On Saturday, August 1, 2026, at 5:00 p.m., alarm sirens will be activated in many localities. Residents will hear a continuous acoustic signal lasting one minute.
As the authorities emphasize, this will not be a real alarm, but part of a planned drill of the public warning system. The exercise is being organized in connection with the 82nd anniversary of the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising.
The time of 5:00 p.m., known as Hour “W”, has special historical significance. It was precisely at this time on August 1, 1944, that the Warsaw Uprising began. Activating the sirens also serves as a tribute to the participants of one of the most important events in the history of Poland.
During the drill, a continuous siren signal lasting 60 seconds will be broadcast. This means that residents should not take any action related to a danger or report this to the emergency services.
The drill is being conducted on the basis of applicable regulations concerning contamination detection systems, public warning, and the rules for announcing alarms and issuing warning messages.
So if you hear the alarm sirens at 5:00 p.m. on August 1, remember that this will be a planned drill of the public warning system and a symbolic tribute to the memory of the Warsaw Uprising insurgents, not a signal indicating that a real danger has occurred.