Well informed in an emergency: Smooth course of the warning day
02.10.2025
At 11 a.m. on Thursday, September 11, the sirens sounded nationwide and citizens received a warning message on their cell phones. The test alarm was also received by users of warning apps such as NINA and KATWARN. The all-clear was given at 11.45 am. The primary aim of the annual warning day is to check the technical processes and raise public awareness. It is also about obtaining feedback on the effectiveness of the systems. "The warning day is an important stress test for our warning infrastructure," explains Lord Mayor Dr. Felix Schwenke. "All systems are triggered simultaneously to test their operational capability in the event of an emergency. At the same time, the aim is to raise people's awareness of the issue of warning and personal precautions. Everyone should know how to protect themselves in an emergency and what information is important. Everything went according to plan in Offenbach. This shows that we are well prepared."
The sirens were triggered by the Offenbach Integrated Control Center in Rhönstraße without any technical problems: The sirens went off at 11 a.m. on the dot, with only the Bieber district reporting that the siren signals could only be heard faintly or not at all. Information like this is important because it allows the warning system to be further optimized.
Cell broadcast successful - selective network failure at mobile network provider
In addition to the siren warning, the cell broadcast system was also tested, which sends warning messages directly to cell phones without a special app. This also worked well in large parts of Offenbach - as long as they were not affected by the nationwide disruption to Deutsche Telekom's mobile network, which could have led to limited or delayed delivery of the warning message to individual users.
Background to the warning day
The nationwide warning day takes place once a year and is organized by the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) in cooperation with the federal states and local authorities. The aim is to sensitize the population to warning systems and to ensure a quick and comprehensive warning in the event of natural disasters, major emergencies or other dangers.