Warning day in NRW and Bavaria: Ströer's digital media carriers test warnings in case of an emergency

On 14 March, warnings will be broadcast in North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria - but only as a trial. Safety communication will be tested on the state-wide warning days. Around 1,200 digital media carriers in public spaces operated by Ströer in NRW are once again part of the trial warning. In Bavaria, there are around 1,100 media carriers. They provide visual information in the event of an emergency and can thus provide citizens with targeted guidance.

From 11.00 a.m., the state-wide warning is triggered centrally in NRW and Bavaria via the Modular Warning System (MoWaS) from the situation centres of the state governments at warning level 1. The warning multipliers distribute the trial warning with a time delay via warning media such as digital media carriers in public spaces, televisions, radios and smartphones. At around 11.20 a.m., an all-clear is given via the warning media and end devices that were previously used to send the warning.

Ströer has been listed as an official warning multiplier since 2018 and the digital media carriers are connected to the satellite-based Modular Warning System (MoWaS). This is regulated in a nationwide multiplier agreement of the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK), which every city and every federal state has been able to use since then with only a few modifications. Depending on the danger level, the programme on the digital screens is interrupted for the warning or the warning is included in the regular playout loop. The warning messages on the screens quickly provide important information and initial recommendations on how those affected can best react in the event of a sudden event.

In a total of 310 cities in Germany, 80 % of Ströer's digital city information systems are already integrated into the warning system. In addition to the national agreement with the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Control, Ströer has entered into further regional and local agreements with cities, municipalities and fire and police departments that also have a need for a warning multiplier.

"Safety communication, crisis communication and prevention. Numerous events in the past have shown us how important it is to have a good public infrastructure with which citizens can be informed and warned in a targeted manner and in real time. As an official warning multiplier, we are striving to further expand our so-called "Kommunales Stadtinformationssystem" (KIS) to optimise warnings in public spaces via screens and thus support municipal crisis teams," says Alexander Stotz, CEO of Ströer Media Deutschland GmbH.  

In cooperation with cities, Ströer initiated the digitalisation of public spaces several years ago. Ströer has the expertise and the infrastructure to initiate local, sustainable change and to accelerate the development of smart cities by setting up sustainable and digital infrastructure solutions. For example, it is possible to integrate sirens into Ströer's media carriers and supplement the previously purely visual warning messages on the screens with acoustic signals. Individualised voice outputs are also possible, for example for individual streets. In this way, the crisis teams of the cities can be supported in setting up a new siren infrastructure to warn the population.

Further background material on Ströer's warning messages can be found here.