© MAINT
On Thursday morning, minister Léon Gloden presented the new warning system LU-Alert – under the motto "Early Warning – Early Action" – which has been in the works for the past few years.
In the event of natural disasters such as forest fires, heavy rainfall and flooding, or even a tornado, it is crucial to have a warning system which can act quickly to notify the population.
Different warning levels from yellow to purple
The new system will have varied warning levels from yellow to red, as well as different channels to reach the public. Yellow refers to low-risk, for less alarming situations, while orange is medium-high risk. Red would correspond to a high-risk situation such as the 2021 floods.
There will also be a fourth level meaning "danger imminent", which would require immediate action from the public. One example of this would be a case involving toxic gas emissions, with advice for people to close their windows.
Finally, the lowest level is green, which refers to purely informational messages without any direct danger. For example, this could include product recall notices.
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Different contact methods per warning level
Different methods can be used to reach the public depending on the warning level. For example, nationwide text messages can be sent for red and orange risk levels.
Cell broadcast is not a new technology, but nevertheless, it is new for the Grand Duchy. This permits messages to be sent directly to mobile phones, but crucially, not via SMS. Instead they depend on whether the phone is situated in a particular geographical area. The mobile phone will react by making a loud noise, regardless of whether it is on silent mode. It will also vibrate and the torch will flash, alerting the user to the warning.
This should make it clear that action is required, explains Christine Bastian, of the General Department of Civil Security. However, these cell broadcasts can only be received by up-to-date smartphones.
Although the majority of people have smartphones these days, it is important to be able to reach those who are less digitally connected. In the necessary scenario, there would be sirens, as well as fire engines and police cars driving through towns with megaphones, says the Ministry of the Interior's civil security director, Alain Becker. In addition, he encourages the public to check on elderly neighbours to ensure they are kept up to date with any news.
Further test phases are planned
The new system is available in several languages and will be launched on Thursday, accompanied by a testing phase. This means the LU-Alert will be tested on the first Monday of every month, Gloden confirmed, using either text messages or the app. The sirens will also continue to be tested as usual.
As the system is still not complete, the Ministry encourages feedback from the public. It will also aim to carry out a publicity campaign and will issue municipal councils with leaflets to inform residents.
© Annick Goerens
