How to Build an Emergency Fallout Shelter

Locate the fallout shelter underground or in a basement. The further the walls and roof of the shelter are away from radioactive dust the more protection it will offer. If dust settles directly on the shelter, radiation may be able to penetrate inside.

Provide air through an air-filtration system designed to remove radioactive particles from the air. Expelled air must be removed from the shelter to avoid carbon dioxide poisoning.

Calculate how much water your family will need for two weeks. The recommended daily intake of fluids is 2 liters per day for an adult. Multiply the number of adults by 2 then by 14 for the number of liters you will need, count children as adults so that you have more water than you need.

Build storage into the fallout shelter for enough food and water for the family for two weeks. Stick to jars or tinned food as fresh and frozen food requires refrigeration and you may not have enough power to run large electrical appliances.

Connect the fallout shelter to a waste system, bear in mind that the local sewerage system may not function after a nuclear attack. Also water in the local sewage pipes may be contaminated with fallout and any ingress from the sewage system could expose you to radioactive material.

Provide a means of power for lighting, heating, the air system and a radio or television.You must have a means to recharge battery-powered generators manually.