Mysterious concrete structure reveals the need to ensure that emergency exits of civil defence shelters are in order

Last week, workers at the Crown Bridges construction site in Hakaniemi uncovered a mysterious concrete structure. Many people were puzzled by the mystery structure, and the City of Helsinki asked citizens for suggestions on what the sturdy box underground could be used for and drilled into the structure to find out if it was solid or hollow. The structure was identified as the emergency exit for the civil defence shelter of the nearby Elanto building.

“The confusion is not really that surprising. It’s been a long while since people gave much thought to the emergency exits of civil defence shelters. Still, it’s a good idea to make sure that their locations are known and that they are in order,” says Jaakko Koivula, civil defence expert at SPEK.

All civil defence shelters are equipped with an emergency exit. However, not all property owners necessarily know the location of the exit or have taken care of its condition.

Often, the emergency exit is an underground corridor that leads to a door or breakable hatch built of cinder blocks. People in the shelter can escape from the hatch. This is the case, for example, if the building itself has come down and the actual exit cannot be used.

Civil defence shelters are equipped with a shovel and crowbar for breaking open the emergency exit. In some buildings, the emergency exit can be located above ground.

In the event of a threat, the emergency exit of the civil defence shelter must be usable.

When the shelter is put into service in case of a conflict, the hatch is cleared of any earth, or at the very least any material that is difficult to shovel through the hatch from inside the shelter is removed.

“It is important to ensure that the emergency exit of a civil defence shelter is in working order in the event of a threat. The emergency exit may be blocked by water or vegetation, for example,” Koivula says.

Any structures built over the emergency exit must be removable if necessary.

An emergency exit can have three uses: In addition to an emergency escape route for people, it can be used as a smoke extraction and ventilation channel for the shelter. In the emergency exit, the hatch that opens outwards is used for smoke extraction, while the hatch that opens inwards is the actual exit.

“The world has changed these past few years. Perhaps many people didn’t pay much thought to the fact that buildings have a door or hatch that needs to be opened quickly in case of an emergency. It would be important to make sure that in a crisis, people can depend on this critical escape route.

Civil defence shelters are intended for protecting the population in the event of an armed attack. If the situation requires the use of civil defence shelters, the authorities will issue the order. Shelters must be prepared to be ready for use for protection within 72 hours after an official order. Civil defence shelters are not used in emergencies involving radiation, for example. In these situations, people should shelter inside their homes or some other location.