Börde District – Press Release dated September 3, 2026
Sirens are an important tool for warning the public in times of crisis
On September 10, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., 280 sirens will sound as part of a countywide test.
To raise public awareness, the Conference of State Interior Ministers has designated the second Thursday of September each year as a nationwide Warning Day. This year, the Börde district is participating in the nationwide Warning Day for the fifth time. Regular functional tests are important not only to make the public aware of the available warning systems but also to verify their organizational and technical functionality. Warning apps, digital systems, and other warning devices only work if they are actively used by the public. Especially at night, sirens are the most important tools for effectively warning the public.
This year, the cell broadcast service will again be used to alert and inform the public. Cell broadcast can send alerts to all mobile devices (smartphones and conventional cell phones) that are configured for this purpose and ready to receive them, provided they are located within a specific section of the cellular network. As a result, all cell phones connected to a cell tower will receive an automatic message similar to a text message.
To raise public awareness and to conduct an organizational and technical test of the warning systems’ functionality, all 280 sirens in the Börde district will sound on September 10, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. (all clear at 11:45 a.m.).
In addition, the Modular Warning System (MoWaS) is to be supplied with a test alert from the national warning center. This service, in turn, supplies various warning applications for mobile devices, such as the NINA and KATWARN warning apps.
The signal on September 10 at 11:00 a.m.:
A one-minute, rising and falling wailing siren used to signal a “general danger” warning in peacetime, known as the disaster alert or the air raid siren in the event of a military emergency.
The sirens are owned by the cities and municipalities, which are responsible for their upkeep and maintenance. The Börde district provides the digital siren control receivers used for this purpose. The sirens are controlled through the Börde district’s integrated control center, for example, to alert fire departments to emergencies.
For more information about Warntag 2026, visit www.bundesweiter-warntag.de.
What can we expect on September 10, 2026?
11:00 a.m. – Public Alert
- All sirens in the Börde district will sound a high-pitched, wailing tone that rises and falls in volume for 1 minute.
- In the Barleben area, the city of Oschersleben (Bode), the city of Wanzleben-Börde, and the city of Haldensleben, the sirens issue additional warnings via voice announcements.
- Alert apps for cell phones and tablets (such as NINA and KATWARN) receive a test alert from the national alert center.
- All cell phones will receive a message (similar to an SMS) via cell broadcast regarding the test alert.
11:45 a.m. – All-clear for the public
- All sirens in the Börde district will sound a steady, continuous wail for 1 minute.
- In the Barleben area, the city of Oschersleben (Bode), the city of Wanzleben-Börde, and the city of Haldensleben, the sirens signal the all-clear via a voice announcement.
- Alert systems such as NINA and KATWARN are provided with a test all-clear message.
- No all-clear message will be sent via cell broadcast.
How should I act?
All you need to do is check that you can be reached in case of any alerts. Perhaps you aren’t using an alert app yet—you can download one for free from your smartphone’s app store.
Analysis & Survey
The Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) is once again conducting a survey on Warning Day this year. The purpose of the survey is to give citizens an opportunity to provide feedback, to gather experiences in a consolidated manner, and to analyze the technical functioning and effectiveness of the warning as well as the warning systems. “Warning systems” refer to the devices or applications available to the public, such as radio, television, websites, social media, digital city information boards, warning apps, loudspeaker trucks, or sirens.
The survey will be available on Warning Day, September 10, 2026, starting at 11:00 a.m., for 7 days on the website www.warntag-umfrage.de.
Contact for inquiries:
Börde District
Ms. Judit Spereiter
Bornsche Straße 2, 39340 Haldensleben
Phone: +49 3904 7240-1212
Email: presse@landkreis-boerde.de
