FEMA Design guide for safe rooms and shelters. (FEMA 453/ May2006)

This rather large .pdf document has some interesting information that may be useful for monkeys wishing to harden their abode, among other things. It's worth a look...after your tax dollars funded it. Much of it is probably overkill for a domestic dwelling, but it may be adaptable to more modest plans.

http://www.fema.gov/pdf/plan/prevent/rms/453/fema453.pdf



Via:KintlaLake: April 2011

 

Geez, typical government publication.....25 pages into it, before you see anything having to do with the subject matter! LOL

But the legalese started at page 3:
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations
expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of
FEMA. Additionally, neither FEMA or any of its employees makes
any warrantee, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability
or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of
any information, product, or process included in this publication.
Users of information from this publication assume all liability
arising from such use.

 

Well of course it has legal disclaimers, butt covering, and a lot of irrelevant guff before you get to the guts of the document....what do you expect?...it's a government publication. Notwithstanding that...it has its uses, though a field manual format would be much more user friendly.

 

Friend who just moved from South Africa laid out plans for their old home. Made lots of sense and was definitely needed there. Some can be incorporated here w/o much redesigning or costly changes.

 

South Africans, Namibians, and Rhodesians have had some experience designing and constructing dwellings and farmsteads to be able to withstand assault with small-arms. The trick in Australian and American environments (if the world goes feral) is to make the dwelling or farm homestead not appear to look like an FOB in Afghanistan. Camouflage, concealment and deception will be just as important as the hardening and must be planned for accordingly.

THE FARMER AT WAR

 

Thanks for the link, very enlightening reading, very sad stories of an era that is unknown to most people in the USA. The interview with the 4 year old farmer's son about shooting an FN FAL was amazing. It just goes to show that you can fight with everything you have and still have nothing but barren, scorched desert left from former farm fields. Life in Africa sucks, I never want to go there.