On October 1, 2026, the city of Eupen took part in the national test of the BE-Alert alarm system. This system allows authorities to quickly inform the public in emergency situations such as a major fire, flood, or power outage, via SMS, email, or phone.
For the Eupen-Kettenis area, 2,667 people were registered with BE-Alert on that day, an increase of 312 compared to the previous year. A total of 2,812 test messages were sent via SMS, phone, or email to these registered users, 605 of which were in French. Users select their preferred language and can provide multiple phone numbers.
Approximately 93% of these test messages were received correctly. In total, 2,719 SMS, 3 phone calls, and 90 emails were sent. Delivery via SMS and email proved to be very reliable. Notification by phone call, often linked to a landline number, can only reach users when they are at home.
Nationally, 247 Belgian cities, municipalities, and provinces tested BE-Alert on October 1, sending a total of 1,619,150 messages. This test enabled municipalities to practice their procedures and raise public awareness.
The city reminds residents of the importance of registering for free at www.be-alert.be to receive prompt emergency notifications. It is also advised to keep personal data up-to-date, as multiple phone numbers and up to five addresses (home, work, relatives) can be registered.
