Nuclear Deck Answers

• A Nuclear bomb was detonated just 15 miles away but, thankfully, you were safe in your nuclear shelter. How long do you need to stay in before it's safe to come out? How would you know?
  1. If the dose rate I hour after an explosion is 1000R hr, it would take about 2 weeks for the dose rate to be reduced to I R/ hr solely as a result of radioactive decay. Weathering effects will reduce the dose rate further; for example, rain can wash fallout particles from plants and houses to lower positions on or closer to the ground. Surrounding objects would reduce the radiation dose from these low-lying particles.

Figure 1.2 also illustrates the fact that at a typical location where a given amount of fallout from an explosion is deposited later than I hour after the explosion, the highest dose rate and the total dose received at that location are less than at a location where the same amount of fallout is deposited I hour after the explosion. The longer fallout particles have been airborne before reaching the ground, the less dangerous is their radiation. Within two weeks after an attack the occupants of most shelters could safely stop using them, or could work outside the shelters for an increasing number of hours each day. Exceptions would be in areas of extremely heavy fallout such as might occur downwind from important targets attacked with many weapons, especially missile sites and very large cities. To know when to come out safely, occupants either would need a reliable fallout meter to measure the changing radiation dangers, or must receive information based on measurements made nearby with a reliable instrument.

Source – Chapter 1, Dangers from Nuclear Weapons: Myths or facts from “Nuclear War Survival Skills” (1987) by Cresson Kearny, Civil Defense Consultant.

 

• What do nuclear fallout particles look like? Why would having contact with them could make you sick or even kill you?
  1. When a nuclear weapon explodes near the ground, great quantities of pulverized earth and other debris are sucked up into the nuclear cloud. There the radioactive gases produced by the explosion condense on and into this debris, producing radioactive fallout particles. Within a short time, these particles fall back to earth--the larger ones first, the smaller ones later. On the way down, and after they reach the ground, the radioactive particles give off invisible gamma rays--like X-rays--too much of which can kill or injure people. These particles give off most of their radiation quickly; therefore, the first few hours or days after an attack would be the most dangerous period.

Source – Chapter 2, What is fallout? from “In Time of Emergency, A Citizen’s Handbook on Nuclear Attack, Natural Disasters (1968) by the Office of Civil Defense of the United States. A public domain book, which can be downloaded online free of charge.

 

• What are the important characteristics of a nuclear fallout shelter? How thick would a wall or ceiling need to be to provide protection? 
  1. The required shielding can be accomplished with 10 times the thicknessof any quantity of material capable of cutting gamma ray exposure in half. Shields that reduce gamma ray intensity by 50% (1/2) include 1 cm (0.4 inch) of lead, 6 cm (2.4 inches) of concrete, 9 cm (3.6 inches) of packed earth or 150 m (500 ft) of air. When multiple thicknesses are built, the shielding multiplies. Thus, a practical fallout shield is ten halving-thicknesses of packed earth, reducing gamma rays by approximately 1024 times. Source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallout_shelter#Shielding

 

• A preemptive nuclear attack is a surprise move designed to defeat another nuclear power's ability to strike back. World superpowers have this strategy in their arsenal and they know it can be used on them first. What event would gain your support to have your country preemptively strike another?
  1. The answer to this question is your opinion.

 

• What features would the basement of a home have to have to serve as a nuclear fallout shelter?

The basements of some homes are usable as family fallout shelters as they now stand, without any alterations or changes--especially if the house has two or more stories, and its basement is below ground level. However, most home basements would need some improvements in order to shield their occupants adequately from the radiation given off by fallout particles. Usually, householders can make these improvements themselves, with moderate effort and at low cost. Millions of homes have been surveyed for the U.S. Office of Civil Defense by the U.S. Census Bureau, and these householders have received information on how much fallout protection their basements would provide, and how to improve this protection. Shielding Material Is Required In setting up any home fallout shelter, the basic aim is to place enough "shielding material" between the people in the shelter and the fallout particles outside. Shielding material is any substance that would absorb and deflect the invisible rays given off by fallout particles outside the house, and thus reduce the amount of radiation reaching the occupants of the shelter. The thicker or denser the shielding material is, the more it would protect the shelter occupants. Some radiation protection is provided by the existing, standard walls and ceiling of a basement. But if they are not thick or dense enough, other shielding material will have to be added. Source – Chapter 4, A home shelter can save your life from “In Time of Emergency, A Citizen’s Handbook on Nuclear Attack, Natural Disasters (1968) by the Office of Civil Defense of the United States. A public domain book, which can be downloaded online free of charge.

 

• The emergency alert system of your country has just detected 12 foreign nuclear bombers flying en route to your state; they'll reach the border in 15 minutes. What would you do if this happened while you were at work? Would your loved ones know what to do if you weren't around?
  1. The answer to this question is your opinion.

 

• Your outdoor water source has been contaminated by fallout particles. What should you do to make the water safe to drink?

Strain the water through a paper towel or several thicknesses of clean cloth, to remove dirt and fallout particles, if any.

Or else let the water "settle" in a container for 24 hours, by which time any solid particles would have sunk to the bottom.

A handful of clay soil in each gallon of water would help this settling process. 2. After the solid particles have been removed, boil the water if possible for 3 to 5 minutes, or add a water-purifying agent to it.

This could be either: (a) water-purifying tablets, available at drug stores, or (b) two percent tincture of iodine, or (c) liquid chlorine household bleach, provided the label says that it contains hypochlorite as its only active ingredient.

For each gallon of water, use 4 water-purifying tablets, or 12 drops of tincture of iodine, or 8 drops of liquid chlorine bleach.

If the water is cloudy, these amounts should be doubled.

There would not be much danger of drinking radioactive particles in water, as they would sink quickly to the bottom of the container or stream. Very few would dissolve in the water.

Although open reservoirs might contain some radioactive iodine in the first few days after an attack, this danger is considered minor except to very young children. Source – Chapter 7, Water, food and sanitation in a shelter from “In Time of Emergency, A Citizen’s Handbook on Nuclear Attack, Natural Disasters (1968) by the Office of Civil Defense of the United States. A public domain book, which can be downloaded online free of charge.

1. Reverse osmosis has been identified by EPA as a the best available technology (BAT) and Small System Compliance Technology (SSCT) for uranium, radium, gross alpha, and beta particles and photon emitters.

It can remove up to 99 percent of these radionuclides, as well as many other contaminants (e.g., arsenic, nitrate, and microbial contaminants).

Reverse osmosis units can be automated and compact making them appropriate for small systems.

Source https://cfpub.epa.gov/safewater/radionuclides/radionuclides.cfm?action=Rad_Reverse%20Osmosis

 

 

• Is radiation sickness contagious? Can one person pass it to another?
  1. Radiation sickness is not contagious and one person cannot pass it to another. Source – Chapter 2, summary #6 from “In Time of Emergency, A Citizen’s Handbook on Nuclear Attack, Natural Disasters (1968) by the Office of Civil Defense of the United States. A public domain book, which can be downloaded online free of charge.

 

• Your vegetable garden has been contaminated by fallout particles. What should you do to make the food edible?
  1. Most of the Nation's remaining food supplies would be usable after an attack. Since radiation passing through food does not contaminate it, the only danger would be the actual swallowing of fallout particles that happened to be on the food itself (or on the can or package containing the food), and these could be wiped or washed off. Reaping, threshing, canning and other processing would prevent any dangerous quantities of fallout particles from getting into processed foods. If necessary to further protect the population, special precautions would be taken by food processors. Source – Chapter 2, Food and water would be available and usable from “In Time of Emergency, A Citizen’s Handbook on Nuclear Attack, Natural Disasters (1968) by the Office of Civil Defense of the United States. A public domain book, which can be downloaded online free of charge.

 

• Can special drugs prevent large doses of radiation from causing damage to the cells of the body? Why or why not?
  1. The invisible gamma rays given off by fallout particles can cause radiation sickness--that is, illness caused by physical and chemical changes in the cells of the body. If a person receives a large dose of radiation, he will die. But if he receives only a small or medium dose, his body will repair itself and he will get well. The same dose received over a short period of time is more damaging than if it is received over a longer period. Usually, the effects of a given dose of radiation are more severe in very young and very old persons, and those not in good health. No special clothing can protect people against gamma radiation, and no special drugs or chemicals can prevent large doses of radiation from causing damage to the cells of the body. However, antibiotics and other medicines are helpful in treating infections that sometimes follow excessive exposure to radiation (which weakens the body's ability to fight infections). Source – Chapter 2, Fallout Causes Radiation Sickness from “In Time of Emergency, A Citizen’s Handbook on Nuclear Attack, Natural Disasters (1968) by the Office of Civil Defense of the United States. A public domain book, which can be downloaded online free of charge.

 

• How long would you need to survive in your shelter before it is safe to leave?  How would you determine if it was safe to leave? Visit this website http://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/and research how a nuclear detonation would affect where you live.
  1. Inhabitants should plan to remain sheltered for at least two weeks (with an hour out at the end of the first week – see Swiss Civil Defense guidelines (which was once part of Swiss Zivilschutz)), then work outside for gradually increasing amounts of time, to four hours a day at three weeks. The normal work is to sweep or wash fallout into shallow trenches to decontaminate the area. They should sleep in a shelter for several months. Evacuation at three weeks is recommended by official authorities.

If available, inhabitants may take potassium iodide at the rate of 130 mg/day per adult (65 mg/day per child) as an additional measure to protect the thyroid gland from the uptake of dangerous radioactive iodine, a component of most fallout and reactor waste. Source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallout_shelter#Shielding

 

• When it comes to measuring a nuclear weapon's strengths, 1 Kiloton equals 1000 tons of TNT. The nuclear destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were done by two bombs, the 15 kiloton Little Boy and 21 kiloton Fat Man. The most powerful nuclear bomb ever tested was the Russian Tzar Bomba with a force of 50.000 Kilotons. If a war between your country and Russia took place, which cities would be possible targets of the Tzar Bomba in your opinion?
  1. The answer to this question is your opinion.

 

• Does your local community have a nuclear attack warning system? What is it?
  1. The answer to this question needs to be researched by you as it deals with the area where you personally reside.

 

• How would you build a safe nuclear fallout shelter using natural materials available in the countryside where you live? What would be some of the main features of it?
  1. Concrete, bricks, earth and sand are some of the materials that are dense or heavy enough to provide fallout protection. For comparative purposes, 4 inches of concrete would provide the same shielding density as:

--5 to 6 inches of bricks.

--6 inches of sand or gravel . . . .\ May be packed into bags, cartons, boxes,

--7 inches or earth. . . . . . . . ./ or other containers for easier handling.

--8 inches of hollow concrete blocks (6 inches if filled with sand).

--10 inches of water.

--14 inches of books or magazines.

--18 inches of wood.

Source – Chapter 4, Some shielding is required from “In Time of Emergency, A Citizen’s Handbook on Nuclear Attack, Natural Disasters (1968) by the Office of Civil Defense of the United States. A public domain book, which can be downloaded online free of charge.

1. The answer to the second part of this question is your opinion.

 

 

• What does potassium iodide (KI) do and why should you have some on hand?
  1. The effectiveness of KI as a specific blocker of thyroid radioiodine uptake is well established. When administered in the recommended dose, KI is effective in reducing the risk of thyroid cancer in individuals or populations at risk for inhalation or ingestion of radioiodines. KI floods the thyroid with non-radioactive iodine and prevents the uptake of the radioactive molecules, which are subsequently excreted in the urine. Potassium iodide ( KI) works only to prevent the uptake of radioactive iodine into the thyroid gland. It is not a general radioprotective agent.

Source – https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/EmergencyPreparedness/BioterrorismandDrugPreparedness/ucm072265.htm

 

• After a nuclear explosion nearby, what clues would you look for to try to predict the amount of fallout that may affect you and your loved ones?
  1. When a nuclear bomb or missile explodes, the main effects produced are intense light (flash), heat, blast, and radiation. How strong these effects are depends on the size and type of the weapon; how far away the explosion is; the weather conditions (sunny or rainy, windy or still); the terrain (whether the ground is flat or hilly); and the height of the explosion (high in the air, or near the ground). All nuclear explosions cause light, heat and blast, which occur immediately. In addition, explosions that are on or close to the ground would create large quantities of dangerous radioactive fallout particles, most of which would fall to earth during the first 24 hours. Explosions high in the air would create smaller radioactive particles, which would not have any real effect on humans until many months or years later, if at all. Source – Chapter 2, Understand The Hazards of Nuclear Attacks From “In Time of Emergency, A Citizen’s Handbook on Nuclear Attack, Natural Disasters (1968) by the Office of Civil Defense of the United States. A public domain book, which can be downloaded online free of charge.

 

• Can nuclear radiation be seen, smelled, or otherwise detected by normal senses? How can you measure it effectively?

 

1. When a nuclear weapon explodes near the ground, great quantities of pulverized earth and other debris are sucked up into the nuclear cloud. There the radioactive gases produced by the explosion condense on and into this debris, producing radioactive fallout particles. Within a short time, these particles fall back to earth--the larger ones first, the smaller ones later. On the way down, and after they reach the ground, the radioactive particles give off invisible gamma rays--like X-rays--too much of which can kill or injure people. These particles give off most of their radiation quickly; therefore the first few hours or days after an attack would be the most dangerous period. In dangerously affected areas the particles themselves would look like grains of salt or sand; but the rays they would give off could not be seen, tasted, smelled or felt. Special instruments would be required to detect the rays and measure their intensity. Source – Chapter 2, What is fallout? From “In Time of Emergency, A Citizen’s Handbook on Nuclear Attack, Natural Disasters (1968) by the Office of Civil Defense of the United States. A public domain book, which can be downloaded online free of charge.

 

 

• If a nuclear dirty bomb went off in a major capital city of your country, who do you think would be to blame and why?
  1. The answer to this question is your opinion.

 

• Some say nuclear weapons are meant to be used on civilian populations. Would you agree? Why or why not?
  1. The answer to this question is your opinion.

 

• What are the chances of your country being involved in a nuclear war in the next 10 years? Why?
  1. The answer to this question is your opinion.

 

• How far is the nearest nuclear power plant to where you live?
  1. The answer to this question needs to be researched by you as it deals with the area where you personally reside.

 

• What types of food can help you recover from radiation damage? Why?
  1. It was shown that CDF isolated from lemon peel, beetroot residues after wringing out, grapes seeds and other plant resources have a radioprotective properties. Authors conclude that CDF can be used in human nutrition for prevention of incorporation of nuclides. Source - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9206888
  2. Dietary factors such as fruit and vegetables are thought to reduce the risk of cancer incidence and mortality. We investigated the effect of a diet rich in fruit and vegetables against the long-term effects of radiation exposure on the risk of cancer. A cohort of 36,228 atomic-bomb survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, for whom radiation dose estimates were currently available, had their diet assessed in 1980. They were followed for a period of 20 years for cancer mortality. The joint-effect of fruit and vegetables intake and radiation exposure on risk of cancer death was examined, in additive (sum of effects of diet alone and radiation alone) and multiplicative (product of effects of diet alone and radiation alone) models. In the additive model, a daily intake of fruit and vegetables significantly reduced the risk of cancer deaths by 13%, compared to an intake of once or less per week. Radiation exposure of 1 Sievert (Sv) increased significantly the risk of cancer death by 48–49%. The additive joint-effects showed a lower risk of cancer among those exposed to 1 Sv who had a diet rich in vegetables (49%−13%=36%) or fruit (48%−13%=35%). The multiplicative model gave similar results. The cancer risk reduction by vegetables in exposed persons went from 52% (effect of radiation alone) to 32% (product of effect of vegetables and radiation), and cancer risk reduction by fruit was 52% (radiation alone) to 34% (product of effect of fruit and radiation). There was no significant evidence to reject either the additive or the multiplicative model. A daily intake of fruit and vegetables was beneficial to the persons exposed to radiation in reducing their risks of cancer death. Source - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0027510704001496

 

• What are the initial symptoms of radiation poisoning?
  1. Radiation syndrome includes fatigue, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, fever, headache with bleeding and complications affecting the digestive system, nervous system, heart, and lungs. Source –https://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/radiation-damage

 

 

• How long should you wait to safely return to an area directly affected by a nuclear blast?
  1. The amount of fallout will vary based on the size of the device and its proximity to the ground. About 80 percent of the fallout occurs during the first 24 hours. People in most of the affected areas may be allowed to come out of shelters within a few days, others in areas with highest radiation levels may have to shelter for up to a month. The heaviest fallout is limited to the area at, or downwind from the explosion. Source - https://ready.dc.gov/page/after-nuclear-blast

 

• How do you treat someone for radiation poisoning?

 

1. Symptoms of radiation sickness may not be noticed for several days. The early symptoms are lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, weakness and headache. Later, the patient may have sore mouth, loss of hair, bleeding gums, bleeding under the skin, and diarrhea. But these same symptoms can be caused by other diseases, and not everyone who has radiation sickness shows all these symptoms, or shows them all at once. If the patient has headache or general discomfort, give him one or two aspirin tablets every 3 or 4 hours (half a tablet, for a child under 12). If he is nauseous, give him "motion sickness tablets," if available. If his mouth is sore or his gums are bleeding, have him use a mouth wash made up of a half-teaspoonful of salt to 1 quart of water. If there is vomiting or diarrhea, he should drink slowly several glasses each day of a salt-and-soda solution (one teaspoonful of salt and one-half teaspoonful of baking soda to 1 quart of cool water), plus bouillon or fruit juices. Source – Chapter9, Radiation Sickness, from “In Time of Emergency, A Citizen’s Handbook on Nuclear Attack, Natural Disasters (1968) by the Office of Civil Defense of the United States. A public domain book, which can be downloaded online free of charge.

• WW III broke out; you've survived a nuclear attack and the initial fallout effects. It's time to move on with life. What would be your next steps?
  1. The answer to this question is your opinion.

 

• If a global nuclear war took place between America and Europe versus Russia and China, which side do you think would win? Why? How do you think that would change your life as it is today?
  1. The answer to this question is your opinion.

 

• Could terrorists use radioactive material from medical equipment to build a dirty bomb?
  1. Radioactive materials are routinely used at hospitals, research facilities, industrial activities, and construction sites. These radioactive materials are used for such purposes as diagnosing and treating illnesses, sterilizing equipment, and inspecting welding seams. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission together with 37 “Agreement” States, which also regulate radioactive material, administers more than 22,000 licenses of such materials. The vast majority of these materials are not useful as an RDD. Source – https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/fs-dirty-bombs.html

 

• What is the closest public nuclear shelter available to you? Would you go to one?
  1. The answer to this question needs to be researched by you as it deals with the area where you personally reside. The second part of this question asks your opinion.

 

• A major city in your country has just been nuked. What would you do after learning about the attack?
  1. The answer to this question is your opinion.

 

• You were caught off guard when the government issued an evacuation order due to a possible imminent nuclear attack. You're at home and have 30 minutes to prepare. Would you leave or would you stay? If you left, where would you go? If you stayed, what steps would you take to modify your home in order to shelter in place?
  1. The answer to this question is your opinion.

 

• Do you feel more or less safe knowing your country has a nuclear arsenal?
  1. The answer to this question is your opinion.

 

• Do you agree with certain countries around the world prohibiting other countries from having a nuclear arsenal? Why?
  1. The answer to this question is your opinion.

 

• Russian geopolitical analyst Konstantin Sivkov has called for Moscow to launch a nuclear attack on Yellowstone National Park and the San Andreas fault line, noting that the devastating consequences would ‘disappear’ the United States as a country. How would a nuclear attack on those sensitive geographical areas affect you?
  1. The answer to this question is your opinion.

 

• Do you think that the Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) policy is enough to keep America safe from a nuclear threat? Why?
  1. The answer to this question is your opinion.

 

• What is the most important asset a government should secure in the event of a nuclear war?
  1. The answer to this question is your opinion.

 

• Which country has the largest nuclear arsenal in the world today? Based on current global politics, how does that make you feel?
  6800. At the time of this writing, Russia has 7000 nuclear war heads. The United States is the second with 6800. These are the “official” numbers.

Source - http://www.icanw.org/the-facts/nuclear-arsenals/

1. The answer to the second part of this question is your opinion.

 

• What are you doing as a citizen of your country to help prevent the next nuclear world war?
  1. The answer to this question is your opinion.

 

• Myth or fact ... Why? "The un-survivable "nuclear winter" would follow a WW3 Nuclear war. Temperatures would drop if only a small percentage of nuclear weapons are used to ignite cities".

Unsurvivable "nuclear winter" is a discredited theory that, since its conception in 1982, has been used to frighten additional millions into believing that trying to survive a nuclear war is a waste of effort and resources, and that only by ridding the world of almost all nuclear weapons do we have a chance of surviving. Non-propagandizing scientists recently have calculated that the climatic and other environmental effects of even an all-out nuclear war would be much less severe than the catastrophic effects repeatedly publicized by popular astronomer Carl Sagan and his fellow activist scientists, and by all the involved Soviet scientists. Source – Chapter 1, Dangers from Nuclear Weapons: Myths or facts from “Nuclear War Survival Skills” (1987) by Cresson Kearny, Civil Defense Consultant.

 

• What are safe sources of water during nuclear fallout? Can water be filtered after exposed to fallout?
  1. In addition to water stored in containers, there is usually other water available in most homes that is drinkable, such as:

--Water and other liquids normally found in the kitchen, including ice cubes, milk, soft drinks, and fruit and vegetable juices.

--Water (20 to 60 gallons) in the hot water tank.

--Water in the flush tanks (not the bowls) of home toilets.

--Water in the pipes of your home plumbing system.

In a time of nuclear attack, local authorities may instruct householders to turn off the main water valves in their homes to avoid having water drain away in case of a break and loss of pressure in the water mains.

With the main valve in your house closed, all the pipes in the house would still be full of water.

To use this water, turn on the faucet that is located at the highest point in your house, to let air into the system; and then draw water, as needed, from the faucet that is located at the lowest point in your house.

Source – Chapter 7, Care and use of water supplies from “In Time of Emergency, A Citizen’s Handbook on Nuclear Attack, Natural Disasters (1968) by the Office of Civil Defense of the United States. A public domain book, which can be downloaded online free of charge.

 

• During your 2 week lockdown in your nuclear shelter, how would you get rid of your waste? How would you ventilate the air in your shelter?
  1. GET SANITATION SUPPLIES NOW. Since you may not be able to use your regular bathroom during a period of emergency, you should keep on hand these sanitation supplies: A metal container with a tight-fitting lid, to use as an emergency toilet; one or two large garbage cans with covers (for human wastes and garbage); plastic bags to line the toilet container; disinfectant; toilet paper; soap; wash cloths and towels; a pail or basin; and sanitary napkins. Source – Chapter 6, Sanitation Supplies, from “In Time of Emergency, A Citizen’s Handbook on Nuclear Attack, Natural Disasters (1968) by the Office of Civil Defense of the United States. A public domain book, which can be downloaded online free of charge.

 

 

• What civilian structures become military targets during a war? Which of these could be hit by a nuclear weapon?

 

1. In general, potential targets include:

Strategic missile sites and military bases.

Centers of government such as Washington, DC, and state capitals.

Important transportation and communication centers.

Manufacturing, industrial, technology, and financial centers.

Petroleum refineries, electrical power plants, and chemical plants.

Major ports and airfields. Source - https://www.ready.gov/nuclear-blast

 

• What are the 4 features of a nuclear explosion you must shelter against?
  1. When a nuclear bomb or missile explodes, the main effects produced are intense light (flash), heat, blast, and radiation. Source – Chapter 2, UNDERSTAND THE HAZARDS OF NUCLEAR ATTACK from “In Time of Emergency, A Citizen’s Handbook on Nuclear Attack, Natural Disasters (1968) by the Office of Civil Defense of the United States. A public domain book, which can be downloaded online free of charge.

 

• What type of clothing and equipment would make it safe for you to walk among active nuclear fallout debris? Why?
  1. Radiation sickness is caused by the invisible rays given off by particles of radioactive fallout. If a person has received a large dose of radiation in a short period of time--generally, less than a week--he will become seriously ill and probably will die. But if he has received only a small or medium dose, his body will repair itself and he will get well. No special clothing can protect a person from gamma radiation, and no special medicines can protect him or cure him of radiation sickness. Source – Chapter9, Radiation Sickness, from “In Time of Emergency, A Citizen’s Handbook on Nuclear Attack, Natural Disasters (1968) by the Office of Civil Defense of the United States. A public domain book, which can be downloaded online free of charge.

 

• What are the tolerable levels of fallout radiation someone can endure without receiving cell damage?
  1003. There is no consistent scientific evidence that people are harmed by exposure to radiation below 10,000 millirem. Evidence of harm from exposure to radiation is almost entirely related to relatively short-term exposures to high doses, either the experience of people exposed during the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, or from medical uses of X-rays during the first half of this century. While an increased incidence of some cancers has been observed following doses of radiation above 50,000 millirem, radiation is a relatively weak carcinogen—much weaker than many chemical carcinogens. For more than 40 years, scientists have followed the health histories of more than 75,000 survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings who were exposed to more than 500 millirem. Of these, 6,000 died from some form of cancer between 1950 and 1985—an excess of 350 cancer deaths above what would statistically be expected. More than 56 percent of the exposed populations being studied at Nagasaki and Hiroshima were still alive in 1990 (when the most recent cycle of mortality information was completed). Source - http://nuclear.inl.gov/docs/factsheets/radiation_human_health_1003.pdf

 

• The livestock at your survival retreat got hit with a thin layer of nuclear fallout 3 days ago. Today, their skins look irritated and burned but they are still alive. Is it safe to consume meat, milk or eggs from your animals? How would you know?
  1. Milk contamination from fallout is not expected to be a serious problem after an attack. If cows graze on contaminated pasture and swallow fallout particles that contain some radioactive elements, their milk might be harmful to the thyroid glands of infants and small children. Therefore, if possible, they should be given canned or powdered milk for a few weeks if authorities say the regular milk supply is contaminated by radioactive elements. Source – Chapter 2, Food and water would be available and usable, from “In Time of Emergency, A Citizen’s Handbook on Nuclear Attack, Natural Disasters (1968) by the Office of Civil Defense of the United States. A public domain book, which can be downloaded online free of charge.

 

 

• A half an inch layer of fallout covers the track of land you were planning on seeding for crops. What would you do in this situation?

 

2. Uptake of soil radionuclides will depend upon the radionuclide, its chemical concentration (not upon the level of radioactivity), its chemical form, the presence and availability of natural isotopes of the same element, its distribution down the soil profile, its availability to the plant root system, plant, and plant growth status. Source – Section 2.5.1 https://archive.org/stream/RadioactiveFalloutInSoilsCropsAndFood/UN-RadFalloutSoilsCropsFood#page/n3/mode/2up

 

 

• What is your federal government's protocol if your country gets attacked by a nuclear weapon? If you live far from the strike zone, how would your government's policy under nuclear attack affect you?
  1. The answer to this question needs to be researched by you as it deals with the area where you personally reside.

 

• What is the "Trans-Pacific Fallout" phenomenon? How can you prepare for it?
  1. Many strategists believe that if a nuclear war is fought in the next few decades it probably will not involve nuclear explosions on any of our 50 states. Perhaps the first nuclear war casualties in the United States will be caused by fallout from an overseas nuclear war in which our country is not a belligerent. As the number of nations with nuclear weapons increases especially in the Middle East - this generally unrecognized danger to Americans will worsen.

Trans-Pacific war fallout, carried to an America at peace by the prevailing west-to-east winds that blow around the world, could be several hundred times more dangerous to Americans than fallout from the worst possible overseas nuclear power reactor accident, and many times more dangerous than fallout from a very improbable U.S. nuclear power reactor accident as lethal as the disastrous Chernobyl accident was to Russians.

Source – Chapter 18, Trans- Pacific Fallout from “Nuclear War Survival Skills” (1987) by Cresson Kearny, Civil Defense Consultant.

 

• What clues should someone look for in the world of politics in order to stay ahead of the threat of a nuclear war?
  1. The answer to this question is your opinion.

 

• Flash blindness that can occur after a Nuclear attack, although very disturbing is not permanent. Most people recover within seconds, but the blindness can last up to 2 to 3 hours. How would you survive if you were blind for 2 to 3 hours? In this condition how would you make sure you and those you love are safe from contamination?
  1. The answer to this question is your opinion.

 

• Fear can be a life saving emotion, but anxiety can be mistaken as radiation poisoning. What would you do to keep your fears at bay and recognize anxiety rather than poisoning after a nuclear attack?
  1. The answer to this question is your opinion.

 

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