A nationwide test of Estonia’s public warning system in May exposed serious flaws, as delayed sirens and sluggish mobile alerts underscored the system’s unpreparedness in the face of a real emergency.
In May, the Estonian Defence Forces conducted the first nationwide test of the public warning system, EE-ALARM. However, the 14 May trial revealed serious shortcomings, as sirens failed to activate in several locations, and the mobile alerts – both via app and text message – were subject to significant delays.
As part of the pre-alert phase at 11:00 AM, information was disseminated through the “Eesti” app, the “ERR Uudised” app, the ERR website (err.ee), and television channels ETV and ETV+. Text messages were also sent to mobile phones. However, due to technical issues, the “Ole Valmis!” app notification was substantially delayed, according to a statement by the Defence Forces.
Although the text message alert eventually reached approximately 1.5 million devices, the volume of messages being dispatched simultaneously caused considerable delays. Within the first 15 minutes, only about 700,000 phones had received the message, while some recipients waited more than half an hour.
At 3:00 PM, during the main alert phase, the “Eesti” and “Ole Valmis!” apps again sent notifications, supported by ERR platforms and television broadcasts. The distribution of SMS alerts followed a similar pattern to the pre-alert, with noticeable delays. These are currently being reviewed by the Estonian Information System Authority and the Women’s Voluntary Defence Organisation.
Sirens delayed
The test also included the activation of Estonia’s emergency siren network. While two-thirds of the sirens were triggered on time, others were delayed, and a small number failed to sound at all, according to the Defence Forces.
The Estonian interior ministry is now compiling a comprehensive report and has launched an investigation into the failures. “This first-time activation provided essential knowledge and experience of the current processes and communication channels,” the Defence Forces stated.
The interior ministry, the Estonian Rescue Board, and other relevant agencies will now analyse the shortcomings in order to improve the resilience and responsiveness of the national warning system.
