EXPLAINED: What you need to know about Norway's civil defence warning system
On Wednesday, the Norwegian Civil Defense will test out its "Important message – look for information" signal in all municipalities where warning systems have been installed.
The Norwegian Civil Defense, the national civil defence organisation which provides support to emergency and rescue departments in the event of major accidents and special incidents in Norway, will test out all the country's warning systems on Wednesday.
This is a regular check, which the organisation runs twice a year, at 12pm on the second Wednesday in January and June.
Civil Defense tests the warning systems to check whether they work and repair those that do not.
The signal is sent in three series with a one-minute pause between series.
The signal is supposed to let Norwegians know that they should look for information in media such as radio broadcasts, TV, newspapers, the authorities' websites and social media.
The specifics of Norway's civil defence warning system
There are approximately 1,250 warning points that have the function of notifying the population in the event of an acute danger or risk in Norway.
Most of them are located in towns and cities, and the system is designed to be heard by more than half of the Norwegian population.
Furthermore, the warning systems can be used both in times of peace and war.
"In peacetime, the warning systems can be used, among other things, in the event of industrial accidents involving the release of toxic or dangerous substances.
"In times of war, the facilities can be used if there is a risk of attack," Øistein Knudsen Jr., the head of the Norwegian Civil Defence, told the news bureau NTB on Tuesday.
There are several types of signals that the system can send out:
- Look for information: When the sirens sound off three times in a row with a 1-minute pause between each sound, that means "important message – listen to the radio". If you hear this signal, you should seek out more information. Information about what is happening and what you should do will be provided through various media, such as official websites, radio, television, and social media. This signal is used in both peacetime and wartime.
- Risk of attack – look for shelter: If the sirens send out an intermittent signal for about one minute, they're sending out a "risk of attack – look for shelter" signal. The signal is utilised in scenarios where there is a possibility of an air attack or during war preparedness drills.
- Danger over – all clear: If the sirens sound non-stop for 30 seconds, it indicates that the threat has ended.
You can listen to all of the different types of signals on the Norwegian Civil Defence's website, here.
New emergency notification system to be in place in February
Norway is introducing a new system for notifying people in the event of a crisis in February. The new system will also be tested this week, Minister of Justice Emilie Enger Mehl told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK).
Norwegian authorities want to be able to use the system to send a direct notification to all mobile phones in Norway should a crisis occur.
"This is an important tool for the authorities to reach out (to people) quickly with information if there is, for example, danger," Mehl explained.
The system will work on both Apple and Android phones from February. It will also work if your mobile network is down, she added.
According to the authorities, the mobile alert will not replace the all-raid sirens – it will be an addition to the old warning system.
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The Norwegian Civil Defense, the national civil defence organisation which provides support to emergency and rescue departments in the event of major accidents and special incidents in Norway, will test out all the country's warning systems on Wednesday.
This is a regular check, which the organisation runs twice a year, at 12pm on the second Wednesday in January and June.
Civil Defense tests the warning systems to check whether they work and repair those that do not.
The signal is sent in three series with a one-minute pause between series.
The signal is supposed to let Norwegians know that they should look for information in media such as radio broadcasts, TV, newspapers, the authorities' websites and social media.
The specifics of Norway's civil defence warning system
There are approximately 1,250 warning points that have the function of notifying the population in the event of an acute danger or risk in Norway.
Most of them are located in towns and cities, and the system is designed to be heard by more than half of the Norwegian population.
Furthermore, the warning systems can be used both in times of peace and war.
"In peacetime, the warning systems can be used, among other things, in the event of industrial accidents involving the release of toxic or dangerous substances.
"In times of war, the facilities can be used if there is a risk of attack," Øistein Knudsen Jr., the head of the Norwegian Civil Defence, told the news bureau NTB on Tuesday.
There are several types of signals that the system can send out:
- Look for information: When the sirens sound off three times in a row with a 1-minute pause between each sound, that means "important message – listen to the radio". If you hear this signal, you should seek out more information. Information about what is happening and what you should do will be provided through various media, such as official websites, radio, television, and social media. This signal is used in both peacetime and wartime.
- Risk of attack – look for shelter: If the sirens send out an intermittent signal for about one minute, they're sending out a "risk of attack – look for shelter" signal. The signal is utilised in scenarios where there is a possibility of an air attack or during war preparedness drills.
- Danger over – all clear: If the sirens sound non-stop for 30 seconds, it indicates that the threat has ended.
You can listen to all of the different types of signals on the Norwegian Civil Defence's website, here.
New emergency notification system to be in place in February
Norway is introducing a new system for notifying people in the event of a crisis in February. The new system will also be tested this week, Minister of Justice Emilie Enger Mehl told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK).
Norwegian authorities want to be able to use the system to send a direct notification to all mobile phones in Norway should a crisis occur.
"This is an important tool for the authorities to reach out (to people) quickly with information if there is, for example, danger," Mehl explained.
The system will work on both Apple and Android phones from February. It will also work if your mobile network is down, she added.
According to the authorities, the mobile alert will not replace the all-raid sirens – it will be an addition to the old warning system.
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