All sirens in the Burgas region will sound a test signal on Thursday, October 1, at 11:00 — a routine check of the National Early Warning System carried out twice a year, on the first working day of April and October, the regional administration says.

The test checks whether the system works properly and helps people learn to recognize the signals, officials say.

During the test, residents will hear three different messages. First comes a national alert signal saying: "Attention! Attention! Attention! A technical check is under way." Next is a national all-clear signal, followed by the message: "Attention! Attention! Attention! The technical check has ended."

Burgas regional governor Diko Dikov has told mayors and local institutions to warn people about the test in advance. He also asked that all sites with sirens have uninterrupted power before and during the test.

The head of the regional education department and mayors of municipalities with sirens installed must take steps to make sure the signals don't scare children at kindergartens and nurseries or pupils at schools.

School directors will brief teachers and explain to children beforehand what the signals mean, before they sound.

The order also applies to the power grid operator ESO EAD. The head of its Burgas network operations area must make sure no planned power cuts take place in the area on October 1 until the siren test is over.

The check is carried out under Article 37, paragraph 2 of the regulation on how the National Early Warning System works. The regulation also sets out how the government warns the public during disasters and air-raid danger. It was adopted by Council of Ministers decree No. 48 of March 1, 2012, published in the State Gazette issue 20 of March 9, 2012, amended in State Gazette issue 65 of August 6, 2021, and further amended in State Gazette issue 47 of 2022.