More public safety and security through simulations of urban infrastructure: In January 2022, the newly founded Fraunhofer Center for Security of Socio-Technical Systems SIRIOS in Berlin started operations. In comprehensive research and development projects, it bundles the competencies of four Fraunhofer institutes. The aim is to set up a research, test and training environment for security authorities, rescue services and operators of critical infrastructure over the next four years. There, complex security scenarios can be simulated, experienced virtually and tested in real life. The direct participation of citizens should also be made possible, e.g. by assessing the subjective sense of security.

To ensure that warnings in extremely dangerous situations sound even when the sound is turned off, the warning app KATWARN activates the “critical alarm” function and is now providing a free update for this purpose.

The latest evaluation of a tsunami exercise on the island of Kos by the European Commission shows that KATWARN is crucial for quickly warning those affected. During last year's exercise, KATWARN was the only warning app used, along with other warning channels such as sirens, scoreboards and loudspeakers.

KATRETTER has officially started at the Berlin Fire Department. After an intensive test phase of one year, the targeted training and networking of civilian helpers is to become an important supplementary component for emergency rescue. The helper system is based on the KATWARN technology and was developed by researchers of the Public Safety business unit of Fraunhofer FOKUS. It is a cooperation with the Berlin Fire Department and CombiRisk GmbH.