In brief

• Poland's State Fire Service has released the free app 'Gdzie się ukryć PL' on iOS, Android and the web.
• The app shows nearby shelter points, contains more than 88,000 locations and works offline.
• Shelters are only required to open when a threat or alarm is announced, so many may be closed day to day.

Free app available in app stores and on the web

The State Fire Service has released a free mobile app called "Gdzie się ukryć PL" ("Where to hide PL"). It can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play, and it is also available as a browser version at gdziesieukryc.pl ("Gdzie się ukryć". Aplikacja dostępna do pobrania – TVN24) (Nowa aplikacja rządowa. Pokaże listę i lokalizację schronów – instalki.pl) (Gdzie się ukryć w razie zagrożenia? Nowa aplikacja PSP już dostępna – Bankier.pl) (Aplikację Gdzie się ukryć PL możesz już pobrać na telefon – Ministerstwo Spraw Wewnętrznych i Administracji). The Ministry of Interior and Administration says the tool contains more than 88,000 shelter points and that it works without an internet connection.

How the app works

The app shows the user's position on a map and marks nearby shelter points. The map rotates with the direction the phone is facing. Users can open a simplified interface if the map is hard to read on a small screen. The app also includes safety advice for emergencies and supports screen readers for blind and partially sighted users.

Shelters may be closed on a normal day

The ministry notes that a shelter must be made available only when a threat arises or an alarm is announced. As a result, many facilities may not be open in everyday conditions. Marking of shelter points is still under way.

Key figures

• Shelter points in the app: more than 88,000
• Population the points are meant to serve: 24 million people

What comes next

The government has presented the app as part of wider preparations for emergencies, with the aim of helping residents reach a shelter quickly (Rząd szykuje się na najgorsze i udostępnia mapę schronów. Miliony Polaków mają być gotowi do ucieczki – Forsal.pl). Further marking of shelter points is expected to continue.