After Years of Discussions: Riga Finally Creates a Shelter Network 0 53

It is planned to use €5.69 million from EU funds and approximately the same amount from the municipal budget.

The shelters are to be created only in municipal facilities: 123 buildings are under the jurisdiction of the Riga City Council (RCC) property department, 23 are municipal income houses of the housing and environment department, and two belong to the joint-stock company "Rīgas siltums." As reported at a meeting of the RCC committee on security, order, and anti-corruption by the head of the RCC civil defense department, Mārtiņš Sirmais, the list includes facilities deemed suitable by the State Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) based on established criteria. Prepared project applications for these 146 facilities will be submitted to the Central Finance and Contracting Agency by the end of the year; a decision is expected by April 1, 2026. Implementation is planned for 2026-2027 - in the first year, it is planned to utilize 40% of the funds, and in the second year, 60%.

The head of the RCC construction department, Māris Mežsile, reported that 27 facilities from the priority list "A" were excluded due to non-compliance with requirements: in several premises, there are main city networks, in some places the ceilings are too low, wooden or damaged ceilings, or there is a swimming pool in the building. As a result of the renovation, as Mežsile explained, the shelters must have non-combustible entrance doors installed, ventilation and autonomous power supply provided, non-combustible and non-depressing finishing materials used, sanitary and hygienic requirements met, waste collection ensured, access to drinking water and the possibility of charging mobile devices provided, as well as information on the rules for using the premises displayed. Sirmais added that expenses for generators and tools for clearing exits are not included in the project - they will be covered by the civil defense department's budget.