disaster 5th 1108_5th ed 2011 - Homeland Security and Emergency ...

ABOUT NUCLEAR THREAT OR DEVICE
No one wants to think about a nuclear crisis - and hopefully it will never
happen - but we as a nation must accept the fact nuclear tensions are rising
globally (plus Al-Qaeda and others are seeking nukes) so we should prepare
ourselves and our loved ones in the event the unthinkable strikes our soil.
For decades, movies and some in the media have portrayed a nuclear attack
as a “doomsday” event implying most people would be killed on impact ...
and survivors would want to die once they come out of their shelters. In
reality, unless you are actually at ground zero or within a several mile
radius of the blast zone (depending on the size of the nuke, of course), there
is a very high probability you will survive as long as you limit your
exposure to the radiation, take shelter with proper shielding, and wait for
the most dangerous radioactive materials to decay.
In other words, you CAN survive a nuke attack ... but you MUST make an
effort to learn what to do!
By learning about potential threats, we are all better prepared to know how
to react if something happens. Earlier we covered nuclear power plant
accidents and RDDs (dirty bombs) explaining both scenarios would be
fairly localized. We also listed sheltering tips and suggested items to be
included in Disaster Supplies Kits for several days (in Section 1), however
a nuclear attack could create more extensive damage and longer sheltering
requirements meaning more preparation is needed.
In this topic we’ll explain a nuke scenario, give some tips on sheltering and
supplies, and suggest what to do BEFORE, DURING and AFTER an
attack.
Please realize this topic is being written with small nuke devices in mind
(like a 1-kiloton to 1-megaton device - similar to what a terrrorist group
may try to obtain and use). A larger device or a nuclear war would cause
more wide-spread damage but some of this data could still be helpful.
Again, these are some very basic things you can do to prepare yourself and
your family so you can survive the unthinkable.
What happens when a nuke explodes
A nuclear blast produces a blinding light, intense heat (called thermal radiation),
initial nuclear radiation, 2 explosive shock waves (blasts), mass
fires, and radioactive fallout (residual nuclear radiation). And, if a nuke is
launched over our continent and explodes miles above the earth, it could
create an electromagnetic pulse (EMP). Let’s break this down a little
further...
www.itsadisaster.net or call 1-888-999-4325
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