The basic definition of a bunker is a fortified shelter used for emergencies and natural
disasters. There are several types. If you are planning to "Bug in" (staying home) in an
emergency you will need one.
1) Storm shelter: These are underground shelters designed to withstand tornados and
other weather related disasters.
2) Bomb shelter: There were very popular in the 1950's and 1960's and were usually
small steel enclosures burred a few feet below ground in the back yard and were d
esigned to help civilians survive the initial blast of a nuclear bomb and were designed
to hold just a family for a few days to a week. The military bomb shelter is much larger
and complex and has internal power and ventilation and can hold many hundreds if not
thousands of people.
Think NORAD.
3) Fallout shelter: Again very popular in the 1950's and 1960's and were designed to help
civilians survive the initial blast of a nuclear bomb but were usually community based and
were designed for a few hundred people to survive a few days. Contact your local
community government for locations near you.
4) Survival shelter: Now we get to the modern shelter. Survival shelters have become the
most popular in recent years especially with ordinary citizens who want to stockpile food,
medicine and ammunition in case society breaks down.
The survival shelter has several basic parts, the first being the shelter itself. This should
be at minimum a basement or fortified shed. The shelter should have a minimum of two
entrances and exits. If you are under assault you will need more than one way out. Plus
you will need to be able to fortify the entrances so no one can get in.
The second part is food and water. The minimum amount of food and water you will need
in your shelter is 3 days worth of food and water for each person, don't forget your pets.
The third part is the basic essentials. Things like clothing, medications, light and heat,
sanitation and entertainment. Stockpile enough clothing for several days and keep
seasons in mind. Keep a change of clothing for warm weather and cold weather.
Appropriate footwear is important; you don't want to spend a week in your basement
in combat boots or slippers. Also, you may have to venture out, have a rain poncho,
boots and other attire for exploring after things calm down. Entertainment is important,
boredom is the worst enemy you will encounter when locked in a shelter for days. If you
have any medical conditions stockpile a weeks worth. Keep sanitation in mind as well,
what goes in must come out so get a sturdy 5 gallon bucket and some heavy bags for a
make shift toilet. Outdoor stores sell toilet kits for buckets. Don't forget the TP!
Lastly and not least is protection. All the planning and preparation is worthless if you
cannot protect your shelter and family. A gun is the most useful item. I recommend
at least a 9mm and prefer a .45 with a minimum of 500 rounds of ammunition. Be
sure to practice, the best gun in the world is useless if you can’t hit the side of a barn.
I also recommend have at least one shotgun, 12ga. with at least 100 rounds. They
are great for close quarters combat and can be used for hunting. Get 100 rounds of 00
buck and some slugs. The slugs are great for hunting and the buck shot is for defense
and can be used for smaller game like ducks, rabbits and other game. And practice,
practice, practice!
One item your shelter could use is a generator. If you can afford a whole house generator
that's great, but get a few of those battery packs or a smaller gas generator will do. The
one draw back for a gas generator is, once you start it, people are going to know you have
it. Use sparingly and just to run the heat and to keep the frig cold. Stockpile some gas. And
be prepared to defend you generator.
There is one more shelter type I forgot to mention, that is the cache! These are used by
people who instead of "bugging in" are planning on "bugging out." A cache is a storehouse
of supplies used so you don't have to carry everything with you if you have to bug out.
These caches can be as simple as a change of clothes and some food and water stashed
at you work or a complicated underground bunker several miles or hundreds of miles away
with days or weeks of food/water and ammunition.
If you have the means I would recommend you create a cache in you own backyard.
This can be as simple as a buried plastic tub with some food water, ammunition and
other items in case you have to abandon you base or can't get home and your shelter
is looted. This should be buried shallow but in a place no one can get to but easily enough
for you to get to.
There is one golden rule when it comes to your shelter...
TELL NO ONE!
You friends might be cool now, but after a few days of no food or water they will be
knocking on your door and you may want to help but you can't feed all the grasshoppers
in you neighborhood.
If you do get that knock on your shelter be prepared to help them or defend your stuff.
No one wants to think about self defense but others will not hesitate to hurt you to get
food for themselves and their family so mentally prepare yourself for that eventuality.
It's you or them.
Never forget security. If you have more than one person in your bunker, sleep in shifts so
one person is awake at all times to keep an eye on your property.
disasters. There are several types. If you are planning to "Bug in" (staying home) in an
emergency you will need one.
1) Storm shelter: These are underground shelters designed to withstand tornados and
other weather related disasters.
2) Bomb shelter: There were very popular in the 1950's and 1960's and were usually
small steel enclosures burred a few feet below ground in the back yard and were d
esigned to help civilians survive the initial blast of a nuclear bomb and were designed
to hold just a family for a few days to a week. The military bomb shelter is much larger
and complex and has internal power and ventilation and can hold many hundreds if not
thousands of people.
Think NORAD.
3) Fallout shelter: Again very popular in the 1950's and 1960's and were designed to help
civilians survive the initial blast of a nuclear bomb but were usually community based and
were designed for a few hundred people to survive a few days. Contact your local
community government for locations near you.
4) Survival shelter: Now we get to the modern shelter. Survival shelters have become the
most popular in recent years especially with ordinary citizens who want to stockpile food,
medicine and ammunition in case society breaks down.
The survival shelter has several basic parts, the first being the shelter itself. This should
be at minimum a basement or fortified shed. The shelter should have a minimum of two
entrances and exits. If you are under assault you will need more than one way out. Plus
you will need to be able to fortify the entrances so no one can get in.
The second part is food and water. The minimum amount of food and water you will need
in your shelter is 3 days worth of food and water for each person, don't forget your pets.
The third part is the basic essentials. Things like clothing, medications, light and heat,
sanitation and entertainment. Stockpile enough clothing for several days and keep
seasons in mind. Keep a change of clothing for warm weather and cold weather.
Appropriate footwear is important; you don't want to spend a week in your basement
in combat boots or slippers. Also, you may have to venture out, have a rain poncho,
boots and other attire for exploring after things calm down. Entertainment is important,
boredom is the worst enemy you will encounter when locked in a shelter for days. If you
have any medical conditions stockpile a weeks worth. Keep sanitation in mind as well,
what goes in must come out so get a sturdy 5 gallon bucket and some heavy bags for a
make shift toilet. Outdoor stores sell toilet kits for buckets. Don't forget the TP!
Lastly and not least is protection. All the planning and preparation is worthless if you
cannot protect your shelter and family. A gun is the most useful item. I recommend
at least a 9mm and prefer a .45 with a minimum of 500 rounds of ammunition. Be
sure to practice, the best gun in the world is useless if you can’t hit the side of a barn.
I also recommend have at least one shotgun, 12ga. with at least 100 rounds. They
are great for close quarters combat and can be used for hunting. Get 100 rounds of 00
buck and some slugs. The slugs are great for hunting and the buck shot is for defense
and can be used for smaller game like ducks, rabbits and other game. And practice,
practice, practice!
One item your shelter could use is a generator. If you can afford a whole house generator
that's great, but get a few of those battery packs or a smaller gas generator will do. The
one draw back for a gas generator is, once you start it, people are going to know you have
it. Use sparingly and just to run the heat and to keep the frig cold. Stockpile some gas. And
be prepared to defend you generator.
There is one more shelter type I forgot to mention, that is the cache! These are used by
people who instead of "bugging in" are planning on "bugging out." A cache is a storehouse
of supplies used so you don't have to carry everything with you if you have to bug out.
These caches can be as simple as a change of clothes and some food and water stashed
at you work or a complicated underground bunker several miles or hundreds of miles away
with days or weeks of food/water and ammunition.
If you have the means I would recommend you create a cache in you own backyard.
This can be as simple as a buried plastic tub with some food water, ammunition and
other items in case you have to abandon you base or can't get home and your shelter
is looted. This should be buried shallow but in a place no one can get to but easily enough
for you to get to.
There is one golden rule when it comes to your shelter...
TELL NO ONE!
You friends might be cool now, but after a few days of no food or water they will be
knocking on your door and you may want to help but you can't feed all the grasshoppers
in you neighborhood.
If you do get that knock on your shelter be prepared to help them or defend your stuff.
No one wants to think about self defense but others will not hesitate to hurt you to get
food for themselves and their family so mentally prepare yourself for that eventuality.
It's you or them.
Never forget security. If you have more than one person in your bunker, sleep in shifts so
one person is awake at all times to keep an eye on your property.