These are particles of radioactive fallout.
And this is how a single particle looks magnified several hundred times a
radioactive piece of matter from a nuclear explosion
these few particles can do us any significant harm
but should there be a nuclear attack many billions of them would fall from the sky.
Releasing radiation that could cause sickness
or death in the area where they fall.
This is that the.
To begin with. It may be surprising to know
that radiation is something we live with every day.
Far back in time back before there was an earth why there were flaming
fireballs in space we call them stars
and there are millions upon millions of eight stars like our own sun
is a raging nuclear furnace to choose out showers of particles too tiny to be
matter as we can see that along with invisible forces
that we call radiation this radiation
and these particles travel through space at fantastic speeds until they strike some
other matter which may make new flavors of radioactivity they strike wandering
asteroids moons
and planets such as our own everything in space earth included receives
this radiation
background radiation is all around us in tiny quantities.
Later even planted unstable adults deep inside the Earth itself.
They decay one by one here and there in a barrage of inconceivably small
and silent explosion.
Each explosion is another spark of radiation all life on earth has reached its
present form in company with radiation from this naturally occurring radioactivity
extremely thin with extremely low level intensity. It has always been with us.
It is nothing new.
We don't worry about the small amounts of natural background radiation.
But the safely handle larger We must keep our distance
and shield ourselves for as the amounts
increase so to the dangers the amount of energy
generated by a look we're explosion is enormous.
Here the crater area there was almost total destruction from the blast in the now
large amounts of power arise debris
and molten dirt pulled up into the mushroom cloud.
This is where radioactive fallout is for the radioactive
Adams produced in the explosion joined with the particles of earth
and debris the mushroom shaped cloud forms
climbs higher it now contains billions of highly radioactive
particles of matter that we call fallout.
The strong winds of the upper altitudes go to work on the cloud blowing off in one
or more directions gravity tugs on the part of the larger
and heavier ones sink toward the ground while the lighter particles continue to
drift with the with some of the lightest particles remain suspended in the upper
atmosphere as time passes their radioactivity grows weaker so
that the longer they remain a lot.
The less dangerous they are but the heavier particles spread by high altitude
when fall to the ground within twenty four hours several miles from the explosion
they are about the size of table salt are fine say these are the most dangerous.
Because they carry the greatest number of radioactive atoms
and so emit the largest amount of nuclear radiation which brings us to an all
important fact deadly as radiation can be.
And this gives us an invaluable ally. Time.
So close a nuclear explosion takes place at twelve noon. By one o'clock.
The total force of the residual radiation is at a high level. By seven o'clock.
It's down to one tenth. In two days although still dangerous.
It's only one one hundred. But in two weeks.
It's only one one one thousand with this
decay rate in mind consider radioactive fallout conditions which might confront us
after a massive attack within an hour fallout would be a serious problem in the
vicinity of explosions which occur on
or near the ground by seven hours after the attack the fallout area covers more.
More of the country as the prevailing winds expand the fallout in a downwind
pattern twenty four hours forty eight hours without
shelter millions would face death.
A few days later those who have taken shelter will survive in many areas people can
even leave shelter for brief periods of time to carry out important tasks within
two weeks.
Most people can leave their shelters for longer periods as the radioactivity decays
to lower levels. The lesson is obvious.
We must feel ourselves from radiation through the dangerous period.
To do this we need more than time.
Fortunately we have another ally distance
the greater our distance from the fallout particularly the less radiation we
receive you would receive less radiation in the middle of a tall building then you
would receive on the top or bottom floors because there would be more distance
and partitions between you and the source of the radiation.
The fallout of particles which would cover the roof on the ground around the
building. Only an insignificant amount would get inside.
And finally along with the cane rate and distance we have still another
and very important ally mass.
When highly radioactive fallout covers our immediate area we can shield ourselves
to the most dangerous period by using the here weight of any material
like the protecting the tiller.
Must be heavy to shield out some ninety nine percent of the radiation you would
need about five and a half feet of wood
or two feet of earth or one a third feet of concrete
or I have put a steel even though the thickness of these materials varies.
They all weigh the same taking a house
as an example. It offers a small amount of mass and distance from radiation
but not enough protection in an area of heavy fall.
The solution is play fallout shelters are the best defense against nuclear
radiation whether in a home for a single family
or a large community type in an apartment building they offer the kind of
protection from radiation you would probably need in case of a nuclear attack
but the best shelter would be worthless unless it was used most people find it hard
to understand how silent invisible rays which cannot even be felt could be so
damaging.
Let's see what happens when radiation penetrates the body and attacks the cells.
What is a cell and what happens when it is attacked.
It's a simple organism which reproduces itself by dividing our bodies are made up
of millions of cells there the building blocks of our blood
and tissues now powerful radiation strikes
and cells are injured or destroyed if radiation stuff.
Ops before the accumulated dose is too great.
Almost all of the damage eventually will be repaired. If radiation continues.
There are some cells less able to function the top officials should the body fall
behind in its recovery severe illness
or death could result.
The key then is the amount the total dose of radiation received we
measure radiation in the same way.
Speed is measured by a speedometer only instead of a speedometer we have a rate
meter and instead of miles per hour.
We measure the rate in rent can spur our we need another device
called a dosimeter to record how much radiation a person has accumulated over a
period of time in the same way we recorded accumulated distance in miles.
The dosimeter records accumulated dose in Rankin's.
With this in mind let's return to background radiation
in an average lifetime a person might expect to accumulate about ten Rankin's from
his natural environment not enough to affect his health.
The same healthy person would need medical care if he received more than two
hundred rand kins within a few days three hundred Rankin's in the same period would
cause severe radiation sickness or possibly death
and as we go beyond three hundred Rankin's the danger of death increases rapidly.
So now we see why shelter is vital.
The difference between accumulating a large dose because of little
or no shielding
and a small dose because of adequate shielding is the difference between death
and life.
No clothing of course could possibly provide enough shielding.
However if you were to be in the open during fallout conditions clothing would keep
the particles from touching your skin.
There is no such thing as a fallout suit
but ordinary clothing would help until you could reach the safety of a shelter.
Then the fallout particles can be brushed off
and outer clothing removed if fallout settles on your food the food itself
is not harmed.
Since radiation damages only living tissue
and you can easily decontaminated using almost the same method you use in everyday
food preparation actually even if you accidentally swallowed some fallout particles.
It wouldn't kill you. The effect of any probably wouldn't show up for years.
Still since there is a possibility of long term effects such as shortened lifespan
cancer or hereditary damage.
It's wise to remove the radioactive particles by simply washing wiping
or peeling
but it's vital to remember this neither water
nor chemicals can destroy radioactivity the fallout particles
can only be moved or washed away.
Only time can reduce their potency and a lot of water.
Well here again the same rules apply if necessary you could drink water containing
fallout particles without worry
or immediate harm the chances are you wouldn't have to for a long water helps to.
Wash itself through the natural processes of sedimentation and filtration
and swiftly moving rivers like this would carry most fallout particles downstream
in still waters most particles would settle quickly to the bottom.
Others might remain suspended in the water for a long time while a small percent of
the radioactivity would dissolve
the normal processing of a water treatment plant would make it safe to drink
and water coming from a covered well would be safe from radioactive contamination.
There is no problem with breathing for air is not contaminated once the fallout is
on the ground fallout is not a poison gas if ventilation is needed in a
shelter a simple inverted you fitting on a ventilator a pipe would keep all of
particles from entering the pipe and getting inside.
Of course surviving a nuclear attack means more than just waiting in a shelter for
radioactivity to decay to safe levels survival reconstruction
and recovery would involve decontamination in many areas it's a very difficult job.
You know they need it all on Mars.
Those right fifteen reckons per hour
fall out would have to be removed from important areas by street sweepers
and the remaining particles to be flushed out of the way.
The the food would be a problem after a locally
or attack. We would first use existing food supplies from shelters markets
and surplus food storage
when fallout educated safe levels people could begin to work in the fields for a
limited period of time in a few areas the land
would not be suitable for food
but such crops is cut could be grown crops
for human consumption would be grown in areas
that had received the least for the
reason we would be able to grow
and planted in this land is the transfer of radioactivity from soil the plant is
extremely low.
And so if nuclear attack should ever come in spite of every effort to avoid We must
be able to survive and rebuild for the future
but survival can only come through knowledge.
The basic facts we must all know are relatively simple.
First there is nothing new about radiation. It has always been with us.
What is new is the vast amount we will be exposed to as a result of nuclear
explosion.
Much of this danger would come to us in the form of dollars
but we are not without personal weapons or defense.
One of these is time radiation decays so we would not have to take maximum
precautions indefinitely.
Another defense is distance radiating particles fifty feet away for instance would
not affect us as much as particles a few feet away
and our third defense is mass any material with enough weight will keep the
penetrating rays from hurting the greater the weight of the material between us
and the particles the safer we would be the best way we can use all three
weapons of Defense is with an adequate shelter thick enough to shield off a good
part of the radiation until it has decay do safer levels.
When radiation attacks the cells of our body are damaged.
Most of them can repair themselves if the total blows over a period of time is not
too high.
Even though the Rays penetrate our bodies causing damage they do not infect us
and make us or anything else radioactive.
That's why food remains good no matter how much radiation has passed through the
fallout accidentally swallowed with water or food will do you no immediate harm
but for a long term safety.
It's best to wash white or peel the food
and filter the water even if you were caught outside under fallout conditions
ordinary clothing would keep the radioactive particles from touching your skin
but you would still need to find shelter quickly if we remember these back.
If we act on them intelligently we can increase our chances of surviving nuclear
attack and the key to survival is that it will jump
and
that is why the federal government has a nationwide fallout shelter program.
The goal is adequate fallout shelter space for every man woman
and child
and this goal can be reached for with knowledge of radiation we can face the facts
about fallout take action to protect ourselves.
And learn how to live in the nuclear age.