SINGAPORE: An 'Important Message' signal, which is meant to alert people to an important broadcast on the radio, will be sounded through the islandwide Public Warning System for a minute on Sept 15, at 6.20pm.
The signal will also be broadcast on smartphones that have the SGSecure mobile app installed, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) on Sept 3. It will last for 20 seconds, and will be accompanied by a brief text message on the sounding of the Public Warning System.
For phones to receive the signal and the text message, the app’s notification and alert settings must be enabled.
Members of the public connected to the Singtel network will also receive an SG Alert on their mobile phones, SCDF said in a social media post.
During an emergency, SG Alert complements the Public Warning System by quickly alerting the public and providing information on actions to take, it added.
Upon hearing the signal, people should tune in immediately to any local radio or TV channel for a Total Defence message.
The annual sounding and broadcast message are part of the SCDF’s efforts to familiarise the public with the Public Warning System signals and to raise awareness on how the public should react upon hearing the signal, it said on its website.
The Public Warning System is used to warn of attacks from the air, land or sea, as well as natural and other man-made disasters, it added.
Each year, the siren goes off at 6.20pm on Total Defence Day on Feb 15, as well as on Sept 15.
There was a one-off change in 2026 when the siren was sounded on Feb 1 instead, for the first time. That was done to remind Singaporeans that disruptions can occur at any time. - The Straits Times/ANN
