Domestic Nuclear Shelters

At a glance..

This booklet is a brief guide to three basic kinds of nuclear shelter: simple shelters for short-term indoor or out-door use which can be built from materials already at hand; shelters that can be assembled from do-it-yourself kits; permanent custom-built shelters built into the ground and requiring professional help in design and construction.

The details..

"Domestic Nuclear Shelters" is a guide to building three types of nuclear shelters. The first type consists of simple, short-term indoor or outdoor structures made from readily available materials. The second type comprises do-it-yourself kits that can be assembled into more durable shelters. Finally, the third type includes custom-built underground structures requiring professional help in design and construction.

The book also describes the likely effects of a nuclear attack, including light and heat flash, initial radiation (INR), blast waves, tremors and fallout dust. It explains how each shelter offers varying degrees of protection against these effects but none are capable of protecting someone close to the site of an explosion.

The book advises readers on stocking their shelter with supplies for survival after an attack occurs. It also provides information about what happens to fallout after a nuclear attack; radiation emitted from it decreases as time passes so it will eventually be safe to emerge from your shelter for short periods when advised by radio.

To protect oneself inside a shelter during radioactive exposure dense material around it lessens the risk harm from radiation so long as one remains inside.The protective factor varies based upon different materials used in constructing such shelters.