fallout shelters still maintained to accommodate 9 million people

In the event of a nuclear threat, radiation or pollution, Switzerland has enough shelters to protect its entire population. Most of them are located in the cellars of buildings or houses, others in public buildings. In Basel, a team from France 3 was able to visit two of them.

Switzerland has some 365,000 private and public shelters, representing about 9 million protected places. Enough to protect the entire population in case of a nuclear threat or against the effects of modern weapons. This is the application of the Swiss principle of « one protected place per inhabitant ».

Most of them are private shelters in the cellar of a house or a building. Such a shelter generally offers a protected place for 5 to 50 people. The others, generally installed in public buildings, are managed by the civil protection.

In Basel, a team from France 3 Alsace was able to visit two of them. Visit in pictures.

We start with a private fallout shelter used as a cellar in Pratteln, in the suburbs of Basel.
The entrance of a private fallout shelter in Pratteln, in the canton of Basel.

It is from this shelter that samples and analyses are taken in case of a nuclear, chemical or bacteriological threat.
The sanitary part of the shelter.
The sanitary part of the shelter. – Stéphane Gaudry, France Télévisions

The shelter is entirely autonomous in water and energy. Nine liters of water per person are stored, plus essential medicines. Beyond this period and in special cases, the authorities can distribute food, water and other basic goods.
The dormitory part of the shelter, with its bunks.
The dormitory part of the shelter, with its bunks. – Stéphane Gaudry, France Télévisions

The costs of construction, equipment and maintenance of private shelters are the responsibility of the owners. Those of the public shelters are assumed by the municipalities.

The allocation of shelters is communicated when required by the security policy situation. The cantons and municipalities are obliged to manage the allocation plan and to keep it up to date.