Sirens are now working 99%, which is within the normal margin for error, says the Federal Office for Civil ProtectionExternal link (FOCP). It added that defective installations would be repaired or replaced as quickly as possible.
Switzerland has some 5,000 sirens for the general emergency alarm, of which 600 can also sound the water alarm. Wednesday’s test included all sirens.
The water siren failure during the first test in February was caused by a software error in the central command system of the sirens, according to the FOCP. But it said this would not have prevented the sirens going off if there had been a real emergency.
As of this autumn, alerts will also be transmitted on smartphone via the alertswissExternal link website, which will also carry emergency information, says the FOCP.
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Emergency water alarm sirens fail in annual test run
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On the first Wednesday of every February, Switzerland reverberates to the sound of close to 8,000 sirens, as the country carries out its annual test of the devices. Introduced during wartime, they are now used to alert the population to impending catastrophes or water dangers such as flooding. At 13:30 sirens across the country sounded the…
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On Wednesday Switzerland reverberated to the sound of more than 8,000 sirens as the country carried out its annual test of the devices.
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