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Emergency preparedness in Switzerland: what the official rules say

Switzerland: about a week of food and 9 L of water per person, a shelter place for every resident, sirens plus Alertswiss, free iodine within 50 km.

Updated 2026-10-20· 7 official sources

Switzerland at a glance

updated 2026-10-20
SuppliesThe Federal Office for National Economic Supply (FONES/BWL) recommends a household emergency supply of food for about one week plus at least 9 litres of water per person (one six-pack of 1.5 L bottles), meant for drinking and cooking for three days.sourcedPublic sheltersSwitzerland follows the principle of one shelter place per resident: about 370,000 private and public shelters cover essentially the whole population, with local gaps in city centres, peripheral regions and growing areas.sourcedAlertsAbout 5,000 fixed and 2,200 mobile sirens sound two signals, the General Alarm and the Water Alarm, followed by instructions via radio and the official Alertswiss app; a mobile Cell Broadcast system is being introduced but is not yet operational.sourcedIodineEveryone living within 50 km of an active Swiss nuclear power plant (Beznau, Gösgen, Leibstadt) receives free potassium iodide tablets (Kaliumiodid 65 SERB) from the federal government every ten years; outside that zone cantons keep decentralised stocks.sourcedPrivate shelterWhere a commune lacks shelter places, owners building residential housing must build, equip and maintain a shelter; if no shelter is built (for technical reasons or because enough places already exist), they pay a replacement contribution of CHF 1,400 per shelter place.sourcedShelter standardsSwiss shelters are standardised by binding FOCP technical directives and built only with components tested and approved by the FOCP, listed in the Civil Protection Components Database (ZKDB).sourcedEmergency numbers112 is the international emergency number; Switzerland also uses 117 (police), 118 (fire), 144 (ambulance) and 145 (Tox Info Suisse, poisoning).sourced
Crisis bookletThe FOCP publishes the Alertswiss 'Notfallplan' (personal emergency plan, current print edition 10/2022, in 13 languages online), and FONES publishes the 'Kluger Rat – Notvorrat' supply brochure (dated 17 Feb 2025).sourced
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Short answer. Switzerland asks every household to keep food for about one week and at least 9 litres of water per person 1. It plans one shelter place for every resident, with about 370,000 shelters nationwide 2. Sirens and the Alertswiss app warn the population 3, and people within 50 km of an active nuclear power plant receive free iodine tablets every ten years 5.

Information last checked on 20 October 2026. The main federal bodies are the Federal Office for Civil Protection (FOCP, German BABS, French OFPP), which runs alerting and shelters 23, and the Federal Office for National Economic Supply (FONES, German BWL), which publishes the household supply advice 1. Shelter assignment and local information come from your canton and commune 2.

What is covered in this Switzerland section?

Page What it answers
Emergency supplies How much food and water FONES recommends, and what the list contains 1
Official kit list The official supply list, line by line 17
Public shelters How the one-place-per-resident system works and how to find your shelter 2
Alerts The two siren signals, the annual test, Alertswiss and the status of Cell Broadcast 34
Iodine tablets Who receives potassium iodide, where, and when to take it 5
Building a shelter The shelter-building duty and the CHF 1,400 replacement contribution 2
Shelter standards The FOCP technical directives and approved components 6
Emergency contacts 112, 117, 118, 144, 145 and the agencies to know 7

What does Switzerland ask households to store?

FONES recommends food for about one week and at least 9 litres of water per person, the equivalent of one six-pack of 1.5 L bottles, intended for drinking and cooking for three days 1. Water suppliers must restore a minimum drinking-water supply from the fourth day of an interruption 1. The list also includes a battery radio that receives DAB+ and FM, a gas stove, 50 hygiene masks per person, medication and some cash 1. Details are on the emergency supplies page.

Does Switzerland have shelters for everyone?

Yes, in principle. Switzerland follows the principle of one shelter place per resident, and about 370,000 private and public shelters cover essentially the whole population, with local gaps in city centres, peripheral regions and growing areas 2. Your shelter is usually within 2 km of your home, and assignments are published only when the security situation requires it 2. See public shelters.

How will I be warned?

About 7,200 sirens (5,000 fixed and 2,200 mobile) sound the General Alarm and, below dams, the Water Alarm 3. Instructions follow on the radio and in the Alertswiss app 3. A mobile Cell Broadcast system is planned but not yet operational: on 26 August 2026 the Federal Council requested a CHF 15.8 million commitment credit, not yet approved by Parliament 4. See alerts.

Who gets iodine tablets?

Everyone living within 50 km of Beznau, Gösgen or Leibstadt receives Kaliumiodid 65 SERB tablets free, every ten years; outside that zone, cantons hold stocks for the whole population 5. Tablets must be taken only when the authorities order it 5. See iodine and the general guide on potassium iodide.

Frequently asked questions

Who is responsible for civil protection in Switzerland?

The FOCP (BABS) handles alerting and shelters 23, FONES (BWL) handles emergency supplies 1, and the Armed Forces Pharmacy manages iodine tablets 5. Cantons and communes assign shelters and give local information 2.

Is there an official Swiss emergency plan to fill in?

Yes. Alertswiss publishes a personal emergency plan ("Notfallplan") covering contacts, meeting points, supplies, a first-aid kit, an evacuation bag and emergency numbers 7. Our guide on the family emergency plan explains how to prepare one.

Can I rely on my phone for alerts?

The Alertswiss app sends location-based push notifications 3. Cell Broadcast, which would reach phones without an app, is not yet operational in Switzerland 4.

Sources

  1. Bundesamt für wirtschaftliche Landesversorgung BWL — Kluger Rat – Notvorrat — https://www.bwl.admin.ch/de/kluger-rat-notvorrat (accessed 2026-10-20)
  2. Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS — Schutzräume für die Bevölkerung — https://www.babs.admin.ch/de/schutzraeume (accessed 2026-10-20)
  3. Alertswiss (BABS) — Bei Gefahr richtig reagieren — https://www.alert.swiss/de/vorsorge/bei-gefahr-richtig-reagieren.html (accessed 2026-10-20)
  4. Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS — Alarmierung der Bevölkerung: Bundesrat beschleunigt Einführung von Cell Broadcast — https://www.babs.admin.ch/de/newnsb/wr3dPx9UizGyBGsWyzBr7 (accessed 2026-10-20)
  5. Armeeapotheke – Geschäftsstelle Jodtabletten Schweiz — Verteilung von Jodtabletten: eine vorsorgliche Schutzmassnahme / Fragen und Antworten — https://www.jodtabletten.ch/de/faq (accessed 2026-10-20)
  6. Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS — Unterlagen Schutzbauten — https://www.babs.admin.ch/de/unterlagen-schutzbauten (accessed 2026-10-20)
  7. Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS (Alertswiss) — Notfallplan — https://www.alert.swiss/content/dam/alertswiss-internet/de/notfallplan/Emergency%20plan_A4_DE.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)

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Sources

  1. Bundesamt für wirtschaftliche Landesversorgung BWL · Kluger Rat – Notvorrat checked Mon Oct 19 2026 20:00:00 GMT-0400 (heure avancée de l’Est)
  2. Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS · Schutzräume für die Bevölkerung checked Mon Oct 19 2026 20:00:00 GMT-0400 (heure avancée de l’Est)
  3. Alertswiss (BABS) · Bei Gefahr richtig reagieren checked Mon Oct 19 2026 20:00:00 GMT-0400 (heure avancée de l’Est)
  4. Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS · Alarmierung der Bevölkerung: Bundesrat beschleunigt Einführung von Cell Broadcast checked Mon Oct 19 2026 20:00:00 GMT-0400 (heure avancée de l’Est)
  5. Armeeapotheke – Geschäftsstelle Jodtabletten Schweiz · Verteilung von Jodtabletten: eine vorsorgliche Schutzmassnahme / Fragen und Antworten checked Mon Oct 19 2026 20:00:00 GMT-0400 (heure avancée de l’Est)
  6. Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS · Unterlagen Schutzbauten checked Mon Oct 19 2026 20:00:00 GMT-0400 (heure avancée de l’Est)
  7. Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS (Alertswiss) · Notfallplan checked Mon Oct 19 2026 20:00:00 GMT-0400 (heure avancée de l’Est)

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