The depot building and shelter, in the village of Luutsniku, Rõuge municipality, close to the Latvian border, cost nearly €700,000 to construct, and local residents also contributed greatly to its completion.

Aimar Sisask, head of the Luutsniku crisis education center, said: "According to the specifications, it has one and a half square meters per person, so we can easily accommodate 65 people, but of course, if we need to accommodate more, we can, as there are a hundred square meters."

The shelter's basement rooms are encased with a layer of concrete several meters thick, and the facility is equipped with ventilation, water and electricity systems, meaning the entire village could take shelter there in a war or emergency situation if needed.

Tagne Tähe, head of the Southern Rescue Center, said: "In this case, Finnish requirements have been taken as a basis, as in Estonia there are no construction specifications for shelters and shelters yet. We are working on this matter and there are places where they are planning, waiting for the precise regulation, and then they can start building the shelter, but this one here is the first of its kind."

The bomb shelter's emergency exit is a seven-meter-long tunnel which leads out of the underground shelter.

Crisis training courses are also planned, so that people can cope with an emergency and help others if necessary.

Sisask said: "We use this bomb shelter as a classroom, where we do the theory part, so to speak, and practically play through an evacuation."

"We can fill the shelter to the brim; people would have to go out through the tunnel and then get first aid from there. For example, a 'victim' we brought out of the tunnel was injured, so we give them specific treatment for broken bones, so these situations have to be resolved accordingly," she added.

One local resident, Aivar Jallai, said: "For me, it means first and foremost a sense of security – that there is a place to come to. The other aspect is the emotional side, that we were able to help out, do this and contribute here together as a community."

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!