“In general, survival rather than comfort will be the primary objective,” the 1963 shelter guide said. Occupants were only allowed to bring items that would “increase shelter habitability,” medicine and “special health foods.”Īll food would be turned over to the shelter manager for equitable distribution.

An operations manual suggested that people would eat canned food, warmed by “placing it in your armpit and holding it there for 10 or 15 minutes.” There was no kitchen, stove or refrigerator. The communal living area provided about 9.1 square feet per occupant, just smaller than a yoga mat. Originally designed to hold about 200 people, it was designed with triple-decker bunk beds with single people separated by gender, and families between them. Walls were painted a pale, institutional green. Next to the bathrooms there was a very narrow “escape tunnel” that led out to an area near the street-side entrance. There were two bathrooms with three toilets, a urinal, two sinks and two decontamination showers.

Other rooms were available to store food or provide simple medical care.

There was a maintenance room with a diesel-powered electric generator, an air circulation system with heat and air conditioning, a well and pipes that connected to the city water and sewer systems. The hallway was designed with many right-angle turns to prevent gamma rays from reaching the interior. The main entrance is a sliding, heavy metal grate that leads to an underground concrete hallway to the main part of the facility.

Nuclear bomb fallout shelter