On Civil Defence Day, Tuesday 15 September 2009 at 12.05pm, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) will be sounding the "Important Message" through the island-wide network of PWS sirens. Members of the public are advised not to be alarmed by the minute-long sounding exercise. When the signal is sounded, members of the public can immediately tune in to any local FM radio stations to listen to a special info-mercial broadcast and learn more about the three PWS signals.

The PWS is a network of sirens placed at strategic points throughout the island. The purpose of this system is to warn the public of imminent threats that could endanger lives and property. Besides the "Important Message" signal (characterised by pulsating blasts), the two other PWS signals are the "Alarm" and the "All Clear" signals, which are characterised by wailing blasts and continuous blasts respectively. The sounding is part of SCDF"s continuous efforts to familiarise members of public with the three PWS signals and to raise awareness on how the public should react upon hearing each signal.

Members of the public are also encouraged to understand more about the PWS signals and other emergency procedures by visiting the SCDF website at www.scdf.gov.sg. Alternatively, they may also refer to the CD Emergency Handbook (2008 edition, Page 77) for more information on the PWS signals, or call the SCDF Emergency Information Hotline at 1800-286-5555 to hear the audio recording of the PWS sirens. Please refer to Annex A for more information on the PWS.

Annex A -More Information on the Public Warning System

The Public Warning System (PWS) is a network of sirens located at strategic points throughout the island. This system serves to warn the public of imminent threats that could endanger lives and property. The PWS will be used to warn the general public of attacks from the air, land or sea, as well as natural and other man-made disasters. The table below shows what the various signals mean. It would be a good idea to memorise them.