When I was a kid, growing up at times in the Southland country particularly, virtually every home-place had a stand-alone below-the-ground concrete storm shelter. These often doubled as root-cellars to preserve fruits, vegetables, and root crops well into the spring.
During the 1960S, driven by the fears of nuclear holocaust, a surge of fall-out Shelters was a way of life. You were nothing if you had no well-stocked shelter. Though just a kid, it seemed to me that it was a given that if we had such a shelter that we and a few fortunate others might emerge to repopulate the barren, but brave new world. It didn't happen soon enough, and like 9/11, people have a tendency to forget such nonsense. But during the Cuban Missile Crisis I think even Khrushchev was of the same inkling. But a defensive emergency shelter makes more sense now than ever.
If I were doing it, and I might be, I would obtain one of those large steel storage pods, rent a backhoe, and bury it a away from the house. I'd be careful of cables and underground utilities, and I would do my best to provide longevity to the container by reinforcing it with fiberglass or some of the new almost magic polymers and sealants both inside and out, taking care to use one that is non-toxic--maybe made from soybeans (am I green enough?) Of course, due to my propensity for adventure and intrigue, I'd have a hidden trap-door to access the tunnel leading to the shelter, which would be accessible from both upstairs and downstairs. I always wanted a trapdoor as well as a fireman's sliding pole (well -hidden of course.)
To conceal it and aid in the passive heating and cooling as well as other obvious benefits, I would plant a vineyard on and/or around the surface of my shelter. They would leaf out broadly during the warm seasons, providing shade and fruit, and shed leaves for maximum sunlight in the cooler seasons. Maybe less enticing a target for marauders would be a thicket of briered but domesticated berries.
An underground cellar stays an even temperature-range year around and is comfortable if not a bit on the chilly side. This promotes the proper and long-life storage of MRE's and other steerable rations properly prepared. Heating and cooling is unnecessary. Of course there would be a turbine ventilator and an alternate escape tunnel/hatch to the outside--invisible above-ground; perhaps secured in a stump or decorative structure or maybe in the middle or beyond the vineyard are Brier thicket. A ventilated bird bath would be a though too, Plus you could use the collected rainwater in many scenarios. Of course a NBC filter (Nuclear,Biological,Chemical [although blocking out NBC stations would be a good thought too) would be available if needed,or permanently installed in the vents and openings.
It would be prudent to store proper foods, medical aids, utensils, bedding, and make cooking arrangements. A solar panel or two would provide light almost indefinitely. Maybe they could be made to look like, and maybe actually function partially as, an alternative energy source to the main house--for lights and other low-amperage electrical requirements. Such panels are relatively cheap and widely available.
A gas or otherwise-powered generator could be installed as well. It would of course need to be properly out-vented so as to not kill the occupants with carbon-monoxide and such. Fuel would also have to be stored.In areas that have an average wind-speed of over 15 MPH, a windmill could also be employed to generate and charge batteries. as well. In my area, a separate (than for the house) fresh water well would be no problem at all. I think I would prefer a hand-drawn method for water (my memories of the almost sweet flavor of cold water drawn by hand on hot Arkansas country days are among my best.) A passive solar water heater in the form of a loose-laying coils of black pipe somewhere on top of the ground in a sunny area would provide comfortable bath water. It too would need the capacity to be filtered however.
For each family member an NBC suit and gas mask would be preparing for the worst. They are available new and used from military surplus suppliers such as those mentioned in my other blog entries. I like Cheaperthandirt.com and similar suppliers as their prices are very good. Blankets are inexpensive. Wool, even when wet, will maintain warmth. Surprisingly, so will silk. Maybe some silk clothing would be good too--like pajamas--several pairs. Military BDU's are both camouflaged and wear very well. Why camo? I don't don't know, but as they taught us in the Boy Scouts, Be Prepared.
speaking of which I am guessing that a good quantity of guns and ammo would be suitable too. Maybe a steel reinforced turret concealed in that same stump would be nice too. I won't be too irresponsible in this, but there are, for those who research, means of automating some weapons with little more than a bread-tie, or trigger crank--just in case. It is illegal under our current laws. However anarchy, if our government ever fell would super-cede those laws as replaced by the laws of survival.
Waste disposal could be handled minimally with a chemical toilet such as those used in RV's. A septic tank with field lines would be a long-term solution, but great care would need to be taken so as to not pollute your well-water, but this is standard practice in the country where commercial water and sewer systems are still used routinely. For added safety, drinking water can be both treated chemically and filtered to remove virtually any contaminants including radioactivity. Geiger counters are not very expensive if bought surplus to be sure. Most bacterial contaminants can be killed by boiling for 15 minutes or distilling water. Personal water filter bottles which handle up to 500 gallons of water before a replacement filter is required will remove most contaminants. These cost as little as 50 bucks.
General survival supplies would be obvious staples. Radio receivers, hand-held Walkie-Talkies, and CB or Ham Radios (with a horizontal long-wire antenna running above), and lots of batteries, butane lighters, flashlights, and waterproofed matches, as well as fire-starting supplies come immediately to ming. Gross, but possibly practical, would be biologically secure body bags. These have a lot of uses besides bodies, but one dead member of the family decaying next to you could spell contamination and death for the rest of the you without a bag. Plastic, tarps, duct tape, WD-40, basic tools, seeds (for planting), are essential to any semi-long-term endeavor.
I, as well as many others, have written much on this subject--survival. These books are a good thing to keep, especially on the identification of edible plants, although learning to do this before a disaster is better. This kind of information is readily accessible. Best-case scenario: you take the kids on a weekend outing (underground inning rather) in a comfortable place for fun several times a year (just make sure they don't take their friends alone, especially of the opposite sex, in there unsupervised. Seriously, it should be used frequently but not made known to others outside the family nor used as a plaything, as it can get out of order and unusable easily. Or perhaps condoms should be stored anyway. Be prepared?
Or maybe the next level of scenarios are that you are prepared for tornadoes, the outer reaches of earthquakes, power loss, ice-storms, war, civil unrest, disasters causing wild hungry and desperate flights from the city (New Orleans). What about floods? Maybe your shelter could be made water tight and breathable, TURBINE ABOVE THE Water-line, or maybe it could be made with a tree-house contingent or Pole-vaulted addendum. A look-out tree-tower would be great anyway. I don't live in a flood-plane, but if I did, I THINK YOU OR I COULD COME UP WITH A SOLUTION for floods..
Speaking of turbans, too, the kind you wear on your head, might be helpful as well. I like the black and white or red and white dish-towel variety personally, as they could be used multi-purposefully. DW
