Den Haag, State of emergency bunker for the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Prime Minister.
(Noodzetel van het Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken en Koningsrijkrelaties BZK)
The ministry is located at the Schedeldoekshaven in the centre of The Hague.
The bunker is located underneath the ministry building, Its function was to protect the minister of Home Affairs and his staff in case of an emergency. The bunker has two floors -1 and -2 and is about 2000 m2 in total. The outside walls are 100 cm thick and the ceiling is 200 cm thick.
The bunker is built in 1975, together with the construction of the ministry, in 1979 the bunker was operational.
The bunker is equipped with a water, electricity and air-system to function for at least 14 days. Some rooms have an internal emergency exit, like the canteen and the room for the Prime Minister. Emergency exits to the outside of the bunker are going in several directions. At the entrance of the bunker there is a security lock, with several heavy-protected doors, a decontamination shower and a dump for contaminated clothing and things.
Two canteens provide drinks and food for the staff, and there are also a First-aid and a sick-room on site. Some rooms for communication purpose are suited with steel plates along the walls and sealing (Faraday cage), to protect the communication equipment against interception and electronical damage from outside (Electro Magnetic Pulse).
The building was suitable for 120 persons to stay inside for at least 14 days, with food, water, clothes, sleeping material and other supplies available inside the bunker. Now a days it is used by about 65 persons from several governmental services in case of an emergency.
The bunker is still in use by the ministry for some special services and by operational staff units. It is also a place for the government in case of a war or a crisis.
See also the Emergency bunker for the Finance Department and the Office of the PM,
click here.
