On September 10th, a nationwide "Alert Day" will take place all over Germany. This is a rehearsal alert, do not be scared.

During this rehearsal, cities and towns will test every measure there is to reach and warn the population in case of an emergency.

From now on, nationwide Alert Day will take place on every second Thursday in September.

What happens during Alert Day?

• sirens and loudspeaker vans will sound their alarm
• alert apps like NINA (iOS download | Android download) or KATWARN will send news and infos to your smartphones
• radio stations, TV stations and news websites will keep you up to date with breaking news
• digital billboards can also inform you about what is going on and about how to behave

The rehearsal takes 20 minutes and ends at 11.20 a.m., when sirens and loudspeakers will play the all-clear signal with a continuous sound.

This is an example of a siren sounding the alarm:

And this is an example of the all-clear signal:

How should I behave?

• Stay calm
• Turn on your radio, TV or check the internet for news updates
• Inform neighbours or people near you about what is happening
• Calm down children or pets if necessary

The Government Ministry of Home Affairs in North Rhine Westphalia has published more information about how to behave when alerts are sounding in 

• Arabic
• German
• English
• French
• Turkish