A nationwide EE-ALARM public warning test is to take place Wednesday, with sirens sounding between 3 p.m. and 3:10 p.m.
An SMS reminder will go out around midday. No action is needed during the test; in a real emergency residents should seek shelter.
The test, on Wednesday, October 14, will sound public sirens across the country and send notifications through the Eesti app and the "Ole valmis!" mobile application, as well as a ticker message on ERR's channels.
On 14 October, Estonia will conduct its third nationwide EE-ALARM public warning test of the year. An SMS reminder will be sent around midday. Between 15:00–15:10, sirens will sound, with alerts via the Eesti and Ole Valmis! apps and ERR channels. ⚠️ No action is needed during the test. In a real emergency, seek shelter!
— Estonian Defence Forces | Kaitsevägi (@Kaitsevagi) October 12, 2026
No notification will be sent sent when the test ends. The aim is to check the system's reliability, verify repairs and updates, and identify any shortfalls.
The Rescue Board asks residents to think in advance about where they would shelter at home, at work or at school. A recent survey found over two-thirds of Estonian residents would look for the safest place in their home, usually the basement, if told to shelter, but only about a quarter believe they already have such a feature in their home.
The test follows an accidental siren activation in Muuga on October 6 during routine maintenance work, ERR's Russian-language portal reported.
Wednesday's event the last of three nationwide tests in 2026. The others took place in March and June. Next year's tests are scheduled for February, June and October 2027.
More detailed information is here, and is also available from the kriis.ee site here and the Rescue Board here, while the Ole Valmis/Be Prepared app can be downloded here or from Google Play and Apple app stores.
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