A representative of the Rescue Board says that when there is war near Estonia, people must be prepared for shelter messages. Although Monday’s warning messages caused some confusion, it is important that the system works and people receive warnings in time.
The EE-alarm emergency alert system sends warnings via SMS or app. Sometimes errors can occur, such as yesterday when app warnings were sent throughout Estonia, even though they were intended only for Lääne- and Ida-Viru County. There were also issues with languages, but these were corrected later.
The Rescue Board representative states that the emergency alert system is still new and needs to be tested regularly. This helps to identify and fix errors. If a real danger arises, warning messages must be clear and specific.
When receiving the message 'Air danger. Take cover.', one should immediately take shelter and wait for the next message explaining whether the danger is real. The Rescue Board representative recommends that people study materials and be prepared for such situations.
Monday's situation was an example of why emergency alert system testing is necessary. Such events allow us to learn and improve the system so that everything runs smoothly in the future.