Just what is the Dutch siren every first Monday of the month?

On hearing this somewhat strange noise for the first time, a couple of weeks after moving to the Netherlands, I was quite confused and totally petrified! Especially given the fact that no one, at any point, had mentioned it. Let alone what it was for or what it was about! I mean, you’d think my line manager might have just let me know so that I didn’t fret and very nearly go into panic mode, like I did! But no! Seems I was misinformed about this. But, just what is the Dutch emergency siren every first Monday of the month?

As the siren sounded, it immediately stopped me in my tracks. I was in the classroom in the midst of getting my class ready for lunch. My initial thought was that it was the school fire alarm going off, as I hadn’t heard this in the Netherlands as of yet. We hadn’t had a practice drill yet. But I assumed we would at some point. And to be honest, I think I even rolled my eyes and scoffed at the timing of this, which I just assumed was a practice fire drill.

I grabbed the register and instructed my class to line up. But, I think they just assumed they were on their way to the lunch hall. I looked out of the window onto the playground, assuming that I would see classes beginning to gather at their year group and class assembly points. I didn’t even know where on the playground the assembly point was for my class! But my priority was to get them out of the building first and all accounted for. I would figure that bit out once outside. Look out for and follow another teacher in my year group. Or, more likely and helpfully, the children would know where the assembly point was for our year group!

My heart was pounding in my chest. I was beginning to panic and worry, as usual! Hopefully I wasn’t letting it show! But this was something I had done multiple times and in different countries now. Nothing to worry about, I just needed to take the class outside and line them up as I usually would.

With the children lined up, I stepped out into the corridor expecting to see other classes making their way out of the building. But, it was silent and empty. Strange! My classroom was at one end of the rather long corridor. At the very least, I would have seen classes at the other end of the corridor making their exit. As there were doors either end that led out onto the playground. But all was calm. All the other classes were still inside their classes.

By this point, the alarm had stopped. I turned to the class and asked if they had heard the same sound/alarm that I had. At this point, I thought I was either being paranoid or simply going mad. Thankfully, one of the boys reassures me by answering, ‘Oh, that sound happens sometimes, we’re used to it.’ Another child adds that they didn’t know what it was, but that they’ve heard it a few times now. Still totally confused, bewildered and none the wiser, I took the class to the lunch hall.

Class in the lunch hall, I hot-footed it to the staffroom to find out from other colleagues just what that alarm was. I was genuinely confused and concerned. And, must have had that confused, gormless look on my face, my family tell me I get at times, as a couple of the colleagues I had asked found my questioning rather amusing. And even more so after hearing my reaction to the siren. But assured me that the following month, there would be no need to march the children out to the assembly point. But that, actually, if it were for real, it would be better to stay inside.

Initially intended for use as an air raid siren, they are now used as a warning sign for other emergencies or disasters in the country. Such as flooding, industrial fires, or any other catastrophic event.

Every first Monday of the Month at midday, the siren is tested across the whole of the country. This is to check that everything is working as it should, just in case.

But, it can also be an amusing way to (now that I’m used to it and know what it is!) spot a tourist if it happens to be a Monday you’re not at work.

The only time the siren isn’t tested at this time is on Remembrance Day (4th May) or national holidays.

It lasts for approximately one minute and 26 seconds without interruption.

If it’s noon on the first Monday of the month, then just continue with your daily business! It’s just a practice drill to ensure everything is working as it should. And if it’s not noon on the first Monday of the month or a public holiday, then the official advice is to go inside, shut all doors and windows and turn on the television or radio for further instructions and updates.

But, with the NL alert system, warning messages about emergency situations are also sent to people’s mobile phones. This service gets tested about twice a year. It has quite a distinctive (scary, makes you jump out of your skin) tone and pitch. So you instinctively know that it’s the NL alert. A useful and reassuring service. My alert even came through to my English mobile number. But, it can be handy to have a Dutch SIM.

So, no need to panic. It’s just the first Monday of the month test. And, if it just so happens to be on one of those Mondays that it does go on longer than the 1 minute and 26 seconds, then it is a real emergency. But, in the, probably unlikely, event that it might be for real at any time, then there’s the alert on your mobile and the government website for help and guidance.