Doomsday bunker sales skyrocket from small metal crawl spaces to underground mansions but they come with a grim warning
MORE people are investing in doomsday bunkers, from tiny metal crawl spaces to luxury underground mansions, to prepare for potential nuclear wars as political tensions rise.
But while sales continue to skyrocket for the shelters, experts have issued a grim warning about the reality of nuclear disaster - atomic blasts are typically unsurvivable, no matter how prepared you may be.
Policy and Research Coordinator Alicia Sanders-Zakre from the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons said even high-end protective hatches can't protect people from the health horrors that would come from a nuclear threat's radiation levels, according to the .
“Bunkers are, in fact, not a tool to survive a nuclear war, but a tool to allow a population to psychologically endure the possibility of a nuclear war,” Sanders-Zakre said.
Massachusetts Congressman James McGovern similarly said that "underground bunkers aren't going to protect people" in the case of total nuclear war.
The market for US bomb and fallout shelters is expected to grow by $38 million over the next six years, according to research by BlueWeave Consulting.
Concerns about nuclear threats have risen as political unrest swirls following Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 election.
Uneasiness continues to grow as the war between Russia and Ukraine enters its third year, and discussions about a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas have stalled.
Doomsday preppers and average homeowners alike have rushed to create safe spaces often decked out with beds, food, water, and clean air in case of emergency.
“People are uneasy and they want a safe place to put their family," Atlas Survival Shelters CEO Ron Hubbard said.
Most read in The US Sun
"And they have this attitude that it’s better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it."
Hubbard's bunker construction company, based in Sulphur Springs, Texas, creates shelters that could come in handy during natural disasters like hurricanes or volcano eruptions as well as pandemics or nuclear fallout, the CEO reported.
However, researcher Sam Lair said the consequences of a world-ending blast should be what worries people instead of the initial disaster.
“The political costs incurred by causing people to think about shelters again is not worth it to leaders because it forces people to think about what they would do after nuclear war,” Lair told AP.
“That’s something that very, very few people want to think about. This makes people feel vulnerable.”
He continued, "Even if a nuclear exchange is perhaps more survivable than many people think, I think the aftermath will be uglier than many people think as well.
Best storage solutions for a nuclear attack
Storage Solutions expert Sarah Day from Pay Less for Storage has concocted a list of the best nuclear-proof storage boxes that doomsday preppers can use to safely secure valuables.
'Nuclear-proof' material:
- Number 1: Tungsten is the strongest and sturdy material on the list.
- Number 2: Titanium - it's light, durable, and resistant to heat, corrosion, and chemical attacks.
- Number 3: Ceramic is incredibly heat resistant and won't melt. However, it's not as handy in extremely cold temperatures.
- Number 4: Stainless steel is the easiest to source out of the list.
- Number 5: Lead is excellent at withstanding radiation but melts at a relatively low temperature.
"The fundamental wrenching that it would do to our way of life would be profound.”
McGovern said the fatal impact of nuclear war is hard to imagine as people shell out on comfy apocalyptic hideouts.
“The stakes, if a nuclear weapon is ever used, is that millions and millions and millions of people will die," the congressman said.
"I mean, it would be catastrophic, not just for those that are involved in an exchange of nuclear weapons, but for the entire world.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said doomsday bunkers aren't necessary.
In case of nuclear detonation, the government advises staying inside and away from walls to avoid radioactive fallout, according to FEMA
McGovern slammed FEMA's advice to take shelter.
"What a stupid thing to say that we all just need to know where to hide and where to avoid the most impacts of nuclear radiation," McGovern said.
"I mean, really, that’s chilling when you hear people try to rationalize nuclear war that way."
Despite FEMA's warning and critics' belief that bunkers might be futile in the face of a nuclear threat, homeowners like Bernard Jones Jr. and his wife Doris built a bunker just in case.
"The world’s not becoming a safer place. We wanted to be prepared," Jones said, according to AP.
Bunkers are, in fact, not a tool to survive a nuclear war, but a tool to allow a population to psychologically endure the possibility of a nuclear war."
Alicia Sanders-Zakre
Jones' family built their former home's underground bunker below a metal hatch in their backyard.
A hidden staircase going down to the bunker leads to rooms with beds for 25 people, two kitchens, and bathrooms.
“If there was a nuclear strike, would you rather go into the living room or go into a bunker?" Jones said.
"If you had one, you’d go there too."
READ MORE SUN STORIES
The rising popularity of doomsday bunkers comes as other preppers have listed the best nuclear-proof storage boxes for people to protect their valuables.
Another prepared family has stockpiled over $350,000 in supplies - and plans to make their Christmas dinner with the vault's expired food.
