[John1960]

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. Sep 27, 2007


In an age of al-Qaida, sleeper cells and the threat of nuclear terrorism, Huntsville is dusting off its Cold War manual to create the nation's most ambitious fallout-shelter plan, featuring an abandoned mine big enough for 20,000 people to take cover underground.

Others would hunker down in college dorms, churches, libraries and research halls that planners hope will bring the community's shelter capacity to 300,000, or space for every man, woman and child in Huntsville and the surrounding county.

ABC News: Alabama City Reopening Fallout Shelters

[dbkeel1]

I saw this article online; the only unanswered question was how they intend to let the masses know of each site. You can't seriously expect people to follow a plan unless we have an odd amount of advance notice of an attack. The reality is that, should such a day ever come, we'll likely not have time to go home, to schools for the kids, etc. Everyone will have to go to the nearest site. We'd therefore need to know where all such sites are in the course of our normal daily activity if we're to benefit from the shelters, large or small. It's time to dust off the old fallout shelter signs and start educating folks again so they start to notice them. This should be done now and not, as the article seemed to suggest, use the media to guide people at the time of an attack. Such an event would tend to leave wireline and wireless communications pretty useless.

The most comical area fallout shelter sign used to be posted over the bathroom entrance located downstairs by the Sears escallators in Madison Square Mall; it said "Evacuation Site" just above the "Restrooms" sign. I loved that, though I'm not sure how many really ever noticed the pun.

[Keeper]

uhh.. so the library is going to protect people from a nuclear attack? I would think the mall might be more interesting. Just think you could try on clothes to your hearts content. That reminds me of the old days when they told us to sit under the desk in case we were attacked by the russians.

[sunshine girl]

The most comical area fallout shelter sign used to be posted over the bathroom entrance located downstairs by the Sears escallators in Madison Square Mall; it said "Evacuation Site" just above the "Restrooms" sign. I loved that, though I'm not sure how many really ever noticed the pun.[/quote]

Funny stuff

[harry chickpea]

The whole fallout shelter stuff is ridiculous. That sign might have been the best part of the plan.

A terrorist might have access enough to make a dirty nuke firecracker, but bio-warfare and chemical attacks would be much more likely.