The Polish Ministry of the Interior and Administration (MSWiA) is currently developing a regulation that will define the technical requirements for shelters and introduce consistent standards for their organization and equipment. This regulation is mandated by the Civil Protection and Civil Defense Act, which came into force on January 1, 2025. In parallel, an inventory of existing public protection facilities—including shelters—is underway. Experts warn that Poland has significant catching up to do in this area, particularly due to a shortage of qualified shelter construction specialists.
“Local civil protection authorities—mayors, district governors—are currently assessing what they have in their inventory,” explains Brig. Gen. Józef Galica, Deputy Chief Commander of the State Fire Service, in an interview with Newseria. “They’re conducting these assessments with the support of the State Fire Service and county building inspectors, who evaluate the facilities either in person or, where available, based on documentation. We make binary decisions: either the facility is suitable, needs modernization, may be suitable in the future, or will never be suitable. I think this year will give us a true picture of how well the country is prepared to provide shelter for its citizens.”
The previous shelter inventory conducted in 2023 showed that Poland had around 2,000 shelters accommodating over 300,000 people, nearly 9,000 hiding places for over 1.1 million, and approximately 224,000 temporary shelter spots. Combined, less than 4% of Poland’s population could count on a place in some form of shelter. As Galica notes, the report included all available spaces but did not assess their actual technical readiness or safety standards.
“Most existing shelters date back to the Cold War era,” says Dr. Eng. Michał Wieczorek, Deputy Director for Commercialization at the Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Ceramics and Building Materials. “These are often neglected, damp, and moldy facilities, lacking basic elements like ventilation. A full technical analysis must be performed—examining moisture, load-bearing capacity, construction quality, and especially the condition of steel reinforcement. Then come repair works, ventilation upgrades, and finally, equipment installation. These buildings often serve different functions today, so adapting them is essential.”
“We are still waiting for the final technical conditions that will serve as guidelines for designers of protective structures,” adds Galica, speaking during Defence24 Days. “There are very few shelter-building experts today. That’s why consultations are being held with various entities. As firefighters, we rely on support from technical universities such as Poznań and Warsaw Universities of Technology and especially the Military University of Technology.”
The Civil Protection Act stipulates that plans for collective civil protection must ensure shelter spaces for at least 50% of the population in designated protection facilities, and at least 25% in specially built protective structures. In rural areas, these thresholds are lower: 25% and 15%, respectively.
Thanks to this law, work has begun on implementing regulations that will define what characteristics buildings must meet to be classified as shelters. The draft regulation, presented in February, is currently undergoing consultations. It will define procedures for identifying and preparing temporary shelters and outline minimum technical and operational standards, such as spacing, capacity, ceiling height, and required equipment. The regulation will also identify types of freestanding structures that can serve as temporary shelters—such as anti-aircraft trenches, dugouts, and earthen shelters.
The law recognizes three categories of public protection facilities:
- Shelters – hermetically sealed structures with filtration and ventilation systems or regenerative air purifiers.
- Hiding places – non-hermetic structures providing basic protection.
- Temporary shelters – adapted buildings offering short-term refuge.
“Building proper shelters is absolutely key from both a national and human safety standpoint,” says Dr. Wieczorek. “We’re talking about shelters resistant to shock waves with pressure levels measured in megapascals. They must reduce gamma radiation levels—essential during a nuclear threat—and withstand fragmentation from bullets and drone attacks. Fire resistance is also critical: they must remain safe even if a fire breaks out nearby. Structural integrity in case of debris collapse must also be ensured.”
Collective protection facilities must also be equipped with proper ventilation, emergency exits, utility connections, waste disposal systems, and survival provisions.
“There is another important regulation stemming from the Civil Protection Act,” adds Wieczorek. “It requires public-use buildings to consider protective shelter functionality.”
This applies to multi-family residential buildings and public institutions like schools, hospitals, government offices, train stations, and courts. Starting January 1, 2026, developers will be obligated to design new buildings with the capacity to accommodate temporary shelters. Underground garages and basement levels must be adapted for this purpose.
“It’s also important to address shelter needs in less populated areas, such as single-family homes,” emphasizes Dr. Wieczorek. “Small, mobile shelters—partially buried or surface-level—are widely used in countries like Ukraine and Switzerland. Prefabricated shelters for single-family homes or small communities could play a key role in civil protection. While no official plans exist yet, there is ongoing work to extend incentives—such as tax breaks or subsidies—for such installations, particularly for private homeowners, similar to those offered to developers of large buildings.”
