Civil defense siren
Civil defense signals are signals to quickly reach a large number of people. It may be in a broader sense to warnings, alarms or Endorsements.
- 4.1 Utilized civil defense signals
- 6.1 sirens
- 6.2 Mass Media
- 6.3 Polyalert
- 7.1 Utilized civil defense signals
Target
Warning options are important both for large civil damage cases ( natural disasters such as floods, accidents such as chemical or reactor accidents, ABC - alarm) as well as military cases ( armed attack on a state ).
Modes of transmission of the civil defense signals
There are several ways to civil defense signals, and in particular to disseminate disaster warnings.
Opportunities for large-scale disaster warnings differ in speed, the achievable population extent, the failover and the fixed and variable costs. However, particular attention is on the " wake-up effect ", ie the possibility to make the population to certain media and their messages carefully. New developments go accordingly as meaning that activate in the event of a disaster receiving devices themselves.
Germany
In the early 1950s, efforts were made to organize the civil and disaster protection new in Germany. This included the structure of the warning offices in the Federal Republic, and the establishment and development of a nationwide alert system to warn of disasters. The possibility of area-wide warning and alert was achieved with the installation of sirens. These included, among others, the siren model E57, but even so -called high- performance sirens (those in Saarbrücken or Kassel) were set up in major cities.
By the end of the Cold War, the sirens are tested twice a year at a test alarm. This was always held on a Wednesday in March and September against 10 clock. This first was a one-minute continuous, then air alarm or ABC alarm and then eventually triggered a continuous tone.
The siren network of nearly 100,000 sirens in Germany has been greatly thinned in the 1990s for reasons of cost by eliminating the warning offices of civil defense warning service. The city took over the sirens from the federal government and had since then bear left and there were only a few for the fire alerting the maintenance of the sirens. Since there is no nationwide system for alerting the population with alarm more. The Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance is looking for a new medium for this.
Today available siren network
Today, only a few German cities have an intact siren network, which consists of high-performance sirens. These include Aachen, Augsburg, Bonn, Darmstadt, Dresden, Duisburg, Dusseldorf, Erlangen, Hagen, Karlsruhe, Cologne, Mainz, Moers, Pforzheim, Saarbrücken, Wiesbaden and Wuppertal. The Hanseatic City of Hamburg has a siren network specifically for warning of storm surges. In many cities siren networks are re-established in the wake of catastrophic events.
The situation is different in many counties. There is, for example, in the district of Steinfurt still a coherent siren network as well as a mobile system, which will each be tested once a month. In Saarland exist in many communities sirens that serve mainly the need to alert the fire department. The sirens are usually tested every Saturday at 12 clock. In Bavaria siren warning systems are in a radius of 25 kilometers around all nuclear power plants in all places installed to alert the population in a serious accident. They are tested at least twice a year. In recent years, such functional tests of the cities and municipalities have been handled differently, for example, is tested once a year in Dusseldorf, in Dresden on the second Wednesday of each quarter.
Uniform Federal siren signals no longer exists since the dismantling of the old civil defense network. Rather, the definition of siren signals are now made by civil protection authorities of the federal states.
Utilized civil defense signals
In Germany, only used a disaster warning and alarm signal. Until about 1975, this was a two- minute-long signal tone three times 12 seconds with 12 seconds break, followed by 60 seconds of continuous tone. Since the beginning of this signal sequence resembles that of the volunteer fire departments and confusion should be avoided in Germany since then as a signal " warning the population," a one-minute on - and decongestant is howling (formerly known as air alarm ) used. The signal generally means that enclosed spaces are to seek, doors and windows closed and air conditioners should be switched off. Furthermore, the radio is on, what then on certain channels (mostly public-service program with traffic or even regional channels ) where accurate behavioral evidence for the citizens.
As a second siren is sometimes even a one-minute tone for the "all clear " was set up, which is announced at the end of the threat situation.
Austria
Austria has a comprehensive, up ready network of 8,203 sirens ( 10/ 2012). There is a weekly siren test ( a 15 -second tone) to the signal " siren sample" every Saturday at around 12 clock; thereby also the different trigger paths ( Federal Alarm Centre, state alarm and warning center [ Lawz ], District Alarm and Warning Centre [ BAWZ ] or direct tripping) are tested alternately.
Since 1998, takes place annually on the first Saturday in October 12:00 to 13:00 clock an Austria-wide siren sample with all disaster signals instead. This is previously announced in the mass media. On the one hand the audibility is the operation, on the other hand checked. At the same time is also the aim of raising awareness among the population. Although triggered centrally, all fire departments are involved with performing the feedback. After the sirens are triggered by the various control panels in the weekly sample, it is not technically possible spark that all are triggered simultaneously, so that the sample does not alarm times to the minute are throughout Austria. Also nationwide sample alarms Regardless partially carried out as in Styria.
Utilized civil defense signals
There are three different signals provided: alarm, alert, all clear. Is not apparent from the warning and alarm signs, what kind of a disaster it is. This one learns only from the same messages sent and behavioral measures that will be announced on radio and television. With only locally occurring alarms, the message may also loudspeaker announcements, for example, by the fire, take place.
The siren sample is only a 15-second continuous tone or a particularly short alarm sound.
The fire alarm consists of three 15 seconds continuous with twice seven seconds interruption. The use of the alarm signal is dependent on the individual firefighters. For example, if a fire department mainly via pager alerted its members, the siren is rarely used. ( Feuerwehralarmton a motor siren? / I )
In many cities and large towns, the fire department is alerted by radio pagers. In many fire departments will, however, also distinguished that is alerted in fires or rescuing people with both in technical operations, however, only with the pagers. This is dependent on the local emergency plans. See also the article alerting systems the fire department. ( Alarm sound of a high- power siren? / I )
Approaching danger is announced with a three-minute tone. The population is invited so turn on the radio or TV and to observe announced arrangements there.
The alert signal consists of an up and reducing sound of one minute duration and means immediate risk: protecting premises visit (one car does not provide adequate protection), followed by given behavioral measures through the media and on radio.
The end of the hazard is indicated by a one-minute tone. Possible restrictions on the normal daily routine will be disseminated through the media.
Fire Alarm: three times for 15 sec tone
Warning: 3 min constant tone
Alarm: one minute and howling decongestant
Clear: one minutes while maintaining continuous
South Tyrol
In South Tyrol, the alarm system of Austria was only partially adopted in 2002. The point system warning was not accepted. They can be triggered by the state emergency center in Bolzano.
Switzerland
In Switzerland, the Federal Office for Civil Protection ( BABS ) with the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC ) is responsible for alerting. It spreads warnings via radio, television, sirens and natural hazards on the internet about www.naturgefahren.ch.
Sirens
Switzerland has about 7,500 of the civil defense sirens, of which 4700 are permanently installed and 2800 can be mounted on vehicles. Downstream from dams are 700 water alarm sirens.
The sirens are triggered by the cantonal or local authorities. Most stationary sirens can be remotely activated. The sirens are tested every year on the first Wednesday in February, 13:30 to 15:00 clock signal with the " General Alarm ".
Since 1 April 2004 there are in Switzerland only two alarming sign: the general alarm and the water alarm. The previous mark C- alarm and alarm beams were lifted. In addition, alerting the fire brigade ( cis Gis signal) is no longer permitted with civil defense sirens.
Mass media
The official warnings are disseminated through TV and radio programs of SRG SSR. This has a Notdispositiv (information Catastrophe alarms radio organization, Icaro ) and several protected radio transmission systems with increased transmission power, whose signals can be received in the case of the shelter cover.
Polyalert
The project POLYALERT of BABS the sirens and siren control system should be replaced by 2015. In addition, it will allow to trigger alarms via calls and SMS to the mobile phone users in the danger area, over loudspeakers in public transport and on the computer screens in the company.
Luxembourg
Nationally, there are 338 in Luxembourg sirens, individually, can be triggered per location, community, region or nationwide. Outside of the city of Luxembourg on the first Monday is performed a siren test in the month by 12 clock.
This information can be found on the inside cover pages of the Luxembourg phone books.
Utilized civil defense signals
- Pre-alarm: increasing and decreasing howling sound for one minute
- Nuclear Alert: increasing and decreasing howling sound for one minute at two breaks of 12 seconds
- All clear tone of one minute
- Fire Alarm: Continuous three minutes
Denmark
The siren network in Denmark consists of 1078 sirens, which can alert about 80 % of the population. You will be tested every night silent. A test signal is held every first Wednesday of May at 12:00 clock.
European harmonization
There are also within the EU still has different meanings to the same signals. Thus, the rising and falling wail is a pre-alarm, in Austria and Switzerland, the main alarm at acute risk for one minute in Luxembourg. The German Federal Office of Civil Defense in 1999 recommended a "research on developing a single siren signal and anknüpfender them behavioral recommendations ".