Every first Wednesday of the month, we're used to hearing a shrill sound in the streets of the capital and throughout the country. These warning sirens (Système d'Alerte et d'Information des Populations) are a monthly test set up in 2011 to provide citizens with an initial behavioral message of safety in all circumstances. But this Wednesday, January 1, 2025, exceptionally, they will not be sounding. But why?
The Prefecture de Police has announced that January 1st is a public holiday to mark the start of the New Year, and that the monthly test has been postponed to Wednesday January 8th between 11:45 and 12:00 nationwide. So don't worry if you hear a siren the following week - it's normal! From February onwards, the test will return to normal.
As a reminder, no action is expected on the part of the population, so avoid contacting law enforcement and emergency services to avoid unnecessarily saturating the telecommunications network, and don't relay false rumors or information on social networks.
Warning siren on the 1st Wednesday of the month: do you know what this signal is for?
Every first Wednesday of the month, at midday, an alarm sounds in France's major cities. Where does this particular warning siren come from, and what does it mean? [Read more]
Warning siren on the 1st Wednesday of the month: do you know what this signal is for?
