Imagine you are driving to your workplace, it is summer, your window is open while the CD player is playing. At the same time, a substance has leaked in your vicinity that causes breathing difficulties. It would be practical if you knew about this leakage, could inform yourself about the measures to be taken and could also inform your family directly. This is possible with a new - and in our opinion practical - warning app from the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance.

NINA, as the app is called, notifies you in the event of a major fire or if hazardous substances are spreading, among other things. The app also integrates weather warnings from the German Weather Service and flood information from the federal states. Because during storms, it's not just the drive to the workplace that becomes dangerous; on company premises, for example, you could be hit by falling branches. NINA can therefore also help companies to inform their own employees about dangers in good time. The topic of flooding is also of interest to many companies on the Rhine. This is because they may have to change transport or loading processes if the arrival of ships is delayed due to the flood.

Many chemical park operators also use the app to inform their employees and the public about dangers. At the Chemical Park Knapsack, for example, we pass on important events to the district fire brigade control centre, which then posts messages in NINA. And not only when a substance has been released or there is a fire, but also when we test our sirens once a year.

The app is easy to use. You can select your current location or other locations there and keep yourself informed about your workplace, for example, but also your place of residence or other company locations. In case of an emergency, the app sends a short message to your mobile phone with initial information.

By the way, NINA also has some nice additional information. There you will find tips and checklists for emergencies in a separate section: What do I do in the event of special dangers, such as floods, storms, fire or power failure? What should I put in my emergency supply, emergency backpack or medicine cabinet?

We think NINA is a useful addition that ensures more safety - at work, but also elsewhere.

By the way, the app is available free of charge for the operating systems iOS (from version 8.0) and Android (from version 4).

Link to the federal government's website: https://www.bbk.bund.de/DE/NINA/Warn-App_NINA_node.html