Uniform siren warning signals were introduced as early as 1973, and the first test route with seventeen radio locations was set up in Styria. After a successful test phase, a nationwide siren alarm network was established by 1985. Today, a network of 1,300 sirens, centrally controlled by the provincial warning centre, ensures the safety of the population. Since 2024, the Austriawide population warning system AT-Alert has supplemented the network and enables centralised warnings via mobile phone in the event of acute dangers.

Over decades, the Provincial Warning Centre has established itself as a central institution for safety and crisis management. Its tasks include alerting mountain rescue and other special rescue services, coordinating between the police, the armed forces, district authorities, provincial offices and the office of the provincial governor, as well as various administrative activities. Requests for assistance from the armed forces, for example after floods or mudslides, as well as warnings to the population in the event of nuclear crises, are also handled by the Provincial Warning Centre.

The growing tasks of the Provincial Warning Centre led to an increase in staff from five to twelve control centre dispatchers and to the introduction of the eurofunk ELDIS operations management computer system over 25 years ago. ELDIS bundles all important technical systems, controls them centrally using alert plans, checklists and measures, and is continuously adapted to new requirements. The system is currently being expanded to include two workstations and additional functions from the latest software version.

The central task of the provincial warning centre is to connect people who need help with those who can provide it. Dispatchers are optimally supported in this task by the operations management system, explains Günter Hohenberger, head of the Styrian provincial warning centre.

eurofunk would like to express its sincere thanks to all the staff at the Styrian Provincial Warning Centre for their many years of trustful cooperation and wishes them all the best on their anniversary!