During the test, a short so-called “beep” sound file will be played from all siren towers. The purpose is to assess the activation timing and overall technical performance of the siren network.
The sirens will not be activated at full volume, and the sound file has been selected so that it does not disturb daily life, yet remains audible.
Listen to the sound file that will be played on Thursday afternoon: sireenitest piiksuheliga
In the event of a real emergency, the government will activate the sirens with a one-minute rising and falling tone, repeated at least three times with 30-second pauses between signals. The full alarm sequence lasts about four minutes.
An example of the actual alarm sound can be heard on the website olevalmis.ee.
The siren network is part of Estonia’s national public warning system. To ensure the system’s reliability and plan its future development, it must be tested and analyzed regularly—this is a routine part of system maintenance.
The beep sound heard on Thursday is only a test. There is no real danger, and no action is required.
Activating the sirens is part of a two-stage technical test of the public warning system. On Tuesday, October 28, test notifications were also sent out via two mobile applications.
