Austria tests 521 sirens and AT-Alert in annual drill

Austria is holding its annual civil protection test, with 521 sirens set to sound in Salzburg between noon and 12:45 p.m. The test also includes the AT-Alert warning system, ORF reports.

The Austrian Civil Protection Association has launched a new app, called Ziva, to provide alerts for locations selected by users, such as their home or a relative’s address. The app also offers preparedness checklists for emergencies including floods and power outages.

“Warnings alone are not enough; people also need to know what to do,” said Josef Farda, the association’s national managing director.

The siren test will include three signals: a three-minute steady tone for a warning, a one-minute rising and falling tone for an alarm, and a one-minute steady tone for the all-clear.

AT-Alert will be tested between noon and 1 p.m. The system can send regional or nationwide warnings through mobile network operators.