Austria to conduct nationwide civil protection siren test

Austria will conduct its annual civil protection siren test on Saturday, October 3, 2026, between 12:00 and 13:00. The nationwide drill aims to verify the functionality of sirens and familiarize the public with emergency signals.

In addition to traditional sirens and the AT-Alert system, the Austrian Civil Protection Association is introducing ZIVA, a new digital tool. Developed by the association, the ZIVA app provides real-time warnings, hazard information, and personalized preparedness recommendations to ensure citizens know how to act following an alarm.

The test will include three distinct signals: 'Warning' (a three-minute continuous tone indicating approaching danger), 'Alarm', and 'All-clear'.