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Arriving at the Diefenbunker for the first time was an intimidating and nerve wracking experience for many CFS Carp employees. Located in Carp, about 35 minutes outside of Ottawa, many employees arrived to the facility by bus. The Diefenbunker was a military facility that functioned 24 hours a day: there were people stationed there at all times until it was decommisioned in 1994. The Diefenbunker was a unique posting for many of the men and women designated to come here, some of which didn't even know that it was an underground facility.
Many CFS Carp employees lived on site during their postings, others lived closer to the city and commuted to work each day.

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Boarding the Diefenbunker Bus
circa 1962
CFS Carp, Carp, Ontario, Canada


Credits:
Diefenbunker Archives

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The first building that employees came into contact with was the Guard House. The Guard House was the first stop for all employees arriving at the beginning of each day. Military Police in the Guard House were responsible for screening everybody entering and leaving the facility; they kept logs of everybody who signed in and out each day. Military Police were also responsible for opening the gate from inside of the Guard House . Gaining access into this top secret facility was not possible without the proper security clearance. The Guard House was a source of confusion for several CFS Carp employees, who upon arriving at the location saw only this one small building. They would later find out that they were not to be posted in the small white hut, but instead would be working in a 100, 000 square foot underground facility.

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Guard House
2012-2013
Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War Museum, Carp, Ontario, Canada


Credits:
Brian Robertson

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After the Guard House, you then had to make your way through the blast tunnel before gaining access into the bunker itself. All of these things on their own would have no doubt been quite intimidating, and combined made for a very unique and nerve-wracking first experience for new bunker employees.

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Blast Tunnel Entrance
2012-2013
Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War Museum, Carp, Ontario, Canada


Credits:
Daniel Picard

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Brenda Langman shares her experience of arriving at the Diefenbunker for the first time. The bunker was so top secret that many of the men and women posted there did not fully understand that it was an underground communications facility. None of the employees posted at the Diefenbunker were allowed to tell any of their friends or family the extent of their position or daily life at the bunker. Brenda finished her post at the Diefenbunker working in OSAX, the most top secret room in the entire facility. She was granted a high security clearance which allowed her access into that room.

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Brenda Langman (Discovering the Diefenbunker)
26 August 2011
Board Room, Diefenbunker Museum


Credits:
Lara Lavelle (Interviewer)