During the nationwide campaign, the city's professional fire department checks 56 sirens to ensure they are working properly. The aim is also to remind citizens of the importance of the signals.

During the test alarm, an uninterrupted wailing tone sounds for one minute, which stands for “all-clear” in an emergency. After a five-minute pause, the “warning” signal, which indicates a dangerous situation in a real emergency, is tested with a one-minute howling tone that swells up and down. Finally, after a further pause, the constant tone for “all-clear” sounds again.

The Cell Broadcast System and the warning app “NINA” (Federal Emergency Information and News App) will also be included in the test. Both will be tested centrally by the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) during this test alert. Fire and rescue control centers can use both systems to warn cell phone users in the event of major fires, accidents involving hazardous substances or similar incidents. Anyone who has installed “NINA” receives the test warning message for the set location or the current location directly on their smartphone. With the cell broadcast system, all users in an area where a warning has been issued are informed of the danger by text message.

During the test alarm, the city of Bonn provides information via a pop-up message on the city's website www.bonn.de, which would also be used for information purposes in an emergency. The fire department is also testing the direct announcement option on the Radio Bonn/Rhein-Sieg program. This means that the radio program is interrupted to broadcast information announcements from the fire department.

Once the siren sounds in an emergency, you should move to closed rooms and close windows and doors. You should also pay attention to loudspeaker announcements from the police and fire department, announcements on Radio Bonn/Rhein-Sieg and the instructions on your cell phone. It may also be useful to inform your neighbors.

In Bonn, the warning sirens have so far been tested twice a year on Saturdays. The NRW Ministry of the Interior's warning decree stipulates that the warning sirens are to be tested every six months. With the nationwide warning day, which takes place in the fall, the concept has been extended to the whole of Germany. The aim is to raise public awareness of the issue and provide citizens with information and tips so that they can react correctly and help themselves in an emergency.

Further information on the nationwide warning day can be found at  www.bbk.bund.de/bundesweiter-warntag (opens in a new tab).