In recent years, the Rescue Board has installed 120 sirens across Estonia. These sirens help warn people in case of danger. The sirens are installed on tall buildings or masts. They start working, for example, in case of an air raid or a major accident.
The sirens are part of the national warning system. In addition to sirens, warnings are sent to mobile phones and the media. The Rescue Board practiced a similar situation during the Crevex exercise a year and a half ago.
In the Muuga area, a dozen siren posts have been installed. If the situation practiced during the exercise were to actually occur, the sirens would start working. However, one company does not allow a siren to be installed on its buildings.
The Rescue Board mentioned that the Maardu city government has offered alternative land for the siren installation. However, there is no sufficiently tall building there, so a new mast would need to be built. This would cost about 50,000 euros.
Currently, according to the law, no one can be forced to install a siren. However, this may change with the draft of the new law. The Rescue Board hopes to reach an agreement with the company.
In mid-May, the large-scale exercise Siil will take place. During this time, all 120 sirens in Estonia will be activated. Warning messages will also be sent to all people's mobile phones. This is an opportunity to practice how the state notifies citizens in case of danger.
The Rescue Board thinks that Estonia needs another 200 siren posts. Currently, 120 sirens have been installed in 22 towns. They cover critical and densely populated areas. In the future, sirens could also be in smaller towns.