Survival: Prepare Before Disaster Strikes. Barbara Fix

Remember, being below ground level will protect you from the worst of the fallout. Never go outdoors until you are given notice it is safe to do so.

      Should a basement be unavailable, stay to the center of the building, as far away from window and door openings as possible. If there is time and you have the materials on hand, cover doorways and windows with heavy-mill plastic sheeting and secure it with duct tape.

      When the immediate danger has passed, and if you suspect you were exposed to radioactive fallout, strip off all clothing and place them in a bag, which should be stored away from your immediate area. Wash your hair and skin thoroughly with water, but do not scrub, as this could rub fallout particles into your skin.

      The following is a breakdown of various locations and their degrees of exposure to fallout:

      Outdoors – Very little Protection

      Home or Office – Medium Protection

      Basement – Better Protection

      Fallout Shelter – Optimal Protection

      Root cellars can serve as a fallout shelter when built properly. Shelters can be constructed in basements or can be dug in-ground or into a hillside. To get the most protection against fallout, incorporate any one of the methods listed below:

      16 inches of solid brick

      16 inches of hollow concrete blocks filled with mortar or sand

      2 feet of packed earth, or 3 feet if loose earth

      5 inches of steel

      3 inches of lead

      3 feet of water

      There is no way to predict the exact impact of a nuclear attack without the advice of experts trained to measure fallout and its trajectory. The spread of fallout is dependent upon a bomb’s yield, and whether impact was at ground level or if it was detonated above ground. An above ground explosion will spread radioactive fallout further (as experienced with Fukushima).

      Another factor considered when predicting radioactive fallout is wind; the direction it is traveling, and the velocity of the prevailing winds that carry the plume. It is possible that radioactive fallout may be spread for hundreds or thousands of miles and may have long-lasting health effects for anyone exposed. Conversely, the majority of damage from a nuclear blast might be contained within a 15-mile radius.

      Rain or snowfall will spread fallout. Radioactive particles in the atmosphere are collected in precipitation and are carried to the ground, creating “hot spots”.

      If you receive news of an imminent nuclear attack and you are certain there is a space of time before impact, gather whatever food or preparedness goods that you will need from outdoor storage (including your vehicle) and move them to the lowest spot in your home—preferably a basement or to the center of the space you will be occupying.

      Be sure to include a battery-run or a wind-up emergency radio with your provisions. A radio will be your lifeline over the next few weeks after a nuclear event, letting you know the circumstances and impact of a nuclear event. Be sure to include clothing, medicine (including prescription medicine), bedding or sleeping bags, and a camp toilet. Keep several flashlights and extra batteries on hand where you will be sheltering, as it is possible that the electrical grid may go down.

      It is important to store at least two weeks worth of water and food for your family or group indoors, before an emergency strikes. To go in search of water or food items stored in a shed or outbuilding after a nuclear event will expose you to fallout, and should concentrations be heavy enough, exposure can lead to death.

      You should keep all pets indoors, and don’t forget to grab their food if it’s stored outdoors or in an outbuilding.

      As already mentioned, heavy-mill plastic sheeting can be fitted to windows and doorways with duct tape to better protect indoor spaces. Turn off air conditioning and heating systems that draw outside air into your home.

      Try to remain calm. Busy work in times of stress can help take your mind off the uncertainty of the next few minutes or hours. Keep your radio tuned to information that will keep you abreast of the situation and help you plan for what lays ahead.

      After a nuclear blast, remain indoors. Canned, boxed, or food stored in buckets that have not been left open to be exposed to the elements (radiation), can be eaten. But first, they must be wiped down before opening. Be sure to keep your hands and the area under your fingernails clean to avoid transferring fallout material to the food. Fruits that have an outer protection such as a banana or an orange can be wiped clean and carefully peeled before consuming. Any foods that are left exposed, such as a canister of flour or sugar that does not have a protective lid should not be consumed as ingesting contaminated food may lead to internal damage.

      Water stored in containers is safe to drink as long as it was kept covered. In most cases, water drawn from a covered well is also safe to drink and cook with. However, if you suspect your well water may have been contaminated, follow the Fallout Filtering Methods found in Chapter 3.

      If you rely on city water, once stored water has run out, listen to your local radio station for information on the advisability of drinking or cooking with your area’s water supply.

      If the only water source available is from a lake, stream, or pond, you must filter water before drinking or cooking with it after a nuclear event. A water purifier will not remove fallout. See instructions in Chapter 3 under Fallout Filtering Methods for instructions on purifying contaminated water.

      If radioactive particles have come into contact with your skin, you may experience burns within a few hours. Radiation illness will not spread to others except for nausea soon after being exposed. Serious signs of radiation illness are as follows: hair loss, loss of appetite, paleness, diarrhea, sore throat, bleeding gums, and easy bruising. If you or anyone in your group experiences any of these ailments, you should seek medical attention.

      Emergency Kits, Automobile Safety & Camping Gear

      The following are items you should have available for emergency kits, automobile safety, and camping gear preparedness. The recommended foods are intentionally simple, meant for easy preparation. Keep in mind: if you are caught far away from home, or worse, stranded for any length of time, you will wonder why you hadn’t thought to include many of the items mentioned below.

      72-Hour Emergency Kit: Battery-run, wind-up, or solar powered radio, water purifier, canteen/water bottles, magnesium flint and steel fire starter, matches, MRE’s, baby food, formula and diapers (if applicable), water, knife, flashlight (include a shaker style for when batteries run out), batteries, wire, two-way radios, nylon rope, prescription medicine, medical supplies, duct tape, first aid book, edible plants and herbs book and important documents.

      Camping Gear: Tent, duffle bags for each person, sleeping bags for each person—rated for your climate zone, warm blankets, Swiss-style army knife, fishing pole and fishing tackle, weapon and ammunition, rope/twine, clothes pens, battery-run or propane lantern, lantern fuel or extra batteries, lantern socks, tarp, camp stove, camp stove fuel, hatchet, axe, tree limbing saw, newspaper (to start fires) and waterproof matches.

      First Aid: First aid book (also listed under 72-hour emergency kit section), rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, antacid, anti-diarrhea medicine, thermometer, aspirin, children’s pain medication, bandages, gauze, gauze pads, surgical tape, suture pack, ace bandage, calamine lotion, daily prescription medicines, antibiotic ointment, eye wash and ointment, contact lens wash, anti-fungal ointment, pain and anti-inflammatory medication, burn treatment ointment or spray, iodine, electrolyte drinks (for dehydration), cold remedies—children and adult, cough medicine, cough drops, scissors, tweezers and needles (for splinter removal), sun block, mosquito spray, dental kit for denture repair, and toothache gels.

      Cooking Supplies can be stored in a cooler for portability. You