Israelis put nuclear bunkers in gardens

timesonline ^ | October 29, 2006 | Uzi Mahnaimi, Tel Aviv

[Flavius]

AMID mounting fears that Iran is planning to obliterate their country, wealthy Israelis are shelling out on underground nuclear shelters in the gardens of their luxury homes.

The shelters, which cost at least £60,000 for a bargain-basement version, are built to withstand radioactive fallout, have fortified walls and doors and generate their own electricity and decontaminated air. Defence experts estimate that hundreds of such bunkers, many fitted with all modern conveniences such as bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms, have already been built in private homes across the country and demand is soaring.

Zaki Rakib, a wealthy businessman, built a shelter for himself and his family under his large villa overlooking the Mediterranean in Herzliya, an exclusive garden suburb north of Tel Aviv.

“The shelter looks like a regular flat,” he said. “It is 2,000 square feet, with a living room, two bedrooms, kitchen, self-powered electricity.”

[Flavius]

[ConservativeMind]

I don't see Iran doing anything of consequence, but I'm not against being prepared.

It's that Boy Scout in me.

[operation clinton cleanup]

Its not much, but its underground.

[Slings and Arrows]

Israeli teenagers need places to canoodle too.

[rawhide]

My dad was looking to buy a house in central Florida years ago that was built after the Cuban missile crisis. While looking at it, he found an attached hidden underground shelter that the original owner had built under the carport, that the realtor apparently did not know about. It had its own electric generator, located in its own sealed off little room, a complete bathroom w/shower, an electric or manually operated air supply, if needed, and I believe 4 fold-down canvas bunk beds. It also had a couple of glass lookouts, maybe 2ft thick, 4" square, for daytime light. It had a couple of air supply pipes going outside. It had its own underground electric water well for drinking water and for bathroom use. It had two thick steel solid-locking entry doors from the inside of the basement, plus two thick solid-locking exit doors to the outside. The main room was maybe 20'x15'. It was solid concrete all around. We used it a bedroom for one of my brothers, then later my dad made a workshop out of it. The older boys used the bathroom as their own downstairs private bathroom. It also made for a good hurricane shelter. This is also where my dad stored his thousands of old Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, Mechanics Illustrated magazines, stored in a little hallway off to the enclosed bathroom. I tell you, if we had to use this bomb shelter for an extended period of time, we would have had a ton of reading material.

[Flavius]

they do come in handy

[G Larry]

Florida.....basement?

Who knew?

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[mamelukesabre]

Other than food and water, the most important thing is a way to receive news or to communicate with the outside world. Internet, cell phone, satellite phone, AM/FM radio, police scanner, television, citizen band radio, Marine band, and ham radio(short wave radio) are a good idea. I don't know how reliable internet and cellphone would be in the case of a disaster though. And you would have to rig up some way for cell phone reception underground or inside a steel vessel. Some sort of relay or remote antenna.

Short wave is the most reliable so long as your tower is still intact. Although the number of users out there may not be very high. You might find the nearest person to talk to is a couple hundred miles away. Or more.

All this is much more than my provisions for nuclear. Mine consists of a handheld police scanner/CB radio combo, a sledge hammer and an antique folding army shovel...kept in my basement. Bust out a few cinder blocks with the sledge hammer and dig like crazy with the little shovel. Take all the dresser drawers downstairs and fill them up with the dirt dug out. Then stack up the dirt filled drawers up at the entrance to the hole.

Tada. Presto-chango. Instant radiation shelter.

[Shadowstrike]

going to show my stupid here, but how would one get information on building such a thing here in the States.

Mine would have to be big enough for about Seven people, Eight dogs and Two cats.

You don't seriously think I'd forget my four-legged babies do you?

[Fiddlstix]

Check this out.


Click The Pic

[rawhide]

Do a google search for 'building bomb shelter' and you will get back a slew of companies that can build one for you. Also you can find info on how to build one yourself.

[backhoe]

Florida.....basement? Who knew?

There actually some parts of Florida ( panhandle area ) that are quite hilly.

On the Island I grew up on, there was one house with a basement ( never learned how they kept it dry- water table was about 3-5 feet below grade ) and three above-ground fallout shelters.

[backhoe]

...going to show my stupid here, but how would one get information on building such a thing here in the States. Mine would have to be big enough for about Seven people, Eight dogs and Two cats. You don't seriously think I'd forget my four-legged babies do you?

"The only stupid question is the one you don't ask."

Buried in these marathon links:

Nuclear, Biological, & Chemical Warfare- Survival Skills, Pt. II

are links to fallout shelter info. And you're a good man (?) for remembering your animal friends.

[G Larry]

This is a "survival shelter" not a picinic tent!

Animals take up precious AIR, food, and water, AND significantly complicate the waste management problem.

You need to be prepared for 30 days and those critters are going foul the air big time.

The air management system is not an industrial air conditioner!

[Shadowstrike]

by your way of thinking maybe I should just leave the PEOPLE out as well? After all they'd take up precious amounts of air, food, and water.

Since I wouldn't be knocking on your door for help, why does it bother you WHO I'd have in mine?

You 'survive' your way, and let me survive mine.

[Shadowstrike]

Thanks for the info, and the links.

[G Larry]

No, by my way of thinking people are more important than pets, and pets should never impinge on the survival of people.

But, yes, you do what you want....

[Shadowstrike]

Isn't that kind of you. When I pay for my very own survival shelter, you'll let me have in it what I want. What a pal.

And I'm sorry, but I know some animals who deserved to survive a heck of alot more than some people.