From April 30 until the end of June, 581,000 homes will get a new manual – published in Estonian, Russian, and English ( and online in Ukrainian) – from the Rescue Board (Päästeamet) which explains how to ensure your safety in an emergency or military crisis.

It outlines how citizens should behave when emergency sirens sound, during an evacuation, or when seeking shelter. Additionally, guidance is provided about home supplies, what to pack in an evacuation bag, and important phone numbers and websites. 

Margo Klaos, Rescue Board general director, said the pamphlet has been printed as it must be available to everyone, regardless of interest access or availability of electricity.

"In recent years, the state has further developed its risk communication channels. We also see that it is again time to ensure that all our people have up-to-date knowledge and skills to deal with a crisis," said Klaos. "The guidance sent out will help us to cope in any crisis situation: if we are prepared for the worst, we are prepared for any crisis"

The manual complements the "Ole Valmis!" (Be Prepared!) campaign launched in 2022. Both guides can also be found online in all three languages.

The Rescue Board urges people to keep the guide in an easy-to-find place.

State uses different channels for threat notification

Estonia has several ways to notify its citizens about threats. These include mobile phone messages (EE-ALARM), warning sirens, door-to-door knocking, loudspeakers on emergency vehicles, the media and the internet.

"In any crisis, the first point of contact for people in Estonia is the Emergency Response Center. In addition to sending out ambulances, police and rescue services, we also send EE-ALARM messages to people during emergencies and provide reliable information and advice on how to behave from the public information line 1247," explained Rein Olesk, the center's crisis and continuity expert.   

"When you receive an EE-ALARM alert, you should follow the initial instructions in the SMS on how to ensure your safety in the event of a threat. For more information, people can call the national information line 1247 or visit the kriis.ee website," added Olesk.   

The Rescue Board is in charge of civil protection and is responsible for shelters, large-scale evacuation, danger notifications and improving people's crisis preparedness.

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