Short answer. Poland has two siren signals for civilians: a modulated siren tone for 3 minutes means an alarm, and a continuous steady tone for 3 minutes means the alarm is cancelled 23. Warnings also arrive through the free RSO app, ALERT RCB text messages, radio and TV 12. When you hear an alarm, turn on the radio or TV and follow official instructions 1.
What are the siren signals in Poland?
The Government Centre for Security (RCB) states: "W Polsce mamy obecnie tylko dwa rodzaje sygnałów alarmowych" (Poland currently has only two kinds of alarm signal) 3. The signals are set by an Interior Ministry regulation of 14 May 2025 (Dz.U. 2025 poz. 645), in force since 31 May 2025 2.
| Signal | Siren | Spoken version |
|---|---|---|
| Alarm for the civilian population | Modulated siren tone, 3 minutes 2 | "Uwaga! Uwaga! Uwaga! Ogłaszam alarm…" repeated three times 2 |
| Alarm cancelled | Continuous steady siren tone, 3 minutes 2 | "Uwaga! Uwaga! Uwaga! Odwołuję alarm…" repeated three times 2 |
Two other signals exist but are not addressed to the public 2:
- Fire-service alarm: a siren rising and falling three times with 30-second pauses, lasting 3 minutes. It calls out fire-protection units.
- Exercise or training alarm: a continuous tone lasting 1 minute.
Is there a visual alarm sign?
Yes. The visual alarm sign is a yellow equilateral triangle with its base at the bottom 2. It is placed on objects in public spaces or shown on screens immediately after an acoustic alarm, and removed when the alarm is cancelled 2.
How else are warnings sent?
Besides sirens, official warnings go out through 12:
- RSO (Regionalny System Ostrzegania), the free official mobile app.
- ALERT RCB messages sent to mobile phones by the Government Centre for Security (RCB).
- Warning messages from radio and TV broadcasters, mobile network operators, newspapers and websites.
- Megaphones and direct contact.
Installing the RSO app and keeping a battery or crank radio at home, as the Safety Guide's supply list suggests 1, gives you more than one way to receive a warning. See our emergency supplies page.
What should I do when I hear the alarm?
Turn on the radio or TV and follow official instructions 1. The authorities may direct people to shelters; our public shelters page explains how to find yours in advance. Agreeing on a meeting point and a contact person beforehand makes this easier: see our guide to a family emergency plan.
Who announces alarms?
Alarms are announced by the territorial civil protection authorities: voivodes, district heads and mayors (wójt, burmistrz, prezydent miasta) 2. ALERT RCB messages come from the Government Centre for Security 3. Contacts are listed on our emergency contacts page.
Frequently asked questions
What does a 3-minute wavering siren mean in Poland?
It means an alarm for the civilian population 23. Turn on the radio or TV and follow official instructions 1.
What does a steady 3-minute siren mean?
What is a 1-minute continuous siren?
It is an exercise or training alarm 2.
What is the yellow triangle sign?
It is Poland's visual alarm sign: a yellow equilateral triangle with its base at the bottom, shown after an acoustic alarm and removed when the alarm is cancelled 2.
Do I need an app to get alerts in Poland?
No, but it helps. ALERT RCB messages are sent to mobile phones, and the free RSO app is another official channel 12.
Sources
- Rząd Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej (publication 1/2025, ISBN 978-83-976775-0-0) — Poradnik bezpieczeństwa — https://poradnikbezpieczenstwa.gov.pl/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Ministerstwo Spraw Wewnętrznych i Administracji / Dziennik Ustaw — Rozporządzenie Ministra Spraw Wewnętrznych i Administracji z dnia 14 maja 2025 r. w sprawie alarmów i komunikatów ostrzegawczych (Dz.U. 2025 poz. 645) — https://api.sejm.gov.pl/eli/acts/DU/2025/645/text.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Rządowe Centrum Bezpieczeństwa — Sygnały alarmowe — https://www.gov.pl/web/rcb/sygnaly-alarmowe3 (accessed 2026-10-20)
Turn this into action
Your plan for Poland, worked out for your household.
- Water, food and equipment counted for each person and pet
- The nuclear plants and zones around your home
- Phaenyx Safe: one tap to tell your people you are safe
Sources
- Rząd Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej (publication 1/2025, ISBN 978-83-976775-0-0) · Poradnik bezpieczeństwa checked 2026-10-20
- Ministerstwo Spraw Wewnętrznych i Administracji / Dziennik Ustaw · Rozporządzenie Ministra Spraw Wewnętrznych i Administracji z dnia 14 maja 2025 r. w sprawie alarmów i komunikatów ostrzegawczych (Dz.U. 2025 poz. 645) checked 2026-10-20
- Rządowe Centrum Bezpieczeństwa · Sygnały alarmowe checked 2026-10-20