Civil defence shelter
In Sweden, there are approximately 64,000 civil defence shelters with capacity for around seven million people. In peacetime, the shelters can be used for other purposes, but in the event of a heightened state of alert, they must be ready for use within two days.
Find your nearest civil defence shelters
If you need to seek shelter, go to the nearest one. If it is full, go to the next one. You should therefore find out which civil defence shelters are located near where you live, work or spend time.
How do I know when I need to go to a civil defence shelter?
You should go to a civil defence shelter if the authorities instruct you to do so via an air-raid siren and an Important Public Announcement (VMA). In such a situation, the sirens will sound and a VMA will be sent to all mobile phones in the affected area. The VMA message will also be broadcast on the radio and TV, and will be available on Krisinformation.se.
You can find more information about VMA and air raid sirens here
What do I need to take with me to the shelter?
The shelter should have water, heating, ventilation and toilets. However, in a wartime situation, there is a risk of heating and power cuts, and this also applies to air-raid shelters. It is therefore important to take warm clothes and food with you to the air-raid shelter.
In the event of a heightened state of alert or the threat of war, it is a good idea to have a bag ready with the items you need to take with you. Base your preparations on your own needs and bear in mind that you may need to stay in the civil defence shelter for a couple of days.
Useful things to take to the air-raid shelter
- Water in a bottle or container
- Food that can be kept at room temperature
- Hygiene products
- Toilet paper
- Medicines
- First-aid kit
- Warm clothes
- Valuables (ID cards/driving licences, cash, bank cards)
- Keys
- Mobile phone + charger or power bank
- Torch
What do civil defence shelters protect against?
A civil defence shelter is designed to protect against shock waves and shrapnel from a bomb striking nearby. However, it may not withstand a direct hit. The civil defence shelter also protects against gases, radioactivity and biological weapons.
Who is responsible for maintaining the civil defence shelters?
It is the property owner’s responsibility to ensure that the civil defence shelter functions as it should and that all equipment is in place. The property owner must also open the civil defence shelter when the alert level is raised. However, it is everyone’s responsibility to clear the room, install the ventilation system and ensure that water containers and toilets are put in place. If the civil defence shelter is located in a residential building, for example, the residents of the building can help each other. Every civil defence shelter has a storeroom containing equipment, tools and instructions.
Sources
Sources
Krisinformation.se gathers information from Swedish authorities. All source pages are in Swedish.