The civil defence systems are often referred to as air raid alarms and sirens, and can be used in times of peace and war to warn the population in the event of acute danger. In peacetime, it is the police who make the decision to notify the public. This may be relevant e.g. in the event of gas emissions from industry or dam breaches in water reservoirs. In war, Civil Defence will trigger the warning systems in the event of a risk of attack from air.
There are approximately 1250 warning systems in Norway. Most are located in cities and towns. The signals will be heard by more than half of the population.
Test warnings twice a year
Civil Defence conducts a nationwide warning system test twice a year to ensure that the sirens are working and ready for use. This is done at 12 noon on the second Wednesday in January and June. We are testing the important message – seek information signal.