Annual siren test
On 1 February 2023, the alarm sirens throughout Switzerland will be tested as they are every year
Every year, on the first Wednesday in February, a siren test is carried out throughout Switzerland to check that the sirens are working properly. In addition to the general alarm sirens, the water alarm sirens are also tested.
Two alarm signals
The general alarm signal, a continuous oscillating sound that lasts one minute, is broadcast throughout Switzerland at 1:30 pm. The sirens can be tested until 14:00.
The water alarm is triggered between 14:15 and 15:00 in the risk areas below the dams. It consists of twelve low tones of 20 seconds each, separated by intervals of ten seconds.
Reacting well to an alarm
Any general alarm signal that sounds outside an announced test means that the population could be at risk. In this case, everyone is advised to listen to the radio, follow the instructions of the authorities and inform their neighbours. The water alarm means that the population must leave the danger zone immediately. Further information on the alarm and the instructions for behaviour can be found at www.alert.swiss and on Teletext on page 680.
Alertswiss: a direct line between the authorities and the population
In the event of an event, “Alertswiss” complements the siren and radio-based warning and information systems for the population. The population is invited to use the new alarm and information channels and to install the Alertswiss application on the smartphones used on a daily basis. The Alertswiss application is available free of charge for the Android and IOS operating systems. It can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. Information on new features is regularly published on www.alert.swiss, Facebook and Twitter.