Civil defence - just in case.

The purpose of civil protection is to safeguard the population and the basis of its life during disasters, emergencies and in the event of armed conflict. In the event of disasters and emergencies, operational command bodies coordinate deployments in the combined civil protection system with the police, fire service, healthcare system, technical facilities and civil defence. Protective structures are the basis of effective civil protection.

When it comes to protective structures, a differentiation is made between protected premises and protective shelters. Protected premises are provided for civil protection organisations. Protective shelters should provide safe accommodation for the population in the event of armed conflict. They can also be used as emergency shelters in the event of disasters and emergencies. The best-known type of protective shelter is the private shelter in the basement of single-family houses and apartment buildings, popularly known as civil defence cellars. There are approximately 360,000 protective shelters for the population throughout Switzerland, providing a total of almost 9 million protective spaces.

Fundamentally, protective shelters are designed to also facilitate longer stays. Ventilation systems provide the shelter with adequate oxygen, while heat and moisture are removed through dissipative materials. Toilettes are also provided.

Numerous documents relating to protective structures can be found here.

The installation of protective shelters in new buildings has been obligatory since 1964. The principle of “A shelter space for each resident” was revised in 2012 in the Federal Law on Civil Protection and Civil Defence (BZG) and confirmed in the amended Civil Defence Ordinance. However, new protective shelters have only been built since then for buildings with a minimum of 38 rooms. Smaller residential buildings such as single-family houses are exempted from the protective shelter obligation, with the owners paying an exemption tax instead.

Protective shelters can be used for other purposes, but must be made operational when ordered by the federal authorities. Changes must be reversible within five days. Usages other than civil protection must be presented to the responsible authorities for approval if structural adaptations and changes are to be made to the building and technical shelter systems. Any use other than for civil protection must not impair the conducting of periodic inspections.

Federal law dictates that all protective shelters must undergo an official inspection every ten years to ensure the functionality of the shelters. Periodic inspections of protective shelters are the responsibility of canton and local authorities in Switzerland. If unauthorised changes are detected during these inspections, they must be reversed.

The owners of a private protective shelter are responsible for its condition and equipping. They are obliged to carry out simple maintenance work (e.g. cleaning the protective shelter and emergency exit). Maintenance work on the technical equipment itself should not be carried out.

Information on the upkeep of a protective shelter is available in this leaflet and video.

Zivilschutz ist einer der Kompetenzbereiche von Schweizer. Zur Produktepalette gehören Schutzraumabschlüsse und Kleinbelüftungsanlagen. Für die Raumausstattung hat Schweizer Liegestellen, Trockenklosett, Tresorschlösser sowie Abortkabinen im Sortiment. Die hochwertigen Produkte wurden in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS entwickelt und haben sich seit Jahrzehnten bewährt. Das Leistungsspektrum umfasst nebst den Produkten auch eine kompetente Beratung, Ausführung, Montage und den Service.

In-depth information on civil protection / protective structures is available on the website of the Federal Office for Civil Protection (FOCP)..