Disaster or crisis
In the event of a disaster in your area, you want to know what is going on and what to do.
The Hague Safety Region
The municipality of Zoetermeer works together with 8 municipalities in the Safety Region Haaglanden (VRH). They work together to prevent and combat accidents, disasters and crisis situations. They do this by organizing training courses and exercises, among other things.
Regional crisis plan
Our safety region has established a regional Crisis Plan Haaglanden. This plan describes the risks in the region and how the organization of disaster control and crisis management is organized and the way in which the region tries to prevent disasters and crises. You can read more information in the regional crisis plan (pdf) .
NL-Alert telephone message
If there is an emergency in your area, you will be informed via an NL-Alert on your mobile phone. When you receive this message, your phone will sound a loud alarm. In the message you receive, you can read what is going on and what you can best do at that moment. Every six months, the government sends out a test message throughout the Netherlands. Click on NL-Alert for more information.
Warning and alarm sirens
Every first Monday of the month, the sirens go off in the Netherlands. At 12:00, a national warning and alarm system is tested to check whether the equipment is working properly and to ensure that everyone recognizes the siren in the event of a disaster. No testing is carried out on religious and national holidays. Did you not hear the siren? Then you can report this via the form on www.brandweer.nl | Sirens .
Does the siren go off at a different time?
If the siren sounds at a different time, go inside, close the windows and doors and turn on the radio or TV to the regional emergency channel Omroep West.
Via Omroep West and WOS receive official government information via radio and/or television in the event of a (major) incident. Therefore, make sure that you can find these channels on radio and television.
Crisis.nl website
In the event of very serious incidents, the municipality or safety region may decide to use the website crisis.nl. This website is then used to share important news, information or announcements.
Haaglandenveilig.nl website
On the website Haaglandenveilig.nl you will find information about risks in the Haaglanden region. Think of flooding, fire or the release of hazardous substances. For each risk it is described what you should do and how you can best help your neighbours, for example, if necessary. You can also read how you can possibly prevent fire or other incidents in your own home and surroundings.
CO 2 pipeline
A pipeline runs through Zoetermeer (Oosterheem and along Rokkeveen) from Rotterdam to Amsterdam. The pipeline is used for the transport of CO 2 (carbon dioxide). The pipeline is filled with CO 2 and this gas is used by greenhouse horticulture in North and South Holland.
Government measures in the event of a nuclear accident
The chance of a radiation incident in the Netherlands is very small. Nuclear installations are very safe and meet strict requirements. If there is an incident at a nuclear reactor in the Netherlands, the government will take measures. The extent of these measures varies per situation.
In the event of a nuclear accident, radioactive substances can be released that spread through the air. One of these substances is radioactive iodine. Radioactive iodine can enter the body through inhalation and be absorbed by the thyroid gland. In the long term, this can cause thyroid cancer in young people. By taking iodine tablets at the right time, the thyroid gland becomes saturated with iodine. The thyroid gland then absorbs less radioactive iodine, which reduces the chance of developing thyroid cancer.
Distribution of iodine tablets
Children up to 18 who live in the Haaglanden region received a box of iodine tablets in the mail in October 2017.
The government advises pregnant women of all ages in our region to also have iodine tablets. With this you can protect your unborn child. Are you pregnant? Then you can buy the iodine tablets at the pharmacy and drugstore.
Central Government - Iodine tablets
All information about the distribution, availability and effects of these iodine tablets can be found at:
Do you have any questions?
You can also call 14 079 .
Municipality of Zoetermeer
Team Safety, Department of Safety, Permits and Enforcement
PO Box 15
2700 AA Zoetermeer