Test test test: How the government would like to warn in the future

The pictures of the devastating storms in the German Ahr Valley or in the Spanish Valencia are still alive to many – Interior Minister Léon Gloden (CSV) recalled on Monday afternoon on the second floor of the Center National de Crise. There is the crisis room, in which all actors of disaster coping come together in an emergency. In order to be prepared for disasters, such as the flood in the summer of 2021 – to be prepared in the future – to recognize it early, report them in time and to manage them effectively – the interior minister, together with the skin, presented Commissariat à la Protection National Measures to strengthen disaster protection.

Interior Minister Léon Gloden emphasized the central importance of early warnings and targeted information: « This is the only way to avoid damage and human tragedies in advance. » A central instrument of this strategy is the LU-Alert system, which was introduced in autumn 2024.

This warning system, which replaces « Gouvalert », informs the population in an emergency about various channels-including Cell Broadcast, location-related SMS, the LU-Alert app as well as the official websites of LU-Alert and the authorities involved.

In the future, the flow of information is to be set up even broader. It is planned to rely on digital scoreboards in public space – for example at bus stops. Social media should also play an even greater role in order to achieve as many people as possible. The warning system is continuously developed and optimized in order to be able to react even more effectively in the event of a crisis.

In the event of floods and severe storms, a new instrument will be used in the future: Resc-LU. This tool provides for the creation of a central overview of available resources and equipment – including water pumps, cranes or other technical equipment. In an emergency, the aim is to be able to access the necessary resources quickly and coordinated in order to organize assistance efficiently and purposefully in affected regions.

High trust in the warning and information system

Between October 24 and November 12, after the first test phase of LU-Alert, over 3,500 people took part in a survey of the new warning system. Almost 71 percent of the participants stated that they had already known about the introduction of the system. On October 18, around 42 percent received a test message via « LU-Alert » within 35 minutes. In another test on October 24, this proportion rose to almost 71 percent, which received the message within 30 minutes.

On October 22, a warning was also sent via the Cell Broadcast system, which made the cell phone ring in almost 78 percent of those surveyed. 36 percent stated that they were frightened, while almost 33 percent immediately became aware of – an effect that, according to Christine Bastian, senior study officer of the Interior Ministry, corresponds exactly to the goal of such a warning. A total of 85 percent of the participants expressed trust in the warning and information system.

Alain Becker, General Director of the Directorate General for Civil Security, announced that on October 6th this year a nationwide test of the Cell Broadcast system will take place. Warning messages are played on compatible mobile phones – accompanied by the characteristic warning tone.