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Old 04-19-2010, 07:07 AM
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Location: Norways weather beaten coasts
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Default Is there like a checklist how to act in the event of nuclear blast ?

Q: what should be my initial response and what to do later ?

A:If there is advanced warning of an attack-
Take cover immediately, as far below ground as possible, though any shield or shelter will help protect you from the immediate effects of the blast and the pressure wave.

If there is no warning

Quickly assess the situation.

Whatever you do - try to shield your EYES from the blast .This means closing them ,and putting cover between you and the blast .DO NOT LOOK AT FIREBALL - maybe not even for several minutes.

Consider if you can get out of the area or if it would be better to go inside a building to limit the amount of radioactive material you are exposed to.You may have only minutes .

A LITTLE COVER GOES A LONG WAY ! A regular cellar with enough distance to survive the blast or any other structure can shield you !

If you live really close to a target -better run .If unlikely that there will be a strike on your location definently stay if food and water is available. Even a standard cellar in a residential building can save you from the radiation from the initial blast .Although it wont save you from the heat wave and shockwaves unless it has distance to the blast.

If you take shelter go as far below ground as possible, close windows and doors, turn off air conditioners, heaters or other ventilation systems. Seal up the place as best you can.Clog all vents,cracks,holes etc .Use tape,cloth,bedding,towels,plastic ,building materials etc. .Stay where you are, watch TV, listen to the radio, or check the Internet for official news as it becomes available.

To limit the amount of radiation you are exposed to, think about shielding, distance and time.

Shielding: If you have a thick shield between yourself and the radioactive materials, more of the radiation will be absorbed, and you will be exposed to less. A little cover goes a long way.A simple ditch can shield you from 99% of initial radiation.
Distance: The farther away you are away from the blast and the fallout the lower your exposure.
Time: Minimizing time spent exposed will also reduce your risk.

Use available information to assess the situation. If there is a significant radiation threat, health care authorities may or may not advise you to take potassium iodide. Potassium iodide is the same stuff added to your table salt to make it iodized. It may or may not protect your thyroid gland, which is particularly vulnerable, from radioactive iodine exposure.

If you are far enough away from the center of the blast and the initial radiation to survive and no major deposits of fallout is dispersed in your immideate area, staying inside is the right way to go .

The risk grows less for every hour after the explosion.In general a 14 day stay in a fallout proof shelter is sufficient to allow short forays outside.Protective clothing should be worn .

Unless you are walking through the crater of a bomb or the immideate area fallout has landed or any other "hot spot" , direct radiation is generally of little concern .Residual radiation from radiated dust or water is the most dangerous threat.This is true only after at least 10-14 days have gone by since the blast.The more time that pass ,the safer the enviroment-in general .Some isotopes have a halfing time of 5000 years though.

Generally there is a 7/10 rule -for every 7 fold time period that passes ,radiation is reduced 10 fold.The importance of immideate shelter from the initial radiation and subsequent fallout is therefore paramount.

Recommended reading is certainly this little book :

http://www.archive.org/stream/fallou...ge/n1/mode/2up

and for sure the good people who maintain this site deserves mention :

http://74.125.77.132/search?q=cache:...&ct=clnk&gl=uk

a lot of info in their FAQ page and the articles from civil defense there.

Last edited by headquarters; 04-22-2010 at 03:31 AM.
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