1 · Officially open
Confirm location, opening, access and instructions through authorities or a current alert.
Emergency preparedness · 31 min
Shelter from explosions and fire
Move away from windows, check for fire or smoke and keep at least one usable exit.
No ordinary room guarantees protection from weapons. Exposure to glass, fragments and debris can still be reduced through official shelter guidance, distance from exterior surfaces, intervening robust construction and a way out if fire or structural damage develops.
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Decision compass
Decide safely
Four questions lead from observation to a clear, safer action.
What needs to be clarified now?
What must I notice first?
- Record household needs, dependencies, current official information and available safe locations.
- Agree responsibilities, communication rules and a fallback before time pressure develops.
Remember: Observe → assess → choose a safer option → act.
Concealment is not ballistic protection; fire and escape still matter.
EXPLANATORY GRAPHIC · PRACTICAL GUIDE
FIGHTandSURVIVECheck shelter in three levels
Official opening comes first; fallback locations require a safety check.
2 · Nearby fallback
Internal basement, underground level, garage or station only after access and hazard checks.
3 · Space check
Distance from glass, robust surroundings, air, no fuel and no flood exposure.
Exit A + B
Keep a main and alternative route; do not rely on lifts or powered gates alone.
Unsuitable / move
Smoke, gas, fire, water, failed air, fuel, major damage or blocked access.
RESULT / SAFETY CHECKOld signs and maps do not confirm an operational shelter. Follow current official directions during an alert.
Learning goals
- Distinguish concealment from protection
- Distinguish official shelters from fallback locations
- Include secondary hazards and escape
Official context and local verification
- German Bundestag: development of a national shelter concept (28 January 2025)
- Always confirm specific locations, opening and access through the local authority or current official alerts.
Public shelter: only when currently confirmed
Treat a public shelter as a reliable destination only when the local authority, fire service, civil protection authority or a current official alert confirms the location, opening and access. Old signs, historic maps and private online lists do not prove readiness or admission. Check local information in advance and record access, walking route and a fallback. With only minutes of warning, a nearby suitable location may be safer than travelling to a distant supposed bunker.
Rank fallback locations by protection and access
Where no confirmed shelter is reachable, an internal basement, underground floor, parking garage or underground station may provide temporary refuge depending on local conditions. Prefer rapid access, distance from glass and exterior walls, robust surrounding construction, working ventilation and a usable exit plus an alternative. A garage or station is unsuitable when closed, overcrowded, flood- or fire-prone, affected by vehicles, fuel or smoke, or dependent on blocked access.
Do not overstate cover
Curtains, furniture and light partitions may conceal but do not reliably stop fragments or projectiles. Robust construction may reduce exposure, but performance depends on material, thickness, impact and condition. The course therefore gives no false universal material ratings.
Remain able to leave
Keep shoes, light, radio, dust protection, water and first aid ready. Preserve a usable exit and an alternative. Avoid boiler, fuel, battery, machinery and storage rooms and areas below extensive glazing or unsecured heavy structures. Smoke, fire, gas smell, rising water, failed ventilation, major new cracks or distortion may require relocation when the route is safer and instructions allow it.
Practical check
- Check a locally confirmed shelter and its access
- Assess nearby fallback locations with two exits
- Avoid glass and heavy unsecured objects
- Stage light and shoes
- Know two ways out
- Check official shelters and alerts
Important
- Do not label every basement, garage or station a shelter
- Do not treat an old map or sign as current confirmation
- Do not plan lifts as escape routes
- Do not ignore fire or gas smell
Decision training
Which location is generally preferable during an explosion warning unless authorities say otherwise?
- AAt a window to observe
- BA nearby officially opened shelter—or otherwise a checked interior area away from glass with a usable exit
- CA sealed fuel store with no alternative exit
Show answer
Correct: B. Current official confirmation is the strongest basis. Without it, a nearby checked interior area, distance from glass and a clear exit reduce common secondary hazards.