Emergency preparedness in Latvia: the official guidance

Short answer. In Latvia, the Ministry of Defence booklet Kā rīkoties krīzes gadījumā (2024 edition) asks households to cope alone for the first 72 hours and to stock food, water and essentials for at least 3 to 7 days ¹. The State Fire and Rescue Service (VUGD) leads civil protection ², has assessed 1,665 shelters ³, and warns through sirens and cell broadcast, live since 1 July 2025 ⁴².

Who is responsible for civil preparedness in Latvia?

The State Fire and Rescue Service (Valsts ugunsdzēsības un glābšanas dienests, VUGD) leads civil protection: shelters, sirens and cell broadcast ⁵². In war, the Ministry of the Interior coordinates civil protection with VUGD ². The Ministry of Defence publishes the crisis booklet and the "72 stundas" campaign on sargs.lv ⁶, and the State Environmental Service (VVD) publishes the guidance on iodine prophylaxis ⁷.

What is on each page?

• Emergency supplies — 72 hours on your own, supplies for at least 3 to 7 days, about 3 litres of drinking water per adult per day (4 in hot weather) plus 10-12 litres for hygiene ¹.
• Kit — the Ministry of Defence list, item by item, including cash for a week in 5, 10 and 20 EUR notes and a car kit ¹.
• Public shelters — 1,665 shelters assessed (407 compliant, 1,258 partly compliant), the 300-metre rule, the shelter sign and the map on 112.lv ³⁸⁵.
• Alerts — the 3-minute wave-like siren signal, twice-yearly tests, cell broadcast since 1 July 2025 and the 112 Latvija app ⁹⁴².
• Iodine — no state distribution because the nearest active nuclear plant is 110 km from the border; 65 mg potassium iodide tablets are sold without prescription ⁷¹⁰.
• Build a shelter — since 3 July 2025 any owner may create a category III shelter; shelters become mandatory in certain new buildings for projects submitted after 31 December 2026 ¹¹.
• Shelter standards — the binding building standard LBN 210-25 and the three shelter categories ¹²¹¹.
• Emergency contacts — 112 for fire, police and ambulance, and the agencies behind each topic ¹³.

What is the booklet "How to act in a crisis"?

Kā rīkoties krīzes gadījumā (How to act in a crisis) is published by the Ministry of Defence; the current edition was expanded in 2024 ¹⁶. It covers the first 72 hours, water, food, medicines, the emergency bag, evacuation, a family plan, and how to act in war, including shelling, nuclear and chemical threats ¹. Its cover message is "SAGLABĀ ŠO BUKLETU!" (keep this booklet) ¹. The ministry also publishes a 2024 handbook, Kā rīkoties kara gadījumā (How to act in case of war), on sargs.lv ⁶. The booklet is in Latvian.

Where do I start?

Build the 72-hour stock first (kit), find the nearest shelter on 112.lv (public shelters), learn what the sirens mean (alerts) and write down 112 and the key agencies (emergency contacts). For a household plan, see /guides/family-plan; for the general method, /guides/72-hour-kit.

Frequently asked questions

How long should Latvian households be prepared for?

The booklet asks you to cope alone for the first 72 hours and to keep supplies for at least 3 to 7 days ¹.

Is there an English version of the Latvian crisis booklet?

The official booklet cited here is in Latvian ¹. Cell broadcast alerts are written in Latvian and sometimes also in English ⁴.

Where can I see official alerts and shelters online?

On www.112.lv, which shows active alerts and a map of shelters, and in the 112 Latvija app ⁴⁵.

Who do I call in an emergency?

112, the single number for fire and rescue, police and emergency medical services ¹³.

Sources

1. Latvijas Republikas Aizsardzības ministrija (hosted by VUGD) — Kā rīkoties krīzes gadījumā. Papildinātā redakcija 2024 — https://vugd.gov.lv/lv/media/1351/download (accessed 2026-10-20)
2. Valsts ugunsdzēsības un glābšanas dienests (VUGD) — Biežāk uzdotie jautājumi par rīcību ārkārtas gadījumos un civilo aizsardzību — https://www.vugd.gov.lv/lv/biezak-uzdotie-jautajumi-par-ricibu-arkartas-gadijumos-un-civilo-aizsardzibu (accessed 2026-10-20)
3. Valsts kanceleja / Ministru kabinets — Ministru prezidentes Evikas Siliņas ikgadējais ziņojums Saeimai par Ministru kabineta paveikto un iecerēto darbību (2026. gada marts) — https://mk.gov.lv/lv/media/25793/download?attachment= (accessed 2026-10-20)
4. Valsts ugunsdzēsības un glābšanas dienests (VUGD) — Biežāk uzdotie jautājumi par šūnu apraides sistēmu — https://www.vugd.gov.lv/lv/biezak-uzdotie-jautajumi-par-sunu-apraides-sistemu (accessed 2026-10-20)
5. Valsts ugunsdzēsības un glābšanas dienests (VUGD) — Patvertnes — https://www.vugd.gov.lv/lv/patvertnes (accessed 2026-10-20)
6. Sargs.lv (Aizsardzības ministrija) — Buklets "Kā rīkoties krīzes gadījumā" — https://www.sargs.lv/lv/buklets-ka-rikoties-krizes-gadijuma (accessed 2026-10-20)
7. Valsts vides dienests (VVD) — Joda profilakse - praktiskie ieteikumi iedzīvotājiem — https://www.vvd.gov.lv/lv/media/7026/download (accessed 2026-10-20)
8. Valsts ugunsdzēsības un glābšanas dienests (VUGD) — Biežāk uzdotie jautājumi par patvertnēm — https://www.vugd.gov.lv/lv/biezak-uzdotie-jautajumi-par-patvertnem (accessed 2026-10-20)
9. Valsts ugunsdzēsības un glābšanas dienests (VUGD) — 2. jūnijā visā Latvijā iedarbinās trauksmes sirēnas un nosūtīs šūnu apraides paziņojumu — https://www.vugd.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/2-junija-visa-latvija-iedarbinas-trauksmes-sirenas-un-nosutis-sunu-apraides-pazinojumu (accessed 2026-10-20)
10. Zāļu valsts aģentūra (ZVA) — Latvijas Zāļu reģistrs - Kalii iodidum — https://dati.zva.gov.lv/zalu-registrs/?iss=1&lang=lv&q=kalii%20iodidum (accessed 2026-10-20)
11. Saeima (likumi.lv) — Civilās aizsardzības un katastrofas pārvaldīšanas likums (7.1 pants "Patvertnes", grozījumi 05.06.2025, spēkā 03.07.2025; konsolidētā redakcija no 10.07.2026) — https://likumi.lv/ta/id/282333 (accessed 2026-10-20)
12. Ministru kabinets (likumi.lv) — Ministru kabineta noteikumi Nr. 451 "Patvertņu būvnormatīvs LBN 210-25" — https://likumi.lv/ta/id/362052-patvertnu-buvnormativs-lbn-210-25 (accessed 2026-10-20)
13. Valsts ugunsdzēsības un glābšanas dienests (VUGD) — Vienotais ārkārtas palīdzības izsaukumu numurs 112 Latvijā — https://www.vugd.gov.lv/lv/vienotais-arkartas-palidzibas-izsaukumu-numurs-112-latvija (accessed 2026-10-20)