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

ecome violent trying to find loved ones, water or food
• HAZMAT - watch for areas marked “HAZMAT” or
“radiation hazard” and don’t go there
Stay put – If near the blast zone or in projected fallout path ...
• Close doors, windows and fireplace damper and turn off
air conditioner, ventilation fans, furnace and other intakes
since they can pull in air or fallout from outside.
• Go to an underground shelter or make an expedient shelter
using as much shielding as possible (like furniture,
appliances, books, boxes of earth, food, water, etc.) in
your basement or the center of room or building.
• Grab Disaster Supplies Kit, have detection devices ready
to monitor radiation levels, and take KI.
• Keep battery-operated radio with you to hear updates (if
working - EMP may knock out communications systems).
• Realize it may take a few days or weeks before radiation
levels drop enough for people to move about safely.
What .. no services - An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) could disrupt or
crash systems so you may not have access to TV or radio, phones, the
Internet, ATMs, and other devices. It could also impact and hinder
Emergency Services’ response efforts, electrical and water systems, food
distribution, transportation (no traffic lights or navigation tools) and more.
Clean up - If you leave shelter and get exposed to fallout, remove clothes
and shoes before re-entering shelter so you don’t contaminate others. Rinse
body and hair but remember water may be limited. If possible, keep a
poncho with a hood just outside the shelter so folks can protect head and
clothing while outside. Don’t bring poncho inside shelter though.
Weird symptoms - Exposure to radiation may cause an upset stomach,
puking or diarrhea, but fear and anxiety cause similar symptoms. A person
with radiation sickness is not contagious, but realize severe cases can be
lethal. (see pages 112-114)
Handling a death in a shelter - If a person (or pet) dies while in a shelter,
cover body with a sheet or put it in a bag (or tape several large plastic bags
together) and move it outside the shelter. Don’t try to bury it if high levels
of radiation are still in the area, but do poke several pinholes in bag so gases
won’t build up.
Claiming a body - Hundreds or thousands of people could be killed at or
near ground zero from the blast, fires and deadly radiation. There may be a
long delay before bodies can be recovered, and some may never be found.
124 www.itsadisaster.net or call 1-888-999-4325