UNCLASSIFIED · OPEN SOURCES Launch offer: your household plan and Phaenyx Safe are free for a limited time (regular price $29). Build my plan →
PHAENYXCivil preparedness EN

Finland · Alerts and sirens

What do the emergency sirens in Finland mean?

A rising and falling siren for one minute means go indoors and shelter now. A steady one-minute tone is the all clear; 7 seconds is the monthly test.

Updated 2026-10-20· 6 official sources

Short answer. In Finland, the general warning signal is a rising and falling siren lasting one minute. The official advice: "If you hear a rising and falling siren for one minute, go indoors and take shelter straight away." 1 A steady one-minute tone means the danger has passed; a steady 7-second tone at 12:00 on the first Monday of the month is a test 12.

What are the three siren signals?

Signal What you hear What to do Source
General warning signal Rising and falling tone for 1 minute, or a warning by loudspeaker Go indoors and take shelter straight away; close doors, windows and ventilation; follow the official emergency warning 12
All clear Steady tone for 1 minute The danger has passed 12
Test signal Steady tone for 7 seconds, at 12:00 on the first Monday of each month (except public holidays) No action needed 12

What should I do when the warning signal sounds?

Act in this order 1:

  1. Go indoors straight away.
  2. Close doors, windows and ventilation. If you have duct tape, the government list includes it for sealing windows and vents 1.
  3. Turn on the radio or check the 112 Suomi app for the official emergency warning, and follow it 13.

The siren only tells you that something is happening. The emergency warning on radio, TV or the app tells you what it is and what to do. Shelters are opened only when the rescue authorities order it; see Public shelters in Finland.

Where are official emergency warnings published?

The emergency warning that accompanies the siren is broadcast on several channels 13:

  • Outdoor sirens (the signal itself)
  • The 112 Suomi app, from the Emergency Response Centre Agency 3
  • Radio (Yle)
  • Teletext page 112
  • Television, when necessary
  • Websites: 112.fi, pelastustoimi.fi and yle.fi

A battery-powered (mains-independent) radio is on the official home-supply list 1. See Finland's official emergency kit list.

Is Finland introducing phone alerts?

Not yet. A cell-broadcast system, FI-Alert, is planned, and it is not live as of 20 October 2026. The Ministry of the Interior announced that FI-Alert would send warnings directly to mobile phones in an area without an app, including to foreign visitors' phones 4.

The legal basis is a government bill, HE 139/2026, dated 27 August 2026. It amends sections 5 and 7 of the Emergency Warnings Act (466/2012) so that emergency warnings are also relayed through the cell broadcast system, and it makes the Emergency Response Centre Agency (Hätäkeskuslaitos) responsible for relaying each warning to that system 5. The bill states: "Laki on tarkoitettu tulemaan voimaan 1.11.2026" (the law is intended to enter into force on 1 November 2026), and the system was planned to be ready by 31 October 2026 5. On 20 October 2026, the official statute database still listed HE 139/2026 as a pending government bill for the Act 6.

Until the authorities announce that FI-Alert is live, rely on the sirens, the radio and the 112 Suomi app.

Frequently asked questions

When is the siren tested in Finland?

At 12:00 on the first Monday of each month, except on public holidays. The test is a steady tone of 7 seconds 12.

What does a steady one-minute siren mean?

It is the all-clear signal: the danger has passed 12.

Do I need an app to get warnings?

No, but the 112 Suomi app from the Emergency Response Centre Agency delivers official emergency warnings to your phone 3. Radio, TV, teletext page 112 and the sirens also carry warnings 1.

Will visitors to Finland receive phone alerts?

The planned FI-Alert cell-broadcast system is intended to reach phones without an app, foreign visitors included 4. The law behind it is planned to take effect on 1 November 2026; the bill was still pending on 20 October 2026 56.

Sources

  1. Ministry of the Interior / Suomi.fi — General instructions on preparedness, home emergency supplies and on what to do in different situations - Preparing for Incidents and Crises — https://www.suomi.fi/guides/preparedness/how-to-prepare-for-incidents-and-crises/general-instructions-on-preparedness-home-emergency-supplies-and-on-what-to-do-in-different-situations (accessed 2026-10-20)
  2. Pelastustoimi (Finnish rescue services) — Alarm signal — https://pelastustoimi.fi/en/home-everyday-life/emergencies/alarm-signal (accessed 2026-10-20)
  3. Hätäkeskuslaitos (Emergency Response Centre Agency) — Emergency warnings - Emergency Response Centre Agency — https://112.fi/en/emergency-warnings (accessed 2026-10-20)
  4. Ministry of the Interior (valtioneuvosto.fi) — Finland to introduce new emergency warning system this year — https://valtioneuvosto.fi/en/-/1410869/finland-to-introduce-new-emergency-warning-system-this-year (accessed 2026-10-20)
  5. Valtioneuvosto / Eduskunta — Hallituksen esitys eduskunnalle laiksi vaaratiedotteesta annetun lain 5 ja 7 §:n muuttamisesta (HE 139/2026 vp) — https://www.eduskunta.fi/pdf/HE+139/2026 (accessed 2026-10-20)
  6. Finlex (oikeusministeriö) — Laki vaaratiedotteesta 466/2012 (Vireillä olevat hallituksen esitykset: HE 139/2026) — https://www.finlex.fi/fi/lainsaadanto/2012/466 (accessed 2026-10-20)

Turn this into action

Your plan for Finland, worked out for your household.

  • Water, food and equipment counted for each person and pet
  • The nuclear plants and zones around your home
  • Phaenyx Safe: one tap to tell your people you are safe
$29Freelimited timeBuild my plan →Try Phaenyx Safe

Sources

  1. Ministry of the Interior / Suomi.fi · General instructions on preparedness, home emergency supplies and on what to do in different situations - Preparing for Incidents and Crises checked 2026-10-20
  2. Pelastustoimi (Finnish rescue services) · Alarm signal checked 2026-10-20
  3. Hätäkeskuslaitos (Emergency Response Centre Agency) · Emergency warnings - Emergency Response Centre Agency checked 2026-10-20
  4. Ministry of the Interior (valtioneuvosto.fi) · Finland to introduce new emergency warning system this year checked 2026-10-20
  5. Valtioneuvosto / Eduskunta · Hallituksen esitys eduskunnalle laiksi vaaratiedotteesta annetun lain 5 ja 7 §:n muuttamisesta (HE 139/2026 vp) checked 2026-10-20
  6. Finlex (oikeusministeriö) · Laki vaaratiedotteesta 466/2012 (Vireillä olevat hallituksen esitykset: HE 139/2026) checked 2026-10-20

Keep reading: Alerts and sirens