Whether in the event of flooding, forest fires or terrorist attacks – the population must be informed quickly and reliably in dangerous situations. The systems will be tested this Thursday.
Munich (dpa / lby) – As part of a new nationwide warning day, the warning systems in Bavaria will also be tested on Thursday. At 11:00 a.m., the population should receive a test warning via various channels. An all-clear should be given at 11:45 a.m.
The Free State sees itself well positioned to alert the population in dangerous situations. The Ministry of the Interior had previously explained that a wide mix of warning devices was used. New technologies such as automated warning messages via digital radio DAB and cell broadcast should complement existing options. With Cell Broadcast, an alert is sent to all cell phones with reception in a specific area, no app or internet connection is required. The already known warning options include sirens, apps and radio announcements.
The systems were last tested in Bavaria in May of this year. “The Bavaria-wide test alarm takes place regularly in order to be able to test the functioning of the technology and the processes under real conditions,” said a ministry spokesman. In this way, weaknesses can be identified and eliminated. The test alarm went without incident. The Federal Ministry of the Interior had declared a nationwide test alarm two years ago “failed”.
In Munich, for example, the new warning methods also include messages on the digital display boards at underground and S-Bahn stations and on the street, as the Munich fire brigade announced. According to the Bavarian State Institute for New Media (BLM), a warning should also be issued via digital radio DAB in parts of Middle Franconia and Upper Bavaria. Since it usually works even in the event of a disaster, the classic linear radio plays an important role in the warning system, said Thorsten Schmiege, President of the BLM. “Thanks to DAB with its robust infrastructure, there is now a very good new way to reliably warn.”
