Alarm signals in Poland: what they sound like and what to do

Siren signals

Signal	What it sounds like	What it means
Alarm announced	wavering siren tone (rising and falling) for 3 minutes	alarm for the civilian population
Alarm cancelled	steady siren tone for 3 minutes	the alarm is over
Exercise alarm	steady siren tone for 1 minute	exercise or training

Instead of a siren, an alarm can be announced by voice, repeated three times: “Uwaga! Uwaga! Uwaga! Ogłaszam alarm…” (Attention, I announce an alarm), followed by the cause, the type of threat and the area. The cancellation is “Odwołuję alarm…” (I cancel the alarm). Basis: § 2 of the regulation on alarms and warning messages (Dz.U. 2025 poz. 645) and its annex, in force since 31 May 2025.

Visual alarm: a yellow triangle

An alarm also has a visual form: a yellow equilateral triangle with its base at the bottom. It is put up straight after the alarm is announced by siren or voice, on structures in public spaces or in another customary way, including on screens. Taking the sign down means the alarm is cancelled (§ 2 point 2 and the annex).

Warning messages

Besides alarms, the authorities send warning messages:

• in the Regional Warning System (RSO) app,
• on radio, TV and through mobile operators,
• as Alert RCB, a text message sent by mobile operators to phones in the affected area on behalf of the Government Centre for Security,
• in newspapers and on websites.

A message says what the threat is and where, what to do and how long the threat may last. Messages are in Polish, so it helps to know the siren signals.

What to do when you hear an alarm

1. Turn on the radio or TV, check the RSO app and Alert RCB text messages.
2. Follow the messages: they say what the threat is and what to do.
3. Tell people who may not have heard the alarm or do not understand the message, for example older neighbours or colleagues from abroad.
4. Wait for the cancellation: a steady siren tone for 3 minutes, a voice announcement or the yellow sign being taken down.

We checked the regulations on 24 October 2026. This guide does not replace official messages.