If you live in Singapore, chances are your home includes a bomb shelter – often doubling as a storage space for clutter. But that room wasn’t designed
If you live in Singapore, chances are your home includes a bomb shelter – often doubling as a storage space for clutter. But that room wasn’t designed just for storage. In fact, it was built to withstand significant forces during emergencies.
Back in 1997, the Civil Defence Shelter Act was introduced, making it compulsory for all new homes to be equipped with either household shelters within individual units or storey shelters in shared areas. This law came as a response to the Gulf War in 1991, when the Singapore Civil Defence Force recognized the need for safe spaces for people to take refuge in the event of an attack.
The idea behind these shelters is to provide protection during emergencies, but how effective are they, and how likely is a situation where they would be needed? While the threat of a full-scale attack on Singapore might seem distant, the presence of these shelters ensures that the nation is prepared for any unforeseen dangers, even if the room is currently home to your extra boxes and cleaning supplies.
Whether you’re using it as storage or a makeshift safe room, Singapore’s bomb shelters remain an essential part of housing infrastructure, offering peace of mind in a world where anything can happen.
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