Free app warns residents of local issues like burglaries and roadworks

A mobile app has launched that allows local authorities to update residents on everything from local roadworks to the presence of dangerous hornets.

Local authorities and police can update residents

More than 8,800 local authorities have already implemented the PanneauPocket system, mostly town halls, as well as local police forces that use it to send alerts warning residents of car accidents or a spate of burglaries in the area, for example.

The app is free to download and offers access to every participating commune.

Users can select one or more ‘favourites’, for which they will receive a notification whenever a new update is published.

To see if your commune is part of this, check app.panneaupocket.com.

Readers say they found it particularly useful to check for local water restrictions over the summer.

Read more: 70 French departments still have top level drought alert despite rain

FR-Alert remains official app for major incidents

Communes might also use PanneauPocket to warn locals of extreme weather, but in the case of major incidents, such as a natural disaster, industrial accident or terrorism, there is no need to have downloaded this or any other app to receive alerts.

The FR-Alert system, which launched in June, allows authorities to send updates, including details of the incident and guidance to follow, directly to any mobile phones in use in the area.

Read more: Will France’s FR-Alert warning system work with foreign phones?

The alert will make a noise and vibrate the phone even if it is on silent.

However, phones that are off, without any signal at all, or in flight mode will not receive the alert.

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