Czech firefighters scrap monthly alert system test in order to prevent panic

The regular test of the national alert system, held every first Wednesday in a month at noon, will not take place today

ČTK

Written by ČTK Published on 06.05.2020 11:22:58 (updated on 06.05.2020) Reading time: 1 minute

Prague, May 6 (CTK) – The regular test of the national alert system, held every first Wednesday in a month at noon, will not take place today, as it was cancelled by firefighters to prevent the sound of sirens from causing panic amid the novel coronavirus epidemic, the Fire Corps has written on their web.

This is not for the first time that the minute-long siren test has been cancelled.

Last month, firefighters also cancelled the siren test due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

It was previously also cancelled during the disastrous floods that hit the Czech Republic in 2009 and 2013, and during the visits by U.S. and Russian presidents to Prague in 2010.

The reason of the cancellation was always the same: firefighters’ efforts to prevent a possible panic.

The Czech Republic has been in the state of national emergency over the epidemic since March 12, a regime that is to last until May 17, if not further prolonged by parliament.

The Czech emergency sirens may soon become a thing of the past, as EU officials recently voted in favor of implementing a mobile alert system that would theoretically serve as their replacement.

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