Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Parents starting an air raid shelter

162 replies

PanicStations2025 · 18/06/2025 17:37

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?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
TiswasPhantomFlanFlinger · 19/06/2025 18:08

We’ve still got a WW2 concrete air aid shelter in our garden. It’s build partially into the ground.
Maybe we could rent it out to some preppers.

AmberTurtles · 19/06/2025 18:52

That's bonkers and if they do attack a bomb shelter isn't going to protect them 😄

Hollyhobbi · 20/06/2025 00:33

We got iodine tablets from our Government in Ireland! Wonder how they would work if you've no thyroid or half a thyroid like me?

tinytorch · 20/06/2025 00:49

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?

What's the problem? Taking precautions and being prepared is not insane. It doesn't mean you've got to do it too.

GentleSheep · 20/06/2025 07:27

Hollyhobbi · 20/06/2025 00:33

We got iodine tablets from our Government in Ireland! Wonder how they would work if you've no thyroid or half a thyroid like me?

They won't - was thinking about this myself as my thyroid long ago atrophied due to Hashimoto's. The thyroid naturally absorbs iodine but it'll absorb radioactive iodine from fallout too, so the idea of taking a big dose of the unradioactive form protects it and blocks the radioactive Iodine from being absorbed. The idea behind this is to prevent thyroid cancer happening later on. However if you don't have a thyroid or have an atrophied one then it wouldn't absorb radioactive iodine so taking potassium iodide would be unnecessary, potentially harmful.

TiagoOne · 20/06/2025 13:46

After about the age of 43, iodine tablets aren’t recommended.

gamerchick · 20/06/2025 14:09

Well they wouldn't do any harm, there's just no point.

Damnloginpopup · 20/06/2025 22:43

Dramatic · 19/06/2025 11:53

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

You need to watch it in context for the full horror. She hasn't even taken off her knickers.

Damnloginpopup · 20/06/2025 22:55

Zippedydodah · 19/06/2025 13:04

Me too!
We live within 500 yards of a top secret surveillance facility, presumably a good target for Russia or any other idiot.
Digging anything is impossible as we’re pretty much on bedrock and, quite frankly, I cba.
At 71 I’ve lived through several doomsday predictions and I’d rather be annihilated than struggle on until the inevitable 🤷🏼‍♀️

Top secret you say.

Are you sure it is?

TheWandyDoorholes · 20/06/2025 23:38

Surely When The Wind Blows showed us the futility of following government advice to the letter about what to do when the bomb hits?

mumda · 21/06/2025 00:05

AngryBird6122 · 18/06/2025 18:56

We have technology that an detect and counter fire immediately. We have submarines and aircraft and god knows else watching all the time. It's nuts you think this would happen

LOL
They can't see Brize Norton safe.

mumda · 21/06/2025 00:07

Hollyhobbi · 20/06/2025 00:33

We got iodine tablets from our Government in Ireland! Wonder how they would work if you've no thyroid or half a thyroid like me?

They give them out when there's unexplained radiation usually.

MyLov · 21/06/2025 05:07

PanicStations2025 · 18/06/2025 19:15

For those asking- yes it’s a legitimate post, I’ve been around for years but name changed for obvious reasons :)

They’re not crazy and usually very calm, for example I was much more concerned about covid before they did. They’re not preppers or paranoid.

I don’t think they’re worried about nuclear war, more of a targeted attack on the local base. It’s close enough that they might be collateral damage.

@Cesarina they have a basement/cellar that’s mostly just used for storage (and the occasional flood!) At the moment.
@ElleintheWoods - yeah that’s what they said. People are being warned to get a weeks supplies so they’re doing that basically

@WilfredsPies - no nothing that crazy luckily! They have the cellar already so they’re just sorting it out and starting to get things stored in it

@Youlikepotatoesyes - at the moment there’s cards, dominos and monopoly. It’s a good idea for birthday presents though!

@Falconfield no, they’re just filling the cellar that they already own

I’ve definitely worded it badly since so many think they’re somehow building the shelter themselves, sorry! I just meant they’re building a pack of supplies for the cellar they already have.

Well that just sounds very sensible. Most countries now give their populations prepping advice, including the U.K. They are lucky to have a basement which lends itself well to this. Good on them but hopefully it won’t be needed 🤞

Hollyhobbi · 21/06/2025 08:41

mumda · 21/06/2025 00:07

They give them out when there's unexplained radiation usually.

In Ireland? We only ever got one pack, years ago!

AngryBird6122 · 21/06/2025 08:58

mumda · 21/06/2025 00:05

LOL
They can't see Brize Norton safe.

Oh ok sorry yes you’re right. Russia could and probably will take us out extremely easily, in seconds actually. We are so helpless we have no defence. They are the all powerful let’s all cower in terror. Russia took out its neighbour Ukraine in a second so us over here should be even easier. Oh wait….ffs I think some of you just want drama.

Sherararara · 21/06/2025 09:01

Poopeepoopee · 18/06/2025 18:00

Have you explained to your parents that we aren't actually in range of Russias bombs? Do they actually think a bomb is going be fired from Russia and reach the UK?

You might want to educate yourself a bit…

Sherararara · 21/06/2025 09:07

AngryBird6122 · 18/06/2025 18:56

We have technology that an detect and counter fire immediately. We have submarines and aircraft and god knows else watching all the time. It's nuts you think this would happen

Detect and counter fire our own nukes yes. We have nothing that can take down an incoming nuke before it lands (actually they don’t land they explode over their target for maximum destruction). If Russia were to fire their nukes there is nothing we can do to stop them striking.

AngryBird6122 · 21/06/2025 09:09

Sherararara · 21/06/2025 09:07

Detect and counter fire our own nukes yes. We have nothing that can take down an incoming nuke before it lands (actually they don’t land they explode over their target for maximum destruction). If Russia were to fire their nukes there is nothing we can do to stop them striking.

Ok. I guess we are just sitting ducks then

Sherararara · 21/06/2025 09:10

MoominUnderWater · 21/06/2025 09:00

Are they going to go all in like this guy?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-34846264

Colin Furze is really cool but his “bunker” isn’t a bunker. He readily admits it’s just a buried room and doesn’t have filtered air or independent power for example to function as a proper nuclear bunker would need to. He moved on to building a car lift that comes up out of his driveway so has more important things to worry about.

AngryBird6122 · 21/06/2025 09:11

Sherararara · 21/06/2025 09:07

Detect and counter fire our own nukes yes. We have nothing that can take down an incoming nuke before it lands (actually they don’t land they explode over their target for maximum destruction). If Russia were to fire their nukes there is nothing we can do to stop them striking.

I never said take it down. I said counter fire. Which is what you have reiterated. That would put them off doing it. That’s the whole point of everyone having nukes. MAD

Sherararara · 21/06/2025 09:11

AngryBird6122 · 21/06/2025 09:09

Ok. I guess we are just sitting ducks then

Yes. We are.

tinytorch · 21/06/2025 09:23

But they don't need to be worried about nuclear bombs - Russian missiles are a threat, given their location close to an army base.

The UK could be hit with Russian cruise missiles from land, sea and air in just 90 minutes, travelling at 600mph, General Sir Richard Barrons warned.

The former Joint Forces Commander said the UK air defence system could not stop a Russian missile offensive.

Putin's missiles could reach London from Russia in just 90 minutes | News UK | Metro News

Putin's 600mph missiles could reach Britain in just 90 minutes, warns ex-general

Russia could hit London with missiles in less than two hours.

https://metro.co.uk/2024/05/21/putins-missiles-reach-london-russia-just-90-minutes-20877520/#:~:text=The%20UK%20could%20be%20hit%20with%20Russian%20cruise,system%20could%20not%20stop%20a%20Russian%20missile%20offensive.

Sherararara · 21/06/2025 09:28

tinytorch · 21/06/2025 09:23

But they don't need to be worried about nuclear bombs - Russian missiles are a threat, given their location close to an army base.

The UK could be hit with Russian cruise missiles from land, sea and air in just 90 minutes, travelling at 600mph, General Sir Richard Barrons warned.

The former Joint Forces Commander said the UK air defence system could not stop a Russian missile offensive.

Putin's missiles could reach London from Russia in just 90 minutes | News UK | Metro News

Yup and these aren’t even the nukes (though they could be). We are massively vulnerable to Russian attack in this country.