Kaunas aims to consolidate the program of shelters in apartment buildings, other big cities are not considering it

At the next meeting, the Kaunas Council will be presented with a program for the installation of shelters in existing multi-apartment buildings, but the municipality’s budget has not provided funding for it yet.

Vilnius and Klaipėda do not provide such support, the capital is not considering creating a similar program.

As indicated in the draft decision of the Kaunas Council registered on April 12, the purpose of the program is to encourage owners of apartments and other premises to install shelters in their homes, providing financing from the municipal budget.

According to the municipality’s Department of Housing Modernization, Administration and Energy, this program is presented to the council taking into account possible threats, the experience of Russian military aggression in Ukraine and the need for the development of civil protection measures.

The project envisages 11 measures that the municipality would finance by installing a shelter. Among them are emergency exits, opening covers, installation of ventilation, electricity and drinking water supply systems, and construction strengthening works.

The funds are intended to be provided after the approval of the program

As Paulius Keras, deputy director of Kaunas municipality administration, told BNS, if the council approves the program for installing shelters in apartment buildings on Tuesday, the municipality plans to adjust the city’s strategic plan and make changes to the budget at the next council meeting, predicting the allocated funds for 2024.

“After determining the dedicated funds for this year, we will publish an invitation to participate in the program,” said P. Keras.

The program would allow allocation of up to 100 percent. financing for the expertise of the multi-apartment building’s supporting structures, design and structural design, construction maintenance, and the installation of the measures provided for in the program.

“Received applications will be examined by a specially formed group. It will assess the scope of the changes planned in the apartment building, the compliance of the shelter with the conditions of the program and will decide how much funding to allocate in each individual case,” said P. Keras.

According to him, there is no defined maximum amount that could be allocated to one apartment building, the financing would depend on the project of adapting the house to the shelter.

The program for installing covers in apartment buildings will be discussed at the Kaunas Council meeting on April 23.

According to the data of the municipality, there are currently over 304 thousand people in Kaunas. inhabitants, of which almost three quarters are located in apartment buildings. There are 287 shelters in the city, which could accommodate about a third of the population in the event of a weather emergency.

Vilnius is not considering, the shelters would fit about half of the population

According to the representative of the Vilnius city municipality, Gabrielias Grubinskas, similar or analogous measures are not currently being considered in the capital.

According to the representative of the municipality, there are more than 670 shelters in Vilnius where almost 310 thousand people could hide. population. Buildings of various purposes with basements, plinth floors, and other rooms with the smallest possible area of ​​windows and doors are considered suitable for shelter.

“It is aimed that at least 60% of the shelters will be sufficient. of registered city residents, as a result of which the list is constantly being filled in cooperation with private entities,” G. Grubinskas told BNS.

According to the preliminary data of the State Data Agency, at the beginning of 2024, Vilnius had almost 602 thousand people. population.

Klaipėda: there is no obligation for shelters in existing buildings

Žygintas Viršilas, the head of the Klaipėda municipality’s Civil Protection and Mobilization subsection, who performs the functions of a preparedness officer, said in a comment submitted to BNS that state legislation does not provide for the installation of shelters in existing buildings, nor does it oblige to provide financial support for it.

“According to the requirements of the currently valid legal acts, there are no mandatory requirements for the installation of shelters in older buildings or private residential houses, therefore the residents of the apartment building – the co-owners – should take care of the installation of the shelter themselves,” said Ž. Cover sheet.

He noted that the builder is responsible for the design and installation of shelters in newly constructed buildings.

Currently, the municipality of the port city has selected 89 shelters, where a total of 18 percent can hide. or within 29 thousand population. Ž. According to Viršil, Klaipėda is constantly looking for new places to set up shelters in the city.

The Law on Crisis Management and Civil Protection, which entered into force in January 2023, established the obligation to design and install shelters in all newly constructed public buildings with a capacity of more than 100 people and apartment buildings with more than five floors.

At the beginning of the year, the Ministry of the Environment said it planned to initiate changes to the laws that would allow part of the costs of installing shelters to be financed with a state subsidy or a preferential bank loan for the renovation of already built apartment buildings.

According to the data of the Fire Protection and Rescue Department, currently more than 3.3 thousand are installed in Lithuanian municipalities. shelters where about 900 thousand people could hide. or 32 percent population.