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Cologne test alarm: Sirens will sound on June 7th for disaster control!
On June 7, 2025, Cologne will test its warning systems with sirens and warning apps for the safety of citizens.
Cologne test alarm: Sirens will sound on June 7th for disaster control!
On Saturday, June 7, 2025, the city of Cologne will put its warning systems through their paces. A test alarm will take place on this day to inform the population about how the city's warning infrastructure works. A total of 136 sirens will be used together with digital billboards and the warning apps “NINA” and “KATWARN” to demonstrate the importance of a functioning warning system, as Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger reports.
The process of the test alarm is clearly structured: At 12 p.m., a one-minute continuous tone sounds, signaling the all-clear. This is followed by a five-minute pause before a rising and falling howling sound announces a disaster alarm. After another pause, the continuous all-clear tone sounds again. Each signal lasts one minute. These test measures are important so that all Cologne residents are familiar with the warning mechanisms and can react correctly in an emergency, as the city of Cologne explains in its press release.
Recommended behaviors
In an emergency, the authorities advise seeking shelter in closed rooms, closing windows and doors and switching off ventilation systems. The radio should be turned on to receive current information. The sirens have a range of around three kilometers, and in regional disaster situations the responsible authorities are required to initiate the warning.
The decision about the use of the warning systems lies in the hands of the fire department, the public order office, the health department and other responsible bodies. If a warning device fails, other methods and channels can be activated to inform the population in good time. This includes, for example, that the fire brigade control center can contact radio stations such as Radio Köln directly and that announcements are repeated at regular intervals to ensure that everyone receives the necessary information.
A bitter lesson from the past
The need for an effective warning system has been highlighted in the past by incidents such as the 2021 flood disaster. In order to improve the availability and technical equipment of sirens in Germany, a siren funding program was launched, which is carried out by the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief (BBK). This program aims to procure new sirens and modernize existing systems so that they meet current standards, as can be found on the [BBK](https://www.bbk.bund.de/DE/Warnung-Vorsorge/Warnung-in-Deutschland/So- Werden-Sie-gewarnt/Sirenen/sirenen_node.html) website.
For the coming years, 14.5 million euros in funding will be available nationwide to expand the technology and improve the warning infrastructure nationwide. However, municipalities must raise their own funds in order to benefit from these subsidies.
The city of Cologne's preparations for the test alarm on June 7th are not only a sign of a well-functioning alarm infrastructure, but also an important step in informing citizens about the correct behavior in an emergency. Remember: In an emergency, every minute is crucial!