Greetings all, I am from Florida (orig NJ) and have been a hobbiest survior-type for decades. I think to answer the original question about building an underground bunker in fla. It is possible, and i have seen several interesting models, including one with a 100' telescoping steel 'flagpole' style vent for an air intake and exaust. But most have been built below or deeply in the existing waterline. It is built useing the same methods of inground pool construction with the exception of increased mass (weight) on the bottom to prevent it from poping up out of the ground. Some used deep anchors to prevent 'poping' and others just increased wieght. One actually designed his to pop out of the ground when the water table reached a certain hieght, and design the bunker after a 1960's concrete boat design, which he believes will then rise with the water table after poping out of the ground. Since I lack the confidence in any of those ideas, i opted for the zen method of going with the flow, I bought a sailboat which i placed inland far from any medium sized tsunami waves, and expect to use it when the table rises too high. I also have a simple 55gal plastic drum with modified latches in the interior as a sorta extreme measure. Inside is neoprene lining and a little food and water. at the bottom of the drum is a deflated canoe and disasembled paddles,a fishing line with hooks(taped) and a tiny floating kids waist raft with a plastic half bubble on top and a 3foot drinking tube. The idea is upon a sudden inpending wave of water, the barrel will ride out the worst of it, come to rest floating on the new florida sea and you pop open the barrel inflate your canoe and plan from there. If its a slower water table increase then i put the barrel on the sailboat and wait for the table to lift the boat and sail apropriately. If its even slower then that, sell the land...transport the boat to the coast and sail away somewhere (not forgeting the barrel of course). I've tested the impact of the barrel by droping it from a crane into a pond from 100 ft. After placeing five watermelons inside the result after modifacation finally allowed the watermelons to survive breakage, later it was tested with a volunteer and although a slight sprain from the impact the neoprene prevented bruising and the plastic barrel was still intake. the last and final test involved modifying the inside with softgriped handholds and a sleeping neck pillow to keep the head more stable and prevent spraining of the wrists (by giveing them a place to be rather then just whereever.) The impact of a 100' drop may not be acurate to a tidal wave but its reassuring as a last minute survival idea. I work in masonry (brickwork) and had access to a crane and a crew to help test it. Its now a 'fun' thing to do during superbowl parties and drunken weekends. To date only three poeple have been injured, the first was a wrist injury due to placement (fixed that with the handles) and the other two were due to the can of beer, which are no longer allowed. A chair pillow was also added too. When dropped the barrel always tends to land on the botton corner slightly titled and cuts right into the water, One person actually hit the floor(barely) at the shallower 15feet section of the pond. Sorry so long but I figured on putting as much usable info as possible, and this is my first post
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) purposes and go there when a disater hits.
