Siren rehearsal in Mainz
The functionality of the siren systems in the city area is checked regularly. The next test activation will take place as part of the nationwide warning day on March 12 at 10 am, followed by the all-clear at 10:45 am.
Nationwide warning day
The aim of the warning day is to inform and raise awareness among people in Germany about public warnings. To this end, a warning text will be sent via the federal government's modular warning system (MoWaS) at 10 a.m. on that day. The message will then appear automatically in warning apps and on digital billboards, for example. In addition, the so-called "cell broadcast" will also be used, which sends messages to cell phones without the need to install special warning apps. The state capital of Mainz will activate its sirens at around 10 a.m. with the "public warning" signal (a one-minute, rising and falling wailing tone). At around 10:45 a.m., the "all-clear" siren signal (a one-minute, steady tone) will follow. The all-clear will also be issued via the apps. New: From now on, the all-clear will also be issued via cell broadcast, but without a signal tone.
Sirens in Mainz
The state capital of Mainz currently has 35 E57 sirens and 34 Sonus high-performance electronic sirens.
The E57 sirens are still the classic civil defense sirens, in which an electrically driven rotor presses air through a housing with openings, known as the stator, thereby producing the characteristic siren sound.
Four different signals can be generated by varying the switch-on time of the rotor.
In 2018, all siren control units were converted to digital alarms so that they can continue to be triggered reliably in the future. Thanks to this conversion, it is possible to trigger the sirens either completely, in one of 16 groups, or individually in a targeted manner.
Expansion of the siren network
In order to be able to reach the entire population again via sirens, a total of 36 high-performance electronic sirens have been installed in all districts since 2023, so that comprehensive warning via siren is expected to be possible by the end of 2024.
Currently, 35 new Sonus high-performance electronic sirens have been completed. These are installed in the city area at different power levels between 600 watts and 1800 watts. In addition, pre-recorded voice announcements can be triggered on the sirens. Thanks to battery backup, the sirens can still be triggered for several days even in the event of a power failure.
Once the construction work is complete, it is planned that over 70 sirens will be available to warn the population in the city area.
In addition, the Mainz fire department has modern loudspeaker systems to broadcast announcements or warning tones via emergency vehicles in case of an emergency.
Siren signals
In Mainz, four different siren signals can be triggered, and you should be familiar with their meanings:
Warning
All-clear
Fire alarm
Test
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Warning apps
Warning apps are programs that can be installed on smartphones and are designed to display a warning message in the event of danger.
The advantage of these apps is that they not only warn of dangers in an area defined by the user (e.g., home and work location), but—if the function has been activated by the user—they work throughout the United States and provide information about dangers at the user's current location.
In addition, these apps also provide specific instructions on what to do, so that the people being warned know immediately what they can do to minimize the danger to themselves and others.
In addition to hazard warnings from the federal, state, and local governments, these apps also display severe weather warnings from the German Weather Service (DWD).
The installation of one (or more) warning app(s) is voluntary.
The state capital Mainz relies on the NINA system to warn the population.
Cell Broadcast
Cell broadcast is a mobile phone service that allows warning messages to be sent directly to cell phones or smartphones without the owner having to install an app. No other warning channel can reach so many people at the same time. An SMS is sent to all cell phones logged into the radio cell. However, not all devices can receive cell broadcasts. The BBK provides information on its website about the requirements that must be met in order to receive cell broadcast messages.
Further information
What is MoWaS?
Have you taken precautions in the event of a warning?
Information from the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance on the nationwide warning day