on sensitizing the population to the topic of “warning” so that it can react correctly in an emergency.

The warning is not only via sirens, but also via modern warning apps and the so-called Cell Broadcast. While the warning apps inform the citizens, Cell Broadcast sends important messages directly to smartphone devices, accompanied by a shrill alarm tone. It is worth noting that, unlike Warn apps, the system does not send the all-clear. A one-minute up and down howl tone signals a danger, while a one-minute permanent tone gives the all-clear. A combination of these two tones will be used in the upcoming sample.

goals of the warning day

The warning day is not only used to raise awareness of the population, but also to check the technical processes and warning funds. There will be a trial warning on Radio Berg (96.9 MHz), which is also part of the action. Interior Minister Herbert Reul emphasizes the importance of this exercise and emphasizes that the Federal Office for Population Protection and Disaster Aid (BBK) will trigger the rehearsal warning. The aim is to identify possible weaknesses in the warning methods and to test the effectiveness of the technical systems.

Another approach is the expansion of the siren network in North Rhine-Westphalia. In 2023, over ten million euros were made available. A contract with a provider of digital scoreboards was also concluded to make warnings visible in different locations. Participation in the online survey for evaluating the warning day is possible at www.warntag-umfrage.de

nationwide and international context

On Thursday, September 14, 2023, a nationwide warning day already took place, in which sirens, cell phones and warning apps actively raised alarm. This nationwide test was also a measure to raise awareness of the population. These initiatives are in accordance with the claim of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who demands an early warning system for all people by 2027. The aim of this initiative is to save tens of thousands of lives and to save hundreds of US dollars in the event of disasters.

In Germany, progress in weather and disaster warnings has already been made, in particular through the Cell Broadcast system, which has been in operation since February 2023. To receive warning messages, users should ensure that their devices are up to date. While the technical infrastructure is being further developed, Professor Lothar Schrott emphasizes the need for a positive risk culture. Education and preventive action are key factors for future hazard coping.

summarized the national warning day in North Rhine-Westphalia on March 13th will be a crucial step to protect the population and to sensitize it to various dangers. The combination of traditional and modern warning procedures aims to further improve technical reaction ability in an emergency.