Rhineland-Palatinate: 869 new sirens for better civil protection!

Rhineland-Palatinate: 869 new sirens for better civil protection!

Rhineland-Palatinate has made significant progress in expanding the siren network since the devastating flood disaster in 2021. Currently, 869 new sirens have been installed, bringing the total number of operational sirens in the country to 3,458. These measures are part of a comprehensive security concept that aims to efficiently warn the population in the event of an emergency. Since 2021, 660 of the newly installed sirens have been installed with the help of a joint funding program from the federal and state governments, which underlines the cooperation between the two levels.

A total of 13.8 million euros in funding was made available for the further expansion of the siren infrastructure. These consist of 5.3 million euros provided by the federal government and 8.5 million euros contributed by the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Over eleven million euros in grants have already been approved, of which approximately 6.8 million euros have already been paid out. The municipalities are primarily responsible for setting up and operating the sirens, and they also use the state warning register to collect data for future development scenarios.

New funding and programs

As part of the economic stimulus and crisis management package 2020-2022, the federal government is providing additional funds to promote the siren infrastructure. Federal funding of 4.1 million euros is available for Rhineland-Palatinate, which goes back to a federal-state agreement from October 2021. The state of Rhineland-Palatinate plans to increase federal funding by a further 4 million euros if the next state budget is passed. This means that a total of around 8.1 million euros is available for new sirens and the retrofitting of existing electronic sirens.

A specially established funding process entitled “Siren Funding Program 2021/2022” offers districts and independent cities the opportunity to submit funding applications and access approved funds via the BKS-Portal.rlp. The central data collection in BKS-Portal.rlp also supports comprehensive geo-referenced management and presentation of warning resources in the country. Further information on inquiries about the Sirenen funding program can be obtained via the email address sirenenfoerderung@add.rlp.de.

Effective warning means in civil protection

Sirens are considered effective warning devices that are intended to reach the population quickly in an emergency. They complement other warning means such as warning apps, including KATWARN and NINA, as well as the “Cell Broadcast” mobile phone service. The expansion of the siren network is therefore seen as a decisive step towards greater security in civil protection. The progressive development in Rhineland-Palatinate shows the commitment of the authorities to effectively inform and protect citizens in dangerous situations.