The Polish Government has launched a plan to protect the civilian population in the event of war, with the construction of hundreds of underground shelters, the reconditioning of existing ones and the military training of citizens.
This effort will be completed with the implementation of a Civil Protection Law that will enhance the preparation of security forces in a war context and that, in coordination with the Army, will provide military training and survival courses to civilians who wish to do so.
After the outbreak of the Russian war in Ukraine, Polish authorities prepared a report on the shelters for civilians that the country would have in the event of war.
The conclusion was alarming: the approximately 62,000 points considered capable of offering some form of protection would only be enough to house a maximum of 1.3 million people, around 3% of the Polish population.
Furthermore, many of these buildings are in a state of abandonment, without access to electricity or drinking water, and in some cases they are simple underground parking lots that have not even been used for a long time.
According to some experts, the situation is bad but not critical, and the fact that the number of shelters is so low is due to the fact that the regulations are very demanding and only count as appropriate buildings that are in very good condition.
“Most people have more or less an action plan in case of war: either go to the town where they have family or go to some place they already know, like a garage or a building on the outskirts of the city,” said military topics expert and author of several books on military logistics Szymon Warzycha.
The Warsaw City Council has just announced that it will invest approximately 30 million euros in the refurbishment of old bunkers and the construction of a network of shelters throughout the city.
The announcement came just weeks after an Army general stated that the stations on the subway network would be of little use because they were built shallow.
The capital’s mayor, Rafal Trzaskowski, declared a few days ago that, although he does not expect the worst to happen, the city must be prepared for any eventuality. He stressed that, for example, Ukraine would not have survived the first weeks of the Russian invasion if it had not been for the involvement of the entire society.
A mobile phone application made by the Polish Government can be consulted by any resident of Poland to find out where they are advised to go for protection in the event of war, depending on their domicile or location. Public offices, schools, sports facilities, underground garages and even museums are among the places designated to host civilians.
The list abounds in shelters dating back to the Cold War era, such as a huge nuclear shelter several stories deep in the Nowa Huta neighborhood in Krakow (south), where protective masks against chemical warfare are still hanging. .
As if this were not enough, in April 2022 a 36-page pamphlet was distributed to the Polish population, with the title “Be Prepared!”, offering instructions on how to act in the event of a foreign military occupation, airstrikes or a nuclear emergency.
“If you see soldiers who do not appear to belong to the Polish Army or its allies, remain calm and move away from them as much as possible, avoid looking at them or their vehicles, taking photographs or arguing with military personnel,” the document reads. The brochure also warns against displaying symbols of any kind on clothing, traveling on streets or highways at nightfall, or leaving home unaccompanied.
Finally, it is advisable to accumulate water and food if it is considered that there is an imminent danger of shortages and, if this occurs, accept food only from trusted people, humanitarian organizations or government agencies.
