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Emergency preparedness in Austria: the official guidance

Austria advises a 14-day home stock, warns by siren and AT-Alert, gives free iodine to under-18s and has no public shelter system. Verified 2026-10-20.

Updated 2026-10-20· 13 official sources· Auf Deutsch lesen

Austria at a glance

updated 2026-10-20
SuppliesAustrian authorities and the Austrian Civil Protection Association (ÖZSV) recommend a household stock of food and drink for 14 days (two weeks), with at least 2.5 litres of water and other drinks per person per day; the ÖZSV gives a detailed per-person list for two weeks based on 2,000 kcal a day.sourcedPublic sheltersAustria has no national public shelter programme or register: shelter rules are a matter for the nine federal states' building codes, the Interior Ministry says it cannot give shelter numbers, and no state law still requires shelters to be built.sourcedAlertsAustria runs a nationwide siren warning system (over 8,000 fire-brigade sirens; about 8,300 civil-protection sirens per the AT-Alert page) operated by the Interior Ministry and the states, tested every first Saturday in October, plus the AT-Alert cell broadcast system sending warnings in German and English with no app or registration needed.sourcedIodineThe Health Ministry supplies potassium iodide tablets free of charge to children and young people up to 18 and to pregnant and breastfeeding women, via pharmacies (and schools and childcare facilities); people aged 18 to 40 can buy them cheaply in pharmacies, and people over 40 are advised not to take them.sourcedPrivate shelterUnder Article 15(1) of the Federal Constitution, shelters are regulated by the nine federal states in their building codes; no state law still requires shelters to be built, and the federal government has no competence over shelter construction.sourced
Shelter standardsNo current national technical standard or certification for shelters is published: in February 2026 the Interior Ministry declined to answer questions on minimum technical requirements, citing the states' competence under their building codes, and the Infrastructure Ministry declined because shelter infrastructure is outside its remit.not published
Emergency numbersEmergency numbers are free from any phone in Austria; 112 also works from a locked mobile phone.sourced
Crisis bookletAustria has no recent national crisis-preparedness mailing.sourced
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Short answer. Austria asks households to keep food and drink for 14 days, with at least 2.5 litres of water and other drinks per person per day 12. Warnings come by siren and by AT-Alert cell broadcast 34. Iodine tablets are free for under-18s and pregnant or breastfeeding women 5. There is no national public shelter system: shelters fall under the nine states' building codes 67. Information verified on 2026-10-20.

Who is responsible for civil protection in Austria?

Civil protection is run by the Interior Ministry (BMI) through its Federal Warning Centre (Bundeswarnzentrale) and crisis management (SKKM), together with the state warning centres 89. Radiological emergencies are handled by the BMLUK, which runs notfallschutz.gv.at 10. The Austrian Civil Protection Association (ÖZSV) publishes household preparedness advice 1. Shelters are a matter for the nine federal states 7.

What does each Austria page cover?

Page In one line
Emergency supplies 14 days of food and drink; at least 2.5 L of drinks per person per day 21
Official stock list The ÖZSV list per person for 14 days, item by item 1
Warning signals and AT-Alert Three siren signals, tested each first Saturday of October; AT-Alert in German and English 34
Iodine tablets Free for under-18s and pregnant or breastfeeding women; 18-40 buy without prescription; not advised over 40 5
Public shelters No national programme, register or locator 67
Building a shelter No obligation, no federal permit, no national standard; state building codes apply 67
Emergency numbers 112, 122, 133, 144 and others, all free 11

How long should an Austrian household be able to hold out?

Two weeks. The ÖZSV, the Interior Ministry and the Land Tyrol all recommend a 14-day household stock 1212, and the BMLUK states that this recommendation continues 13. Austria has no recent national crisis-preparedness mailing; the reference documents are the BMI's "Strahlenschutzratgeber" (7th edition, April 2007), the ÖZSV brochure "Der krisenfeste Haushalt – Bevorraten" (PDF dated 2019) and state flyers such as Tyrol's (2018) 2112.

How will I be warned?

By sirens (over 8,000 fire-brigade sirens per the BMI) and by AT-Alert, which reaches all phones in the affected area without an app or registration 84. A 1-minute rising and falling wail means danger: go to protective areas or rooms and follow ORF radio or TV 3. Full details: alerts page.

Where do I start?

  1. Build the 14-day stock, using the official list.
  2. Learn the three siren signals and check AT-Alert is active on your phone.
  3. Check your household's iodine entitlement.
  4. Write down the emergency numbers and a family plan: How do I make a family emergency plan?

For a long blackout, see How do you prepare for a long power outage?.

Frequently asked questions

Does Austria send a preparedness booklet to every home?

No. Austria has no recent national crisis-preparedness mailing 2112.

Are there public nuclear shelters in Austria?

No national public shelter system or locator exists, and no official count is published 67.

Is AT-Alert available in English?

Yes. AT-Alert messages are sent in German and English 4.

When was this information checked?

All facts on these pages were verified against official sources on 2026-10-20.

Sources

  1. Österreichischer Zivilschutzverband (Zivilschutzverband Steiermark edition, hosted by Gemeinde St. Anna am Aigen) — Der krisenfeste Haushalt – Bevorraten — https://www.st-anna-aigen.gv.at/fileadmin/red_gem/Brosch%C3%BCre_Bevorratung_ZSV_3618.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
  2. Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI), Abt. II/4 Zivilschutz — Strahlenschutzratgeber – Verhalten bei Kernkraftwerksunfällen, Anleitung für vorbeugende Maßnahmen (7. Auflage, April 2007) — https://www.bmi.gv.at/204/download/files/007_strahlenschutzratgeber.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
  3. Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI) — Warn- und Alarmsignale im Katastrophenfall — https://www.bmi.gv.at/204/skkm/files/020_warn_und_alarmsignale.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
  4. Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI) — AT-Alert — https://www.bmi.gv.at/204/at-alert/start.aspx (accessed 2026-10-20)
  5. Sozialministerium (BMASGPK) — Kaliumiodid-Tabletten bei schweren Reaktorunfällen — https://www.sozialministerium.gv.at/Themen/Gesundheit/Strahlenschutz/Kaliumiodid-Tabletten.html (accessed 2026-10-20)
  6. Bundesministerium für Inneres / Parlament Österreich — Anfragebeantwortung 3621/AB XXVIII. GP – Aktueller Stand der Schutzrauminfrastruktur in Österreich (4 Feb 2026) — https://www.parlament.gv.at/dokument/XXVIII/AB/3621/imfname_1737779.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
  7. Bundesministerium für Inneres / Parlament Österreich — Anfragebeantwortung 285/AB XXVIII. GP – Zivilschutz/Schutzraumkonzept (12 Feb 2025) — https://www.parlament.gv.at/dokument/XXVIII/AB/285/imfname_1668491.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
  8. Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI) — Warnung und Alarmierung — https://www.bmi.gv.at/204/skkm/warnung.aspx (accessed 2026-10-20)
  9. Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI) — Bundeswarnzentrale — https://www.bmi.gv.at/204/skkm/bundeswarnzentrale.aspx (accessed 2026-10-20)
  10. oesterreich.gv.at (content responsibility: BMLUK; last updated 16 Feb 2026) — Verhalten bei radiologischen Notfällen — https://oesterreich.gv.at/themen/notfaelle_unfaelle_und_kriminalitaet/katastrophenfaelle/1/Seite.29500321.html (accessed 2026-10-20)
  11. oesterreich.gv.at — Notrufnummern — https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/de/themen/notfaelle_unfaelle_und_kriminalitaet/notrufnummern (accessed 2026-10-20)
  12. Amt der Tiroler Landesregierung, Zivil- und Katastrophenschutz / Zivilschutz Tirol — Vorgesorgt! Zur Sicherheit – Die Haushaltsbevorratung — https://tirol.gv.at/fileadmin/themen/sicherheit/feuerwehr-und-rettungswesen/downloads/Flyer/2018_Vorrat.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
  13. Bundesministerium für Land- und Forstwirtschaft, Klima- und Umweltschutz, Regionen und Wasserwirtschaft (BMLUK) — Lebensmittelversorgungssicherheit im Blackout-Fall — https://www.bmluk.gv.at/themen/landwirtschaft/versorgungssicherheit/lebensmittelversorgungssicherheit-im-blackout-fall.html (accessed 2026-10-20)

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Sources

  1. Österreichischer Zivilschutzverband (Zivilschutzverband Steiermark edition, hosted by Gemeinde St. Anna am Aigen) · Der krisenfeste Haushalt – Bevorraten checked 2026-10-20
  2. Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI), Abt. II/4 Zivilschutz · Strahlenschutzratgeber – Verhalten bei Kernkraftwerksunfällen, Anleitung für vorbeugende Maßnahmen (7. Auflage, April 2007) checked 2026-10-20
  3. Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI) · Warn- und Alarmsignale im Katastrophenfall checked 2026-10-20
  4. Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI) · AT-Alert checked 2026-10-20
  5. Sozialministerium (BMASGPK) · Kaliumiodid-Tabletten bei schweren Reaktorunfällen checked 2026-10-20
  6. Bundesministerium für Inneres / Parlament Österreich · Anfragebeantwortung 3621/AB XXVIII. GP – Aktueller Stand der Schutzrauminfrastruktur in Österreich (4 Feb 2026) checked 2026-10-20
  7. Bundesministerium für Inneres / Parlament Österreich · Anfragebeantwortung 285/AB XXVIII. GP – Zivilschutz/Schutzraumkonzept (12 Feb 2025) checked 2026-10-20
  8. Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI) · Warnung und Alarmierung checked 2026-10-20
  9. Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI) · Bundeswarnzentrale checked 2026-10-20
  10. oesterreich.gv.at (content responsibility: BMLUK; last updated 16 Feb 2026) · Verhalten bei radiologischen Notfällen checked 2026-10-20
  11. oesterreich.gv.at · Notrufnummern checked 2026-10-20
  12. Amt der Tiroler Landesregierung, Zivil- und Katastrophenschutz / Zivilschutz Tirol · Vorgesorgt! Zur Sicherheit – Die Haushaltsbevorratung checked 2026-10-20
  13. Bundesministerium für Land- und Forstwirtschaft, Klima- und Umweltschutz, Regionen und Wasserwirtschaft (BMLUK) · Lebensmittelversorgungssicherheit im Blackout-Fall checked 2026-10-20

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