A fallout shelter is designed for one thing: to keep you and your family alive and safe from nuclear radiation in the aftermath of a nuclear explosion.
In the event of a nuclear blast going off in your area, it will be unsafe to spend time outside up to two weeks at the bare minimum.
This is because the radiation needs time to subside and become less harmful, and even after two weeks, it may still be dangerous and you’ll want to do so at your own risk and take extra precautions.
Regardless of when you choose to venture out into the outside world in this scenario, you’re going to need to be prepared to spend a fair amount of time in your fallout shelter. That’s why your shelter will need to be well stocked.
Here are the items I keep in my fallout shelter at all times to give you a few ideas for what you should include in yours. Note that in this list, I’ll be talking about specific items that go beyond the basic essentials, such as food and water:
Books
I think a small library of books are among the most overlooked items that one can keep in their nuclear fallout shelter. Not only is reading a healthy activity, but books provide a wealth of information and can help pass the time.
In my family’s shelter, we keep a copy of the Bible, famous novels, children’s books, and books relating to survival and disaster preparedness. I believe books demonstrating (with pictures) how to build shelters, identify poisonous plants, and how to survive different survival scenarios are among the most important to keep.
Container For Contaminated Items
If any clothing, items, or tools become contaminated in any way, you need to get rid of them. To do this, I recommend having a large container that you have purely for the purposes of storing contaminated items. The next best thing would be a trash bag.
Dosimeter
A dosimeter is used for measuring radiation levels on your body.
I highly recommend keeping at least two and with an extra pack of batteries for them in your fallout shelter at all times.
Related: Rich In Iodine: 5 Foods That Help Manage Radiation Effects
Duct Tape
Duct tape can be a lifesaver in many situations. Besides being used to repair just about anything, you can use it to seal off any holes that may develop in your shelter.
Flashlights
I like to keep at least two large flashlights in our shelter, along with a smaller flashlight for each member of the family. I also recommend you keep an extra pack of batteries for each flashlight as well.
Games
You’re going to need some fun items in your shelter to help pass the time and boost morale. This is why I include a couple of decks of cards as well as some of my family’s favorite board games in our fall out shelter.
Hazmat Suits, Goggles, and Gas Masks
The image of people emerging from nuclear fallout shelters wearing hazmat suits and gas masks with goggles is a cliche, but there’s a reason why it’s a cliche.
When you re-emerge out of your shelter, you need to ensure that every square inch of your body is covered and shielded and that you can safely breathe.
Remember, even after two weeks it may be dangerous to re-emerge out of your shelter, so you don’t want to take any chances. Cover up!
Medications
If you have any prescription medications or medications that you take regularly, you’re going to want to stockpile a very healthy supply of them in your shelter.
Remember that you likely won’t be able to resupply yourself for quite some time (or even ever) after a nuclear blast has gone off. Since antibiotics are typically not available over the counter, here is an ingenious way to stockpile antibiotics without a prescription, before it’s too late.
Personal Documents
I’d recommend you keep copies of birth certificates, passports, insurance, and documents that serve as proof of ownership over any assets you have. I keep our documents stored in a lockbox in the shelter for extra security.
Self-Defense Tools
You must be prepared to defend your fallout shelter at all times. Besides firearms, I also recommend that you keep non-lethal self-defense weapons in your shelter as well.
Sleeping Items (Cot, Sleeping Bag, Blanket, Pillow)
A good ground rule to follow is to have one cot, sleeping bag, blanket, and pillow per person.
I do recommend that you go with cots rather than actual beds, just because they can be broken down or folded up to stash away easier just in case you need to create extra space.
Potassium Iodide Tablets
You can use potassium iodide tablets to protect your thyroid glands against radioactive materials. I’d keep at least a few bottles in your shelter.
Shovel
You’ll need a shovel for digging latrines, burying items, or making defensive fortifications after re-emerging into the outside world.
Maps and Compasses
You won’t be able to rely on your phone or a GPS for navigation after a nuclear fallout.
The older style map and compass will become your new best friends when it comes to navigation.
Related: 6 Essential Maps to Store Before an EMP
Warm Clothes
Something about nuclear blasts that people often forget about is how much colder it’s going to get outside. That’s because the soot and ash from a blast will block out the sun.
Make sure that you have more than enough warm clothes for every member of your family in your fallout shelter.
Water Filter
In addition to our water storage, we also store a family-sized water filter as well as small personal water filters for each member of the family.
EMP Cloth
In the event of a nuclear incident or a powerful solar flare, electromagnetic pulses can wreak havoc on electronic devices critical for communication and safety.
The EMP Cloth is a specialized material engineered to effectively shield against all forms of electromagnetic waves. It has been in such high demand lately that it’s rarely in stock anymore, so secure yours before it’s too late.
If you’re currently planning a nuclear fallout shelter, deciding which types of items you will keep in that shelter will be a big part of your preparations.
I highly suggest that you consider keeping each of the above items in your shelter like I’ve done, while still thinking about what further items could be useful depending on your circumstances or where you live.
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Interesting where is the bunker
Bunkers are a deathtrap, cave ins, people waiting to steal your food will cut off your air supply to choke you out of the bunker.
The top photo looks like an underground tunnel. Could it be D.U.M.B.S? They are everywhere hidden from the public eye.
Everyone take a look at Dr. John Campbells podcast on the
new virus that invades the brain and is 100% fatal.
Developed by Chinese scientists at the same Wuhan lab
that the Covid virus escaped from.
Dr.Campbell knows what he’s talking about.I detect fear in
his voice.
You might find the podcast or Rumble.It is still on Survival
Blog.com dated Saturday Jan.13.
Chuk did you get your 10th booster yet
RTP; How many shots did you get?
You may need to be your own doctor in a woke society as we know it.
A hospital in Melferd MA, gone woke won’t treat people of bad body language and words not on the PC woke list of cussing. When your in pain at a doctor office you do use cuss words as we are in pain or we would not need their woke med services. https://www*dailywire*com/news/ma-hospital-might-deny-patients-care-if-theyre-accused-of-microaggressions
Now that indoctrinated students from years of woke indoctrination get the finishing touches in their professions of being a doctor or lawyer type. These very sensitive feelings are now running our world of chaos in the land of Bidenomics.
I saw this being discussed at Davos. It does sound like it is coming.
I watch Dr Campbell every day on. YouTube. He is brilliant!! I have been a RN since 1986 and don’t care for most Doctors. They ((most of them)) don’t really care anymore. I was fortunate enough to experience the Old Country Dr. That had dedicated his life to helping people. I remember having a bad itchy rash on one foot. Dad called the local Dr.. at 7PM,told him what was going on. Doc said,” bring her on over. He examined the foot,gave Dad a little tin of medicine to put on it.
There is no doctor on earth now that would examine and treat a patient in the driveway. His wife had a rule and I do not blame her,that no patients came in the house. He spent most of his time at his office and she did not want his patients spilling over into his home and I absolutely agree with that. But the salve worked and my foot healed up from my driveway experience. Now they’re so afraid of the lawsuit everybody is so sue happy that doctors are afraid to sneeze without back up. And I don’t blame them either.
I sure miss those old Docs,they were brilliant and usually broke because pre-insurance days,folks were poor and sometimes paid with vegetables from their gardens or eggs or chickens. God Bless those guys.
To Chuck:
Conspiracy theorists like you are nutz. Best to you.
So are you pal!
I need new conspiracy theories…all my old ones came true!
Conspiracy theories are only conspiracy theories until they aren’t.
What he (chuck) is talking about is the same virus they are talking about in Davos this week. They are planning a new pandemic that has a 100% kill rate. It is being made in the same Wuhan lab that COVID was made in because Fauci was involved in the gain of function research there.
Look at Davos. They aren’t hiding it.
It pays to be crazy in crazy times.
Most of us will never own a fallout shelter. Some of us have tiny incomes but do what we can and live as far rural as possible. At 77 this week, I guess I’ll just kiss my hinny good-by if I survive the initial blast. I’m over an hours drive up wind of a reasonable target area. I do have potassium iodide tablets and a good natural diet from my garden and critters. I have well water and filters. That’s about as close to prepared for neuclear winter as I can get.
Happy birthday, Crazyoldlady!
obviously a old military buncker
where does not matter
as this seems to be a thing of the times
since this is the end result of a nation or country which has tossed out
Truth, Consequence , God , and Conscience , Integrety for fear of loss
and accepted Social Discrace
My way , narciscism , self as thier own god , false worship as a way to ease thier conscience
and to justify thier actions and create thier own way to salvation , they create thing s like this
Well : Better to Die in hope , glory , salvation , knowldge of God , and Indwelling of holy spirit
Then : to live in fear, in a Hole of dispair, and a cage of capture , where you go Crazy and Rot in the time you wait
Then : When you finally come out , you see Truth , Dispair , Failure , Extreme hardship , Extreme Death , Extreme lost of self control
The Real Question is : Why would you want to live like this for the end
Seek God , Pray , Ask God to open your eyes and so you will see the Truth , Clearly and with out the sin of lust and greed which get s in the way
Wish you the best
I Trust that there is a Loving , Forgiving , saving God who is and alway s will be and is same forever . True Hope is Belief , Trust , salvation in jesus christ the author and finisher of my faith , forever
Yep, there you go, folks. Don’t prepare to save yourself and family. Depend on superstition.
Who said; “God helps those who help themselves”?
Is that a lie?
As much as we would like to deny the possibility of a nuclear attack, it’s always good to see what our options are and how we can best prepare ourselves for the possibility. We have an old root cellar that we could use for one and this list would be beneficial. We live in a rural location far from cities and missile sites, but this is a good list. The most important thing we can do right now it to get ourselves informed about our options should this scenario become more likely.
Thank you for this article.
I read a scientific article on the iodine tablets recently that said not to take them if you are over 60? years old. It may have been 65. I’ll try to find the article and post it.
From the FDA report on fallout (If you can believe the FDA, anymore):
• Anyone over 40 years old should be treated with KI only if the predicted exposure is high
enough to destroy the thyroid and induce lifelong hypothyroidism (thyroid deficiency)
So the age is over 40 and not 60 or 65.
War is hell on earth, it won’t matter if you take the KI Iodine, if medical help is non existent for advance radiation treatment we will need.
Then again the Iodine to keep radiated iodine may not have been researched enough to see the long term effects.
Most prepper websites copy and paste the same old articles. Do we have updated reports on what is the effectiveness in the current use of the protective Iodine.
Is all the Iodine treatment just another old wives tale to keep us comfortable while dying from radiation exposure in the post nuke months?
How long will the radiation last, as seen in the Russian Chernobyl nuke accident, no humans are allowed there to live?
Animals there have a shortened life that live there. Plants have comeback but they are radiated too.
Haha, I live too near a targeted Military base. Don’t think even a bunker would save me.
Yup…. Me too…Norfolk, VA….. Walk towards the pretty bright light…..
Claude,,love your website !! Lots of great info from your readers on prepping issues that we are all concerned about ,,keep up the good work !! My concern are the anti prepper comments that I see on this site, Lisa Blake of course being king of anti prepper comments on your site.Seems she spends a lot of her life on this site.Please keep doing what your doing and Thank You !!
Good article.
Like a lot of others, I have no fallout shelter and no basement, so it’s most likely a bug-in situation unless we have lots of warning.
If a ground or air burst is close enough, it won’t matter. We’ll be gone. Further out, I probably won’t have any windows and may lose shingles, but can seal with with plastic sheeting.
An air burst won’t have much fallout material, and the burst radius for destructive overpressure and fireball will be larger than for a ground burst, so there won’t be as much concern about fallout radiation exposure. A ground burst, on the other hand, would be a problem. Fallout material would be an issue, so sealing up the house quickly would be important.
Not much worry for an EMP pulse with either of those. That’s the realm of the high-altitude blast, which ironically, is high enough in the altitude (over 200 miles), that we don’t have to worry about the blast, heat or fallout effects. It’s only EMP. That’s when everything seems fine, but we get to find out what still works and what doesn’t, and whether the grid is up at all in our area.
So many things to prepare for with these different scenarios.
I as a well trained , educated person of this item.not allowed to tell,speak of it ,detailes
I can tell you that you cannot hide if this happened ,the fall out would start the great tribulation which God Promises Mankind will do and cause
But because God is JUST , He waits ,gives hope ,second chances right up to the end
waits and allows mankind to choose whom they will serve and follow
remember
This will be the consequnce a failed ,fallen way of thinking,choices
because God is Faithful and Just he allows choice no matter the consequence
wrong choices, wrong way of thinking. wrong actions which lead to disaster
like your gov around the world is doing
Plan, Prepare,PRAY
I did not have time to read all of the comments, so I’m not sure if this question was asked or answered. If we would be damaged by the EMP, what about the animals, fish and other wildlife. Would it be safe to eat them? If there something that we would need to do to them before we eat them or use them as medication, topical or otherwise?
I have always wondered what to do with the body of someone who has died inside a bunker when you can’t get out. Any ideas?