—­Tables and bookcases.

—­Large appliances (such as washers and dryers).

—­Books, magazines, and stacks of firewood or lumber.

—­Flagstones from outside walks and patios.

IMPROVISING A BASEMENT SHELTER

Here are two ways of improvising fallout protection in the basement of a home: 

Set up a large, sturdy table or workbench in the corner of your basement that is most below ground level.

On the table, pile as much shielding material as it will hold without collapsing.  Around the table, place as much shielding material as possible.

When family members are “inside the shelter”—­that is, under the table—­block the opening with other shielding material.

If you don’t have a large table or workbench available—­or if more shelter space is needed—­place furniture or large appliances in the corner of the basement so they will serve as the “walls” of your shelter.

As a “ceiling” for it, use doors from the house that have been taken off their hinges.  On top of the doors, pile as much shielding material as they will support.  Stack other shielding material around the “walls” of your shelter.

When all persons are inside the shelter space, block the opening with shielding material.

USING A STORM CELLAR FOR FALLOUT PROTECTION

A below-ground storm cellar can be used as an improvised fallout shelter, but additional shielding material may be needed to provide adequate protection from fallout radiation.

If the existing roof of the storm cellar is made of wood or other light material, it should be covered with one foot of earth or an equivalent thickness of other shielding material (see page 25) for overhead shielding from fallout.  More posts or braces may be needed to support the extra weight.

After the roof has been shielded, better protection can be provided by blocking the entrance way with 8-inch concrete blocks or an equivalent thickness of sandbags, bricks, earth or other shielding material, after all occupants are inside the shelter.  A few inches should be left open at the top for air.  After particles have stopped falling, the outside door may be left open to provide better ventilation.

If shielding material is not available for the entrance way, shelter occupants should stay as far away from it as possible.  They also should raise the outside door of the storm cellar now and then to knock off any fallout particles that may have collected on it.

USING THE CRAWL SPACE UNDER YOUR HOUSE

Some homes without basements have “crawl space” between the first floor and the ground underneath the house.  If you have this space under your house—­and if the house is set on foundation walls, rather than on pillars—­you can improvise fallout protection for your family there.