#CelineSoundOfParis

[atotaltaitaitale]

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Sound of Paris - Public Warning System (Système d'alerte et d'information des populations - SAIP) - Sound On 🔉

Every first Wednesday of the month, at midday, an alarm sounds in France's major cities. (=>Reminds me of the Alarm system in Singapore).

These are the monthly tests of the SAIP (Système d'Alert et d'Information des Populations) alert and information system, a system for rapidly warning citizens in the event of a military attack, natural disaster or other civil security problem.

In France, since the Second World War, sirens have gradually replaced the tocsin (ringing of bells). From 1948 onwards, the Réseau national d'alerte (RNA), a network of sirens located mainly along land borders, fulfilled the function of alerting populations. Inherited from passive defense, i.e. the protection of populations in the event of war, it was initially conceived as a response tool to the airborne threat.

After the Cold War, sirens were installed throughout France. This warning network is managed by the FrenchAir Force, but it is not only of military interest: it is also used to warn people in the event of natural disasters such as tsunamis. It is used " to warn the population of a civil-security disaster of natural or technological origin." In September 2019, it was activated in response to a major fire at the Lubrizol plant in Rouen, for example.

Every month, during drills to ensure that the equipment is working properly, this siren sounds for one minute and 41 seconds. In the event of a real threat, this signal is repeated three times. If this situation arises, the French Ministry of the Interior recommends taking shelter in an enclosed space, blocking openings and vents, and staying away from windows. Then wait for the government's instructions on the radio.

A little nostalgia of my Sound Of Singapore Series.