Siren check

If you ever wondered what's the reason for the siren that you hear every Thursday at 13h00, here is the answer: it is a test for the general alert of the CEA Centre that starts with an intermittent sound and ends with a continuous alarm. So, what should you do in case of an emergency? First of all, stay in the building you are in or enter the nearest building around; close all windows and doors and follow further instructions given through the loudspeakers; if required, take out the emergency mask and suit provided at the entrance of each building and put them on; if there are newcomers or visitors around, take care of them; use the telephone only for safety purposes.

So far, so good. If it is not a Thursday but a Wednesday and you hear a siren at midday, do not worry. This is another test alarm that is turned on precisely at noon every first Wednesday of the month. It's part of the Particular Intervention Plan (PPI) to alert the people living in the neighbourhood of Cadarache in the event of a nuclear accident at the CEA Centre.