Results of the nationwide civil defense test alarm on October 5, 2024

Today, Saturday, October 5, 2024, the annual nationwide civil defense test alarm took place. Between 12 and 12:45 p.m., the three civil defense signals “Warning”, “Alarm” and “All Clear” were broadcast throughout Austria following the “Sirenprobe” signal. On the one hand, the test alarm serves to check the technical equipment of the warning and alarm system, and on the other hand, the population is intended to become familiar with these signals and their meaning.

8,308 sirens worked perfectly

This year, a total of 8,356 sirens were tested for functionality, with 99.43 percent (8,308 sirens) working perfectly. The detailed results of the individual federal states:

• Burgenland: 100%, all 325 sirens worked,
• Vorarlberg: 100%, all 230 sirens worked,
• Upper Austria: 99.80%, three failures out of 1,468 sirens,
• Lower Austria: 99.76%, six failures out of 2,450 sirens,
• Tyrol: 99.71%, three failures out of 1,025 sirens,
• Salzburg: 99.23%, four failures out of 518 sirens,
• Carinthia: 99.09%, eight failures out of 882 sirens,
• Vienna: 98.89%, two failures out of 180 sirens,
• Styria: 98.28%, 22 failures out of 1,278 sirens.

In general, the failures in the federal states were 0.57 percent (48 sirens; in 2023 it was 0.63 percent and 52 sirens).

The signals can currently be broadcast by 8,356 fire brigade sirens. Depending on the dangerous situation, the signals can be triggered centrally by the Federal Warning Center in the situation center of the Ministry of the Interior, by the state warning centers of the individual federal states or the district warning centers.

Test activation of the disaster warning system “AT-Alert”

This year there was also a nationwide test activation of the “AT-Alert” disaster warning system on mobile phones. According to information from the mobile network operators, the test messages were successfully sent to the mobile phones. Detailed analyzes of the number of mobile phone stations reached will be carried out over the next week.

Further information about AT-Alert can be found at https://www.bmi.gv.at/204/at-alert/.

Further information about the civil defense test alarm can be found at https://www.bmi.gv.at/204/start.aspx#probe.