THE HIGHEST PROTECTIVE LEVEL AVAILABLE TO YOU AT THE TIME.
Different buildings and structures vary in the level of radiation protection offered. In general, basements or rooms underground offer the best protection. In an emergency, however, you and members of your family may have to make quick judgments as to the best and most accessible place available to you at the time.
The following examples list structures along with their respective protection factors. The higher the factor, the better the protection.
| Type of Building | Factor |
|---|---|
| Underground shelters covered by 3 feet or more of dirt, or sub-basements of buildings with more than 5 stories | 1000+ |
| Basement fallout shelters, basements without exposed walls, and central areas of upper floors (not top 3) with heavy exterior walls | 250 to 1000 |
| Basements of buildings with frame and brick veneers, central area of basements with partially to exposed waifs, and central areas of upper floors (not top floor) in multistory buildings with heavy floors and exterior walls | 50 to 250 |
| Basements without exposed walls of 1–2 story buildings and central areas of upper floors (not top) of multistory buildings with light floors and walls | 10 to 50 |
| Partially exposed basements of 1–2 story buildings and central areas on ground floor of similar buildings with heavy masonry walls | 2 to 10 |
| Above ground rooms of light residential homes or apartments | 2 or less |
REMEMBER, SOME PROTECTION IS BETTER THAN NONE.
GOOD PROTECTION WILL SAVE LIVES!
FOR LOCAL DISTRIBUTION
December 15, 1988
THE FOLLOWING EMERGENCY GUIDELINES SHOULD BE FOLLOWED UNTIL FULL-SCALE GOVERNMENT DECONTAMINATION EFFORTS CAN BE UNDERTAKEN.
If you live near a War Zone, or if you are being billeted temporarily by military or local government, you may be in considerable danger through contact with materials that have been made radioactive by the bomb explosion itself, or from fallout.
Radioactivity cannot be seen. The only sure way to know if radioactivity is present is to use electronic detectors that measure radioactivity. These devices are available from your local government, or from the military units assigned to your area.
BUT WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU DON’T HAVE ACCESS IMMEDIATELY TO RADIATION DETECTORS?
It’s best to be safe. If you live within 100 miles of a designated War Zone, it is highly likely that you will have at least some objects or surfaces affected with radioactivity. Or, if you live within any of the areas where fallout has occurred, you probably have some degree of contamination.
MOST RADIATION WILL DISAPPEAR WITHIN 60–90 DAYS. HOWEVER, DEPENDING UPON YOUR LOCATION AND PROXIMITY TO A BOMBED AREA, YOU COULD HAVE SUFFICIENT RADIOACTIVITY PRESENT TO CAUSE SERIOUS ILLNESS.
IF POSSIBLE, YOU SHOULD CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR WITH MILITARY AUTHORITIES TO DETERMINE THE LIKELIHOOD OF RADIOACTIVITY IN YOUR HOME OR BILLETING AREA.
If you know some radioactivity is present, or you suspect this to be the case, then you should utilize the following methods for decontaminating common materials and surfaces.
1. CLOTHING
Clothing that is heavily contaminated, e.g., that which has been outside and unprotected, should be discarded at once and buried in a location that will not affect water supplies.
Other clothing can be brushed or washed, though you should be careful to control the runoff in order to prevent further contamination. Using a detergent will help. All washing should be done in one area and the runoff directed to the same collector, which later can be covered up.
Always use gloves if you can, and wash yourself thoroughly afterwards.
2. FOOD
Packaged food can be brushed or washed, though you should watch out for dust particles. Unprotected food should be disposed of as soon as possible.
You should not plan to hunt for wild game for another four months; the possibility that wildlife has ingested radioactive particles is still dangerously high.
3. METAL AND PAINTED SURFACES
Metal or painted surfaces, including cars and trucks, can be washed or scrubbed, with or without detergents or cleansing agents. Again, you should control the runoff. The use of complexing agents—oxalates, carbonates, acids or oxidizing agents—can be useful for porous surfaces but chemically dangerous; care should be taken in using chemicals.
4. LARGE STRUCTURES
Large structures, such as houses, buildings, barns, etc., are most quickly cleaned with water sprays. Structures that are heavily contaminated, however, will need more intensive treatment. Chemical treatment may be necessary; abrasion or sandblasting may be necessary with concrete and brick.
Runoff can be a major problem, and all cleaning personnel should wear protective clothing and masks.
5. TERRAIN
Earth surfaces that are radioactive can be removed, though disposal can be a problem. For farming areas, plowing under may be the most expedient action, but the ground remains radioactive for some time and may not be readily usable again. You should consult your local authorities about any substantial earth-moving activity you propose. Protective clothing should be worn at all times, and face masks, such as those worn by medical personnel, should be used.
