Parents starting an air raid shelter

[PanicStations2025]

I've called my parents tonight and they’ve been telling me all about the shelter that they’re building in case Russia attacks. I feel like this is crazy! They do live near an army base (within 10 miles) so they’ve been packing food, water, games, bedding etc to survive a week! Is it me or is that insane? Are we really at that level of risk now? Should I be starting a pack? What do I even put in it?

They’re watching Sky News. My parents are the same…

Well. I think if Russia or anyone bombed then a cellar probably wouldn't be deep enough. A week's supply of food etc wouldn't be enough, either. There could be other reasons to prep though so not an entirely bad idea, but it shouldn't become obsessive either.

Like alot of preppers I think they have too much time and money to waste.

It does sound extreme but this is obviously a worry they have and rather then sit around stressing about it they have decided to do something practical, maybe it is helping with their anxiety over it. They are not harming anyone and potentially enjoying it so leave them at it I'd say.

It is actually quite a good coping mechanism for anxiety - make a plan for the worst case scenario and then you feel more in control of a situation that is ultimately out of your control.

If I had the room I would probably do this myself, but for my own use when I need a break 😂

If they are happy, leave them to it, they aren't hurting anyone

Unless they are being hysterical and frightening people over Sunday dinner with tales of anarchy after a war and having a debate about would they turn to cannibalism and eat nice Mrs Smith down the road if it came to it just let them crack on.

In theory they do. After the cold war it was actually discovered that half their missiles didn't have warheads and the other half would probably have blown up in the silos. And as for thier subs, we know they are death-traps that our systems can pick up easily. I know it would only take one or two hit their targets to cause horrendous destruction (many times bigger than nagasaki), but half the threat they posed was bluff. I'm not convinced they are as big a threat as they'd like us to think now either, perhaps that's just wishful thinking!

Next thread from OP.

Council told parents to remove bomb shelter, as they don’t have planning permission.

Those that know about these things and who are able to talk/write about the issue reckon the current Russian ballistic missile subs pose a very credible threat...

That's so cool. There were still a few around during my childhood in the 1970's. I never really understood how they could protect anyone, either but I saw an explanation on a TV documentary recently. Most injuries were caused by flying debris (and blast) so they were made to keep people safe from that rather than direct bombing.

I grew up near Portsmouth, big naval/military area. Nuclear war with Russia felt like a very real possibility during the Cold War. We used to do drills at school. I once asked my dad what the plan was in the event of a nuclear strike and he said 'nothing, they will bomb Portsmouth straight away and we won't know anything about it.' I am still not sure if that made me feel better or worse! 😂

That's just how they get us to increase our defence spending, not saying we shouldn't.

I don't think the understand what a military attack on the UK would involve.

It's not like sheltering from doodlebugs in WW2.

There's absolutely no point in them building a shelter; if they want to prep for a cyber attack then yes, get some cash together, water, packet food etc .

If they think they will survey an actual attack, or even want to, then I find that a bit naive.

This isn't the 1940s. If we get bombed by a superpower it'll likely be nukes, and no garden shelter will protect you from those. If the bombs come down I want a target on my head so that I'm first out. Can't imagine coming out to the devastation they'd leave behind.

I think the pp meant they have a lot of free time on their hands so worry about weird things.
OP, since the blackout in Iberia this spring I have decided to have certain items for emergencies as I did get caught out as everything in my house is electric.

I am intrigued by the certainty with which some posters feel sure any missile would get shot down.

Here’s ChatGPTs take for anyone interested:

1. Flight Time of an ICBM from Russia to the UK

An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) travels extremely fast—typically at speeds of up to 24,000 km/h (15,000 mph) in midcourse. Here’s an approximate timeline:

Distance from western Russia to the UK: ~2,500 to 5,500 km, depending on launch point.

Flight phases:
Boost phase (launch to space): ~3 minutes
Midcourse phase (in space): ~20 minutes
Reentry and terminal phase: ~1–2 minutes

👉 Total estimated time: 20 to 30 minutes, possibly as little as 15 minutes for some shorter-range ICBM trajectories.

2. Likelihood of Interception Before Impact
Intercepting an ICBM is one of the most difficult challenges in missile defense:

Factors that make interception hard:
High speed and altitude: Midcourse phase occurs in space, making it hard to detect and target.
Multiple warheads: Many ICBMs carry MIRVs (Multiple Independently targetable Reentry Vehicles).
Decoys and countermeasures: To confuse missile defense systems.
Limited coverage: Few countries have systems capable of attempting intercepts of ICBMs, and most are untested in real-world conditions.

UK missile defense reality:
The UK does not currently operate its own dedicated missile defense system against ICBMs.
The UK relies heavily on early warning from the US and NATO.
The US has Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) and other systems, but these are:
Designed primarily to counter limited launches from rogue states.
Not guaranteed to stop a full-scale ICBM attack from a nuclear power like Russia.

👉 Intercept probability: Low to very low, especially for a full-scale or surprise Russian strike.

Not to depress you or anything…

And dying of cancer from radiation later on...I agree.

Better safe than sorry. I always find people with attitudes like this are the ones that take fuck all precautions then expect everyone else to drop everything and bail them out. Yes, i think building a shelter is a step too far but at the same time i wouldn't be that rude and start name calling. What is so wrong with making sure you have a stock just in case something happens or you can't get out of the house for a week? Didn't we all learn after the pandemic to have at least a weeks worth of supplies?

I work in a global team, some of my colleagues in India and US are building bunkers. It seems quite a few people are around the world...
There are booming bunker businesses, just google them.
I havent gor the room or the funds to build one.. but if I had an acre of land, a large pot of cash floating about and time on my hands I can't say I wouldn't invest.. just in case!

I cant work out how it would a actually make a difference these days, it logically makes no sense gives people a hobby i guess

Nuclear War - Annie Jacobsen

Your parents will probably find this book very interesting, @PanicStations2025 .

If they are really worried about a nuclear holocaust then their preparations need to involve moving to south Argentina or New Zealand stat.

I like that the most frightening bit is the woman weeing herself 😂

Threads is the most frightening film I have ever seen You don't want to survive if it does happen.

You are spectacularly ill-informed. ICBMs can’t be shot down. They don’t fly over Europe, they go 4500km into space and then descend at 24,000kph.

90 grand for a family bunker - other options are available !!

www.uknukeshelters.co.uk/the-family-bunker

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