On Wednesday, 14 May at 3:00 PM, the Estonian Defence Forces will activate the national public warning system, EE-ALARM, for the first time as part of the “Siil” exercise; sirens will sound in 22 towns and in areas around Tallinn, with a pre-alert issued earlier in the day through official warning channels.
When the national public warning system is activated, two test messages will be issued across multiple platforms: the “Ole valmis!” and “Eesti” mobile apps, text messages to mobile phones, a ticker on Estonian Public Broadcasting channels ETV and ETV+, the err.ee website, and the “ERR Uudised” mobile app.
The siren network will also be activated in 22 locations across Estonia, including densely populated areas around Tallinn. Text messages will be sent under the name EE-ALARM to Estonian mobile subscribers, and from the number +372 5950 0000 to foreign phones.
This marks the first large-scale activation of the full public warning system, allowing authorities to assess its performance under real-life conditions and pinpoint any areas in need of improvement.
At 11:00 AM, a pre-alert will be sent through all public warning channels, notifying people that the full system test – including sirens – will begin at 3:00 PM.
The first message will be: “Estonian Defence Forces: Public warning system test today, May 14 at 15:00 incl activation of sirens. No real danger! Info: kriis.ee or +372 600 1247”.
The total signal duration about four minutes
At 3:00 PM, the entire EE-ALARM system will be activated, including the siren network in 22 towns and surrounding areas of Tallinn. The Defence Forces will also send a second message:
“Estonian Defence Forces: Public warning system test. Sirens will sound on May 14 at 15:00. No real danger! Info: kriis.ee or 1247. Feedback kriis.ee.”
The siren signal comprises a one-minute rising and falling tone, repeated three times with 30-second intervals, lasting a total of approximately four minutes. You can listen to the siren sound on the Olevalmis website.
Sirens will sound in Haapsalu, Jõgeva, Jõhvi, Keila, Kohtla-Järve and Ahtme, Kuressaare, Kärdla, Maardu, Narva, Paide, Paldiski, Pärnu, Põlva, Rakvere, Rapla, Sillamäe, Tapa, Tartu, Valga, Viljandi, Võru, and Tallinn, as well as in nearby high-density areas including Tabasalu, Harkujärve, Saue, Laagri, Peetri, Saku and Viimsi.
The Defence Forces are urging the public to inform family and friends of the upcoming warning system test and to prepare accordingly. They also recommend downloading the “Ole valmis!” and “Eesti” mobile apps.
People are also advised to ensure notifications are enabled on their phones and, if necessary, assist relatives in setting up their devices.
Check your language preferences
The Defence Forces have also advised the public to check their language preference in their mobile provider’s self-service portal.
The EE-ALARM system sends alerts in Estonian, English and Russian. “If your language preference is registered, you will receive the alert only in your chosen language. If not, the message will be sent in both Estonian and English,” the Defence Forces said.
Registering a language preference enables faster and clearer communication, as previous messages combined multiple languages in a single alert, resulting in longer texts and delayed delivery.
“Issuing warnings in the recipient’s preferred language is essential,” the Defence Forces added. “If a person receives an alert in a language they do not fully understand, their response time may be slower – which can pose a risk to life.”
Instructions for updating language preferences are available on each mobile operator’s website.
