A test activation of the Early Warning System for the Civilian Population across Greece will take place on the morning of Wednesday, October 1st, 2025, as part of the Tactical Exercise Without Troops (TAAS) “ANTIOCHOS-25”.

The exercise will include all Civil Defense Alarm Sirens as well as church bells.

According to the announcement by the Ministry of Citizen Protection, the test activation of the Civil Defense Alarm Sirens for the Municipality of Heraklion will be carried out as follows:

• 11:00: Air raid alert signal lasting 60 seconds, with an intermittent sound of varying intensity.

• 11:05: End of alert signal lasting 60 seconds, with a continuous sound of stable intensity.

• 11:20: Air raid alert signal lasting 60 seconds, with an intermittent sound of varying intensity.

• 11:25: End of alert signal lasting 60 seconds, with a continuous sound of stable intensity.

• 11:30: CBRN threat warning (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear), lasting 120 seconds, with a continuous sound of stable intensity.

Simultaneously with the sounding of the Civil Defense Alarm Sirens, the bells of churches throughout the country will ring with a series of short chimes at a fast pace, lasting 3 minutes.

It is stressed that the activation of the Civil Defense Alarm Sirens is purely for testing purposes and that there is no cause for concern.

Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash