Estonia to Test Air Raid Sirens Across Country

Text Stewart Johnson
Photo Estonian Rescue Board

Following Monday’s multiple test notifications to cell phones, Wednesday, 18 March will see a full-fledged and nationwide test of the new air raid siren system between 15:00 and 15:10. This is only a test, and there is certainly no danger. The purpose of the test is to measure how far the sirens can be heard.

All residents of Estonia should have the Eesti app, and the Ole valmis!, or “Be Prepared!”, app. Visitors are welcome to install these apps as well, and they are free to use. Information is also available on these apps without having to log in using digital identification methods such as Mobile-ID or Smart-ID. Around the time of the air raid siren test, notifications will be sent via these apps in Estonian, English, or Russian, and alert banners will be displayed on national television stations.

While visitors to Estonia from Sweden and Finland are accustomed to such tests, where they happen four times a year and monthly, respectively, this test might be alarming to hear in Estonia if you are not expecting it. This is just a test, however, and it will be the third such test in the past year. The first test revealed several shortcomings in how audible the system was in May of 2025. These errors were fixed, and tested successfully last December.

After the test, you are encouraged to offer feedback at the Crisis website, which is designed to help people prepare for emergencies, and how to behave in the case of an emergency. This will help Estonian authorities improve the system even more. On a fun note, if you receive an alert on Wednesday and open the app, try to take a screenshot. This function has been disabled inside the app’s environment.

Estonia is also developing a nationwide network of emergency shelters. You can find the closest public shelter here.

To learn more about this and similar topics
air raid siren crisis Eesti app Mobile-ID Ole valmis! public shelter Shelter test