Lessons from Ukraine show what we need to focus on in civil protection

A delegation from the Estonian Rescue Board and the Estonian Rescue Association visited Ukraine for a week to learn about the lessons in civil protection, demining, and rescue work that Ukraine has acquired while fighting Russia’s full-scale war.

‘The tragedy that Ukraine has to endure every day has taught them invaluable lessons that we need to take into account seriously when protecting our population,’ said Martin Lambing, Deputy Director General of the Estonian Rescue Board.He said that the Ukrainian experience shows that the most important thing during air strikes is for people to know what to do in the event of an attack, to take shelter, and seek information. ‘People can let their guard down and are often outdoors during attacks, with no protection from shock waves and shrapnel. That is why it is important to take all hazard notifications seriously and go to a place that offers protection from an attack. Shelters are widespread but can be very different. Simpler facilities adapted into shelters are in homes, schools, hospitals, as well as hotels. Similar to Estonia’s plans, Ukraine has introduced requirements for new houses and existing basements.’

‘In Ukraine, hazard notifications are organised as a systematic and comprehensive solution that works in synergy – sirens, messages, social media. We got a lot of tips on how to build an alert system that works in peacetime as well as in wartime. It is important for people to know how to seek shelter and where to look for verified information about what is happening,’ said Lambing.

In war, the emergency services must keep working, even in the face of an enemy attack. ‘Rescuers and deminers must have high-quality personal protective equipment and be trained to work in a way that preserves their own lives and the lives of those they save. This requires a lot of preparation and planning, which we already need to work on today. The safety of our people – in the rescue network and throughout Estonia – is our top priority.’

According to Piia Kallas, Head of the Estonian Rescue Association, Ukraine’s greatest asset are its people and their experiences, from which Estonia can learn a lot. ‘We have been providing humanitarian aid to Ukrainian rescuers since the beginning of the war thanks to the support of donors, and we were able to witness the presence of this aid first hand on this visit. The Ukrainian rescuers expressed their gratitude to Estonian donors for their significant contribution in supporting them.’

The Estonian Rescue Board is the leading agency for civil protection, responsible for sheltering, large-scale evacuation, hazard notifications, and improving the preparedness of people for crises. It is also responsible for developing the crisis preparedness of local authorities and their communities.