Air-raid alert: what to do and how to prepare

What to do when you hear an air-raid alert: PAGD recommendations

Even the best shelter only helps if people know when and how to get to it. Below are the official recommendations of the Fire and Rescue Department (PAGD), published on lt72.lt. When you receive a warning, always follow the instructions it contains first.

The four warning colours

In Lithuania, air-raid warning messages are sent to mobile phones and come in four categories:

What to do when you receive a red warning

• Do not delay. If you have time, take your phone, a charger or power bank, an identity document, essential medicines and water.
• If there is no shelter nearby, choose a basement, an underground passage, a car park or a windowless room, following the two-wall rule.
• Outdoors, do not move about in open spaces and do not film objects in the air.
• When driving, do not brake suddenly; avoid bridges, tunnels and petrol stations. A car is not a shelter.
• Phone only in an emergency, and text your family rather than calling so as not to overload the network.
• Do not approach fallen drones or their debris; report them by calling 112.

For educational institutions and employers

72-hour supplies at home

PAGD recommends keeping food and water supplies at home for at least 72 hours:

The European Union also stresses the importance of crisis preparedness – people are encouraged to stock up on essential supplies in advance.

Grab bag and family plan

Each family member is advised to have a grab bag (a rucksack of about 45 l) containing:

• documents and copies of them;
• a 7-day supply of medicines;
• first aid supplies;
• clothes for the season;
• a torch;
• a power bank;
• a notebook with contacts.

It is worth checking the contents of the bag twice a year.

What to keep in your own shelter or bunker

According to PAGD recommendations, a personal shelter in a basement should have:

• a water supply (a 40–50 litre container is advisable);
• food supplies and a small electric or gas stove;
• sturdy shelves suitable both for storage and for sleeping;
• a toilet, or at least a bucket with a lid;
• a ventilation opening and, if possible, a second exit.