Bunkers

[Caribou]

Radiation Halving Thickness Chart

Material	Halving Thickness [inches]	PF40 [inches]	PF300 [inches]	PF1000 [inches]
Lead	0.4	2.1	3.2	4.0
Iron	0.9	4.8	7.2	9.0
Steel	1.0	5.3	8.0	10.0
Stone	2.2	11.7	17.6	22.0
Concrete	2.4	12.7	19.2	24.0
Aluminum	2.7	14.3	21.6	27.0
Brickwork	2.8	14.8	22.4	28.0
Sand	2.9	15.4	23.2	29.0
Packed Soil	3.6	19.1	28.8	36.0
Water	7.2	38.2	57.6	72.0
Wood	11.0	58.3	88.0	110.0

 

[Weedygarden]

I think if there were to be a major attack I would never know what happened......

I think it really depends where you live and are when there is a major attack.

 

[UrbanHunter]

I think it really depends where you live and are when there is a major attack.

Yep, I think I am in the major blast zone for about 1/2 dozen major targets, yep if it goes south we'll be smokin

 

[Weedygarden]

Yep, I think I am in the major blast zone for about 1/2 dozen major targets, yep if it goes south we'll be smokin

We can do what we can to prepare to survive, but ultimately, we all need to prepare to die, because it is inevitable, sooner or later.

 

[Bacpacker]

I'm within 35 miles of 3 different targets. All I consider secondary targets, but targets none the less

 

[Weedygarden]

I believe my first post when I joined PS was, "Where is the safest place to live?" I am as guilty as anyone for being off topic. I don't remember the amount of responses, but not one person even considered where the safest places on earth are. There were many responses about people being safest where they lived. Yes, being home is safe, but what about potential nuclear blasts, earth quakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanos? When there are nuclear attacks, there are places that will be primary targets, then secondary targets, and then places that are not worth hitting. There could be 100's of places that could be bombed, attacked, missile strikes, but some are more likely targets than others.

 

[UrbanHunter]

I believe my first post when I joined PS was, "Where is the safest place to live?" I am as guilty as anyone for being off topic. I don't remember the amount of responses, but not one person even considered where the safest places on earth are. There were many responses about people being safest where they lived. Yes, being home is safe, but what about potential nuclear blasts, earth quakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanos? When there are nuclear attacks, there are places that will be primary targets, then secondary targets, and then places that are not worth hitting. There could be 100's of places that could be bombed, attacked, missile strikes, but some are more likely targets than others.

Based on that criteria, I would have to say 100 miles inland, not within 10 miles of a major river (not in a dry river bed or flood plane), at least 50' above sea level, not within 50 miles of a city of more than 50,000, at least 150 miles away from major fault lines and places like Yellow Stone, and not within 100 miles of a military or government installation.

I don't know where that is, Brazil maybe? Possibly @Amish Heart's place?

 

[Weedygarden]

Based on that criteria, I would have to say 100 miles inland, not within 10 miles of a major river (not in a dry river bed or flood plane), at least 50' above sea level, not within 50 miles of a city of more than 50,000, at least 150 miles away from major fault lines and places like Yellow Stone, and not within 100 miles of a military or government installation.

I don't know where that is, Brazil maybe? Possibly @Amish Heart's place?

Probably Amish Heart's place for many reasons. The Amish are probably some of the best neighbors one could have.

 

[Amish Heart]

Well, come on down! We do have the best neighbors in our town, for sure.

 

[Weedygarden]

Well, come on down! We do have the best neighbors in our town, for sure.

We'd all need to bring our own camper trailers or alternative portable housing. Are there motels or hotels around?

 

[Weedygarden]

Southern Prepper 1

 

[Weedygarden]

 

[Weedygarden]

That facility exists, it's not secret any more. It's under an old hotel and it has facilities for all of the house and senate to keep functioning in case of nuclear war. I wish I could remember the name of it. It was declassified years ago. The History Channel took a film crew through it...

Edit: It's called The Greenbrier Hotel and Resort. It has a 110,000 square foot bunker under it and you can take a tour of it if you want to...

I want a tour! I will never get there, but I would love to see it!

 

[HippoTwilight]

I believe my first post when I joined PS was, "Where is the safest place to live?" I am as guilty as anyone for being off topic. I don't remember the amount of responses, but not one person even considered where the safest places on earth are. There were many responses about people being safest where they lived. Yes, being home is safe, but what about potential nuclear blasts, earth quakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanos? When there are nuclear attacks, there are places that will be primary targets, then secondary targets, and then places that are not worth hitting. There could be 100's of places that could be bombed, attacked, missile strikes, but some are more likely targets than others.

Point Nemo. It's the farthest point away from inhabited land anywhere on earth. It's so far away from anything that the astronauts on the ISS are the closest humans when it orbits overhead. I'm pretty sure it's a fair distance from regular shipping channels too.

 

[HippoTwilight]

More on topic...
I've often thought about those large rectangular concrete storm drains. They're designed to be buried, and can be dropped into a hole in a few hours. Line them up end to end until you have enough space.

 

[lonewolf]

cant afford a bunker, havent got the room for it, if its nuclear war I prefer to go out in a blinding flash than suffer a long drawn out painful death from radiation poisoning.
anyway I'm a nosy so and so, I like to see whats going on and who is doing what! even more so post SHTF.

 

[Weedygarden]

cant afford a bunker, havent got the room for it, if its nuclear war I prefer to go out in a blinding flash than suffer a long drawn out painful death from radiation poisoning.
anyway I'm a nosy so and so, I like to see whats going on and who is doing what! even more so post SHTF.

I think that you are not alone in wanting to go quickly. I remember hearing and reading about nuclear winter decades ago. I never hear about that any more.

 

[HippoTwilight]

I think that you are not alone in wanting to go quickly. I remember hearing and reading about nuclear winter decades ago. I never hear about that any more.

cant afford a bunker, havent got the room for it, if its nuclear war I prefer to go out in a blinding flash than suffer a long drawn out painful death from radiation poisoning.
anyway I'm a nosy so and so, I like to see whats going on and who is doing what! even more so post SHTF.

I'm perfectly content living within earshot of the artillery at the local base. It rattles the dishes when they pull out the big guns. If it goes nuclear I'm hoping we're close enough to get vaporized instead of being microwaved alive by radiation.

 

[Supervisor42]

I'm perfectly content living within earshot of the artillery at the local base. It rattles the dishes when they pull out the big guns. If it goes nuclear I'm hoping we're close enough to get vaporized instead of being microwaved alive by radiation.

On topic with Bunkers. The vast majority of people won't need one to survive a nuclear war.
Simply camping in the center of your house for 2 weeks will protect you from most harmful radiation.
There is no need to be "microwaved to death".
Knowing when it is 'safe' to go out is critical though, and doesn't require much prepping.

 

[Weedygarden]

I will never have one, but a girl can dream! I do like to look at what people's ideas are for bunkers. I have always been fascinated by what people have done for shelter, to survive whether it be log cabins, dugouts, caves, whatever. We have no idea what the future holds for any of us, but having ideas may help us survive. I don't live worrying about it every day, I am just interested in what other people think and do.

I know that some people consider them death traps.

Today, this video popped up. I am aware of this place, where the bunkers are, but have never been there. It is close to Edgemont, SD, and Edgemont is a place I am familiar with. It happens to be a place where I usually buy gas when I am driving from Colorado to western S.D. My cousin was married to a girl from there. Edgemont has a population of 716 people. There is not much close there, just wide open spaces for miles and miles.

We had a discussion about this location recently, with d_marsh and his search for new property.

I read that there are some legal issues going on with this place.

 

[Weedygarden]

This guy has been working on building a bunker.

https://www.youtube.com/@Tornado_Dave/videos

 

[Caribou]

Many years ago I used to drive past a bunker next to I-5 while driving through the LA area. The bunker was surrounded by chain link fence and concertina. It stood a few feet above ground, waist height at the most, with windows topped with a thick concrete roof. Everyone in CA knows it is there but it looks quite formidable.

 

[Weedygarden]

Many years ago I used to drive past a bunker next to I-5 while driving through the LA area. The bunker was surrounded by chain link fence and concertina. It stood a few feet above ground, waist height at the most, with windows topped with a thick concrete roof. Everyone in CA knows it is there but it looks quite formidable.

Interesting. I have driven from Ventura down to San Diego on I-5. I wish I had known about it. I wonder how earthquake proof it would be.

 

[Hardcalibres]

Interesting. I have driven from Ventura down to San Diego on I-5. I wish I had known about it. I wonder how earthquake proof it would be.

Military bunkers are earthquake proof.

Part of their purpose is to resist the damage of a very nearby detonation (in the adjacent ground).

The seismic energy released by such a detonation is very much more intense than a much more distant earthquake.