1962
Mass Shelters

Content from: LIFE magazine, 12 January 1962



A neat concrete box, reinforced and buried under earth or a highway, would reduce radiation fallout to a thousandth of that outside and would give occupants some protection from a blast. Useful as a recreation or meeting hall in normal times, it could shelter 500 persons in the event of an attack. Stocked with food, water, first aid and sanitary equipment, it also has a ventilating system to draw fresh air from filtered intake (center foreground). A source of oxygen not dependent on outside air would give protection against firestorms. Space-saving tiered bunks rely on "hot bunk" systems, with sleepers taking turns.