Rescue Board urges public to follow threat alerts' instructions
Emergency notifications sent by the state should be taken seriously and if you should follow the instructions, crisis experts have said.
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, several alerts about a "potential air threat" were sent via the EE-ALARM system as either SMS messages or app notifications.
Deputy Director General of the Estonian Rescue Board Viktor Saaremets said if the recipient is at home when the message arrives, then nothing more needs to be done.
"If a person receives this alert while outdoors, the message from tonight — which stated that there is a potential aerial threat and that people should take cover if they see a drone — means they can continue with their normal lives, but if they see anything suspicious, they should take cover," Saaremets told Tuesday's "Aktuaalne kaamera."
He said recipients should look at what the message says and act accordingly. There could be several options, even in the event of an imminent threat from the air.
"One is very specific: it says that you must take cover immediately and find the nearest indoor shelter to take cover there. The other message is that there may be an air raid in the area, and if you see anything, take cover. This applies everywhere, regardless of where you are," the Rescue Board deputy director general said.
If a message says to take cover, then the recipient should go to the first indoor place they can find. Standing by the window is dangerous, said Reelika Rohuste, development specialist for Women's Voluntary Defense Organization (Naiskodukaitse).
"The two-wall rule is also good – that there should be two walls between you and the outside. If you are on higher floors, definitely move to lower ones," she said.
If the danger is real, sirens will also be activated.
"The most important thing is to listen to the government. They'll tell you what to do — whether you need to take cover, whether the danger is still present, or, if not, that life can go on as usual," Rohuste added.
To prepare for a crisis, the Women's Voluntary Defense Organization has developed a free app "Be Prepared!" with useful information. The app also sends out crisis alerts.
Information from the state can be viewed on the government's kriis.ee website.
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Editor: Helen Wright, Johanna Alvin
Source: Aktuaalne kaamera
