In an emergency, these sirens will always be used in conjunction with other notification systems including texts, or SMS, kriis.ee and the state phone helpline 1247, the Rescue Board said in a press release.

According to Minister of the Interior Lauri Läänemets (SDE), Paide, nicknamed the Heart of Estonia, is now better protected.

"One of the main lessons from Russia's full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine is that a nation's resilience both in military conflict and in any other major crisis is determined by how well the people in the rear are protected and cared for," Läänemets said.

He noted that in the coming years, the Estonian government will be allocating an additional €1.1 billion to national defense, nearly a quarter of which will be invested in civil defense.

"Sirens are essential for immediately notifying people of danger and thus protecting people's health and lives," the minister highlighted. "However, sirens alone do not save lives – lives are saved when people know what to do, where to get information and how to assist and support their loved ones, neighbors and community in an emergency."

"The state will only use emergency sirens in very critical situations, when there is a direct threat to people's health and lives, and it requires a rapid response," said Rescue Board deputy director general Martin Lambing.

"Sirens can be used nationwide or locally, depending on the nature and extent of the crisis," he explained. "They will never be used alone, but together with additional notification systems. We plan to start testing the siren network next year, and will analyze opportunities for continuing development in the coming years."

According to Kärt Kinnas, deputy director general of the IT and Development Center of the Ministry of the Interior (SMIT), the initial goal is to equip 22 Estonian settlements with full civil defense siren coverage by the end of the year.

"Paide is the first Estonian settlement to be fully covered by sirens," Kinnas noted. "Installation is simultaneously underway in several different cities and municipalities, and to date we have already installed sirens in more than 15 settlements across Estonia."

She likewise recognized local governments, businesses and other partners that have allowed for the sirens to be installed on their buildings, noting that this is a significant contribution to the protection of the people of Estonia.

Seek shelter, then seek more info

Estonia's civil defense sirens signal with a one-minute-long rising and falling sound that is repeated three times with 30-second intervals. When alerted by these sirens, people should immediately take shelter indoors and seek further instructions from the state's crisis information channels.

Additional notifications of danger may follow the sirens with a delay, which is why it's crucial that people immediately respond to hearing the siren by seeking shelter.

In a settlement deemed "fully covered with sirens," Estonia's civil defense sirens can be heard across the entire city when activated.

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