Diefenbunker (Cold War Museum)
June 12, 2010
interesting that the phone number ends in "007"
sam showing off our free pass to the museum (courtesy of the Ottawa library)
aren't we cute... espcially with the cold war history as a backdrop.
our tickets
The central emergency government headquarters
Irreverently known as the "Diefenbaker", this structure is a powerful symbol of Canada’s response to the cold war. Designed in the 1950s to withstand all but a direct hit by a nuclear weapon, it was intended to shelter key political and military personnel during a nuclear attack. Fortunately, it never served its intended purpose, although the Diefenbaker government made plans to retreat to its protection during the Cuban missile crisis of 1962. The bunker functioned as the hub of a communications network and civil defence system until it closed in 1994.
a siren... hope it doesn't go off with sam's head so close
sam like the helipad
a "spy birthday" group arrives
we lock the kids up.
mk-4 atomic bomb
the tour guide explains the death rate if a nuclear bomb landed here.
christopher wants to go for a ride.
we enter the tunnel. the blast tunnel would have protected the bunker's vulnerable entrance from the effects of a nuclear explosion. the Diefenbaker was designed to withstand a nuclear blast equivalent to 5 million tonnes of tnt at a distance of 1.8km (1.1 miles). such an explosion, or even one farther away, would have sent a powerful shockwave hurtling out in all directions. engineers needed to find a way to make sure this destructive force wouldn't damage the bunker's main entrance. the answer was the 115m (378ft) long blast tunnel.
the tunnel's open-ended design was meant to allow a nuclear blast wave to pass straight from on end of the tunnel and out the other, expending its force in the field beyond rather than crashing into the bunker's front doors. these doors, located in a sheltered area off to the side of the tunnel, still had to be strong -- they weight over 1800kg (4,000lbs) each and are 36cm (14in) thick
before we can go any further... we need to be "decontaminated"
into the showers!
a tool to measure if we are safe to proceed or have to take another shower.
ok.. off we go!
the health centre would have kept canada's emergency government in good health in time of war. despite its small size, the centre contained a main operating room, lab technician are, doctor's area and a pharmacy. there was a three-bed infirmary; the beds were chained to the floor to prevent movement in case of vibrations from a nearby nuclear explosion. there was also one bed for a female patient. an overflow room nearby had beds for another six patients. the health centre was kept at a slightly lower atmospheric pressure to prevent the spread of contagious diseases to other bunker personnel.
lots of old equipment
looks like they could film a horror movie here.
sam is intrigued
chains on the shelves to prevent things from falling off
tall medical beds
chained down, just in case
exploring
everything is soo old.
some things we had no idea what they were used for
the title "operating theatre"... makes it sound like fun.
no sammy... that's not a toaster on the counter ;)
cafeteria
in peace or war, bunker personnel could find a hot meal and some recreation here.
there was enough fresh food on hand to serve meals for 7-10 days.
after that (during a war emergency) personnel would have had to rely on the meals, ready-to-eat (mre),
also known a k-rations.
during the bunker's service as a peacetime base, the main dining room was open 24 hours a day. it served four meals a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year -- for 32 straight years.
the bunker was to be stocked at all times with enough fresh rations and mre(s) to feed over 500 personnel for 30 days with no resupply from the outside world.
anyone want to paly a game of "Risk"?
i'll raise you a nuclear submarine!
the "spy" birthday kids were running around trying not to be seen.
next stop... the prime minister's suite.
the first room is the secretary's office.
some light reading.
things in the prime minister's bedroom.
heading to the bathroom
not too fancy... time to go elsewhere.
another office.
sam checks out the weird computer. ;)
rubby looking at at the emergency bunkers across canada.
people checkout out all the stuff, maps with blast zones, etc..
it's good to follow a structure.
christopher wants to know how to turn on the tvs
we are now in the conference room
sam is sitting in the prime minister's chair
and is ready to give orders!
next... well I guess you already know
a radio that plays the air raid instructions....
it was a boring monotone recording (which was intentional, so that it would calm people)
peeking into the studio.
the studio.
no... don't shake that!
I'd type this out... but I think you can read it.
a gas mask.
can't remember what they were showing on the globe... all I remember is that sam noticed that there was a number 66
$34.95 considering how old this is... that's expensive.
oooo... it glows!
all the "good" stuff you can to with technology
I'm sure this wouldn't cause cancer
more fun with radium
moving along... we check out a "home shelter"
getting ideas.
especially since they tell you how to build them
hmmm... our new plans for our basement.
holes in concrete block need to be filled
a look inside the shelter...
some creepy guy was sleeping in there
a fancy toilet!
water reserves
an ammo box... could it be a geocache?
amateur radio station
the amateur radio station was part of the bunker's back-up communications system.
Emergency Preparedness Canada needed a system that was more flexible than the point-to-point radio system that the military operated. cfs carp was therefore provided with a licensed amateur raio (ham) station and commercial radio equipment that would allow communications on a variety of frequencies.
the original call sign was ve3goc (government of canada)
the station is now back on the air and is run by local radio enthusiast under call sign ve3cwm (cold wam museum).
the kids posing
a plane
some of the art on the walls
a replica of the diefenbunker
some of the newspaper articles exposing the bunker (which was being kept a secret)
a crypto room... cool!
the kids find the lego, and start to build their own bunker.
emergency escape hatch
the emergency escape hatch would have allowed people to exit the bunker in case of damage to the main doors.
the hatch leads to a 30-foot vertical tunnel that emerges on the surface. the tunnel is filled with 15 tons of pea stone gravel to block radiation from entering the bunker.
to make an exit from the bunker using the emergency escape hatch on would first open the heavy steel door at the back of the room, crawl inside and pull the metal lever hanging directly on the inside of the hatch. once the lever had been pulled it would release the pea stones downward past a grate into a pit at the bottom of the tunnel. the suction caused by the rapid falling of the pea stones would lead to the collapse a plexiglas skylight at the top of the escape shaft. the route up the escape tunnel to the top of the bunker would be then clear.
This rad sniffer was situated on top of the hill above the Diefenbunker. While there it measured light intensity from the bomb ‘flash’, gamma and neutron radiation levels. When it sensed all three, it would send a signal down to mounted valve actuators in the machine room, which opened to allow high pressure gas to pneumatically force close all the 9 intakes and exhaust ports of the bunker.
more offices.
and another weird computer
the dentist office
sleeping quarters for 12 (only 6 beds)
6 people would sleep while 6 would work, and then they would switch up... "hot bunking"
air force stuff
some of the emblems.
not quite sure what this was... other than creepy.
exhibit about a pre-packaged hospital.
back out the blast tunnel