Every first Wednesday of the month you can hear the siren sound. This siren always sounds at the same time and for a specific duration. This custom has become commonplace, but do we really know what it is for? Find out now!
In almost all municipalities in France, there is a sound alert system. This was set up during the Second World War. It is still operational today. To ensure that it works and above all that it can be used in the event of danger, it is tested regularly... Every first Wednesday of the month.
The national alarm network has the function of alerting the population in the event of danger. At the time, the inhabitants were warned of attacks or air raids. They could thus take shelter. It has also been used to warn the population in the event of natural disasters (floods, forest fires) or technological disasters (chemical explosion).
In France, the national alarm network has around 4,000 sirens. These are the alarms present in metropolitan France. This territory has many more sirens, namely 10,000. Those that do not belong to the national network are the property of the municipalities. It should be noted that companies which have an activity recognized as being at risk are also equipped with an alarm. This is the case of nuclear power plants or factories that handle chemical or toxic products.
Mermaid testing takes place once a month, on the first Wednesday. The official signal lasts 1 minute and 41 seconds. It is repeated three times. A 5 second pause separates the signals. The duration, 1 minute and 41 seconds, was not decided at random. The alarm takes 20 seconds to reach its maximum power and 21 seconds to stop. It must ring for a full minute to be heard by the population.
Previously, the siren sounded at noon precisely. But since November 2018, the sirens of the Population Alert and Information System (SAIP) have been sounding:
If you hear the sirens sounding, then you need to take a few seconds to make sure it is the alarm. Ask yourself two questions:
If the siren matches the tests, then you don't have to worry. However, if the siren goes off outside of testing times, then you should be concerned. The instructions are as follows.
If you can, take your cell phone. So you can have access to information and especially call the emergency services if necessary. Try turning the TV to the news channels or the radio. This approach is important because it allows you to identify the nature of the danger and to follow any instructions given. In the event of evacuation, it is also a good idea to have your identity papers with you.
If you hear the siren sound, don't panic but be ready to react!
