Chełm Residents Falsely Alerted to Air Threat,Sparking Criticism of Government Procedures
Chełm,Poland – September 16,2025 – Residents of Chełm were placed on high alert Saturday following teh activation of city-wide alarm sirens and the issuance of an RCB alert warning of a potential “threat from the air.” However,no actual attack materialized,leading to a wave of public questioning and criticism directed at local government officials.
The incident highlights a disconnect between national-level emergency protocols and local implementation, with Chełm President Jakub Banaszek asserting the decision to activate the sirens originated from government administration procedures, not a local assessment of danger. The false alarm underscores ongoing concerns about the reliability and interaction surrounding Poland’s air defense alert system, especially in light of regional security tensions.
Banaszek addressed the situation on social media, stating, “A lot of hate has fallen, criticism, although we have carried out a command from the level of government administration. Let me remind you that we can cancel us from the function for not taking out commands.” He explained the process begins when a signal to activate the alarm is received by the local Crisis management center via radio communication from the voivodship CZK (Center for Crisis Management).
According to Banaszek, the duty center is then obligated to inform a supervisor and launch the sirens through the Municipal Headquarters of the State Fire Service. He emphasized that he is only informed after the sirens are activated and received a message regarding the “likely threat from the air” prior to the public RCB alert.
“At the time of informing, the signal has already been turned on and the inhabitants of the area received alert RCB,” Banaszek stated, adding that the procedure isn’t simply “automatism,” and personnel are trained on their roles.
The incident follows reports of delayed SMS alerts regarding the initial warnings,as noted by former Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak. Local government officials released a statement Saturday urging residents to “remain calm,follow the procedures and implement the adopted guidelines,” adding,”Remember that it is worth starting procedures about ‘several times too much’ than about ‘once too little.'”
