Test of the national warning system: SMS alerts and sirens (02.05.2022)

As part of the reform of the national alert system, the government will send a test SMS alert message to the entire population on Monday, 2 May 2022. The government's test strategy is based on the test of the siren network, which takes place every first Monday of the month at around noon, and which has been used for many years to check the functionality of the sirens. In view of the importance of strengthening the information of the population, it is planned to extend the tests to other warning channels, such as zonal SMS.

On the day of the test, in addition to the siren test, the following SMS will be sent around noon: "LU-ALERT / ALERTE TEST / NO ACTION REQUIRED / AUCUNE ACTION REQUISE / KEINE HANDLUNG ERFORDERLICH / INFOS: MINT.PUBLIC.LU"

It should be noted that no personal data will be collected or stored by the State as part of the tests of the public alert system. Furthermore, in order to ensure that real and test alert messages are clearly distinguishable, it should be specified that the passage "No action required / Aucune action requise / Keine Handlung erforderlich" will only be mentioned in the test messages.

The aim of the tests is to check the functionality of the various alert channels, to identify possible points of improvement and, above all, to make citizens aware of the use of different alert channels. The test strategy, which is long-term and will take place on a regular basis, is aimed at ensuring the resilience of the population in the face of emergency or crisis situations that could have an impact on public safety (such as a natural disaster, an industrial accident or an attack).

The government's aim is to put in place a reliable, efficient and effective multi-channel warning system to ensure the safety of the population. Therefore, in order to ensure the functionality of the system, a first milestone has been reached with the development of the above-mentioned test strategy with clear governance structures behind.

In the interest of continuous improvement, recipients are invited to send any feedback they may have to the government at the following address: lu-alert@mi.etat.lu.

Released by : Ministry of State / Ministry of Home Affairs / High Commission for National Protection (HCPN)