Buried under a metre of compacted soil, the Type One shelter offers a secure haven for up to six adults.

Constructed from HDPE culvert with additional box section HDPE used for the end wall and floor support, the welded seams and inert material provide a water tight seal.

The floor system is made up of a series of panels, coated in a non-slip phenolic resin coating, which can be lifted to access the storage space below.

The hatch is made from galvanised steel and designed to be concreted in place to prevent it being dug up. The unique locking mechanism allows you to secure the hatch from the outside when not in use. Once you decide to occupy the shelter you can lock it from the inside but importantly, no one can then lock it from the outside or open the hatch. The hatch it actuated with dual gas struts to help you open it.

The air handling system is floor mounted at one end of the shelter. A custom flange is supplied which passes through the end wall of the chamber and connects the ventilation unit to the intake pipe. The pipe is plastic for the underground run and then transitions to a galvanised steel pipe above ground.

In addition there is an overpressure, blast valve normally closed (BVNO) in the opposite wall. This opens automatically when the air pressure reaches a certain point, relieving the pressure inside but not allowing contaminated air from the inside to seep in. The pipe assembly for this exhaust valve is the same as that used for the feed.

There are four 50mm diameter pipes at floor level in one of the walls. These are included so that you can run cables through the wall and then seal them so groundwater does not seep in. Depending on your needs, you will need to supply the pipes to run cables to the surface. One of the pass throughs is for the steel wire armoured electricity cable to enter the shelter. Suggested uses for the other pipes would be:

·       Radio antenna. Run a length of BNC so you can install a CB radio or just get a better signal for a receiver unit.

·       Solar power. If you install a solar powered battery unit then you can leave the solar panels outside and run a dedicated cable down to the battery.

·       Radiation meter. Place a sensor outside and connect it to a meter inside so you know how bad things are and when it is safe to leave.

The shelter is placed on a bed of compacted granular fill and then surrounded by more before the soil is compacted around it. Use a permeable concrete around the hatch so that water does not pool and seep into the shelter. Try and raise the hatch slightly and slope the concrete away for added safety.

Not included;

·       access ladder

·       any electrical components

·       lighting

·       toilet

·       water storage

·       waste water storage

·       hammocks