Latvia to test early warning system and EU co-funded cell broadcast on Tuesday

To test the operation of the national early warning system on Tuesday, 2 June, from 10:00 to 10:10, the State Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) will activate alarm sirens nationwide for three minutes and send a cell broadcast notification to residents' smartphones.

During the alarm siren test, a fluctuating signal will sound (sounding for 5 seconds, followed by a pause). The test is necessary to detect potential faults and evaluate the audibility of the signal. Residents have no reason to worry, and no further action is required. In the event of a real threat, upon hearing the sirens, you must turn on the television or radio (public media) to receive information.

It is essential to test the technical functionality of the system across the entire territory of Latvia simultaneously.

Why might the notification not arrive?

If you do not receive the cell broadcast notification, it could be due to several reasons:

• the receipt of such notifications is disabled in the phone settings;

• the device model does not support cell broadcasting;

• the phone does not have the latest software updates installed.

The test is conducted in accordance with Cabinet Regulation No. 440.

EU funds investment in safety! The cell broadcast system and the unified emergency calls mobile application "112 Latvija" have been developed with EU co-funding. These investments have enabled Latvia to introduce a modern and effective public warning tool, which allows important information to be promptly delivered to residents' smartphones within minutes during emergencies.