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a protected area on one of the
lower floors of a well-constructed,
fireproof,
reinforced-concrete
or
steel-frame building. To avoid the
hazard of general conflagration,
the building should not be among
others that are not fireproof.
Facilities required for rescue and
damage control operations, in addition to the measures found neces-
sary on the basis of World War II
problem
of
underground
detonation
atomic bomb.
It might be advisable
of
to
an
con-
struct shelters so that they would
provide protection in case of surface or subsurface bursts, in which
the spread of radiation through the
air might be a hazard.
special
consideration
Hence,
should
be
given to the problem of insuring
suitable ventilation for shelters.
The most effective method for
providing adequate ventilation is to
use 4 pressurized installation in
which the air is forced through
special air filters that would remove radioactively contaminated
particles.
The practicability of
experience with conventional exPlosives, must be given special
treatment in view of some of the
novel effects of atomic weapons.
The
buried shelters would, of course, be
uséless in the event of a near-by
such extreme measures, however,
is open to question.
Basements of homes, especially
if they were extended beyond the
main structure of the house, would
radiological
hazard control requires more elaborate facilities, and this hazard, as
well as the magnitude of the
mechanical damage effects, re-
offer reasonable protection against
quires that careful consideration
biast damage, provided they were
not too near the center of the ex-
be given to the communications
networks, probable need for duplicate facilities, special storage requirements,
emergency
medical
services, evacuation procedures and
immediate debris clearance.
Shelters inside buildings should
be in fireproof, reinforced-concrete
or steel-frame structures that are
ptosion.
However, care must be taken to
chosen should be on the lower
floors and in halls, or in the interior
provide escapes to be used in case
the house catches fire or collapses.
A shallow rampart of soil or of
sand bags outside the house would
probably be advantageous. Semiburied shelters for individual families, of the type used in Burope
during the last war for protection
against conventional bombs, would
these seem to offer the most rea-
tion against atomic explosions.
resistant to collapse.
portions
of
the
The areas
buildings,
sonable possibilities
Secondary hazards,
from falling plaster
from fire, should,
avoided.
since
also provide worth-while
for protection.
such as those
or fixtures, or
of course, be
protec-
In cities like New York, the subways would make good shelters,
though they probably would col-
lapse in case of a near-by underground explosion,
The discussion of shelters is, of
course, based on the assumption
Outside Shelters
Shelters outside the larger structures should, in general, be designed to resist the effects of blast
and radiation from an atomic burst
that there has been sufficient
warning to permit people to take
shelter. In the event of a surprise
atomic explosion, immediate action
would mean the difference between
life and death.
at a reasonable distance, say onehalf mile. They should be well
clear of buildings to avoid hazards
The first indication of an unex-
from debris and fire.
A buried. or semi-buried, shelter
will usually be the best choice for
protection from an air burst, be-
stantaneously to the ground, curling up so as to shade bare arms
clothed body.
this light. but rather to do everything possible to cover all exposed
parts of the body.
1. Complete disorganization stage:
In the event of heavy and widespread physical damage, it may
be presumed that roads would be
blocked for some distance from
Although this will
the
it might help in reducing flash-
Emergency
be held for at least ten seconds.
immediate
danger
is
then
over, and it is permissible to stand
up and look around to see what
of protection, such as a doorway,
a corner or a tree is within a step
or two, then shelter may be taken
there with the back to the light,
and in a crouched position to pro-
vide maximum protection, as described above. No attempt should
least, a standing position may be
resumed, but it is strongly advisable to press the body tightly
against the side of a building to
avoid breaking glass, or falling
missiles, as far as possible.
A person who is inside a building or a home when a sudden
atomic attack occurs should drop
to the floor, with his back to the
window, or crawl behind or beneath a table, desk, counter, etc.
This would also provide a shield
against splintered glass from the
blast wave.
Windows to be Avoided
The blast wave might reach the
building some time after the dan-
ger from radiation had passed, and
so Windows should be avoided for
about a minute, because the shock
the explosion.
The safest places
inside a building are the interior
keep as close to these as possible.
In
considering
the
practical
problems of a radiological hazard
it may be supposed that there
all
transportation
and
in effect.
If in the street, and some sort
several steps off.
The best plan then is to crouch
on the ground, as if completely in
the open. After ten seconds, at
that
2. Emergency control stage: This
Phase would begin as soon as
action appears advisable.
be made to reach q shelter if it is
and
communication, except perhaps
for self-contained radio equipment, would not be immediately
beyond the lethal range for gamma
rays. The curled-up position should
The
explosion,
normal communication systems
would be out of commission.
burns,
This is important because disabling burns can be suffered well
partitions, and it is desirable to
tendency to look at the source of
pend on circumstances. These are
as follows:
not protect against gamma rays,
lumination It would then be imperative to avoid the instinctive
burst would be
would be three stages, the duration
and severity of which would de-
and hands, neck and face with the
wave continues for some time after
atomic
sudden increase of the general il-
44
ent, the best plan is to drop in-
a
pected
cause the earth cover will act as
protection against radiation.
In
addition, blast effects will be less
than on a surface shelter.
Such
Personal Protection
If a person is in the open when
the sudden illumination is appar-
3
tion of concrete walls two feet
thick would provide this degree of
blast protection.
Facilities for the direction of
disaster-relief activities, and provision of first aid in a city, require
margin roads had been cleared,
and transportation and communication had been re-established,
at least on an emergency scaie,
so that information could be
transmitted to a control room.
In the case of moderate physical
disaster, the emergency control
phase would start immediately,
and might iast a week or more,
. Recovery stage: The final phase
would be reached when most
persons were out of immediate
danger of injury, and there was
time to start more thorough decontamination operations where
necessary.
In the emergency control phase,
an important factor in the opera-
tion of radiological defense would
be rapid gathering of data on con-
tamination
The radiations that
may be encountered are famma
rays and beta particles (electrons}
from fission products, neutroninduced activity or other radioactive material, and aipha particles
(nuclei of helium) trom plutonium
or uranium.
Of these, the gamma radiation
can be measured most readily. This
is perhaps the greatest immediate
hazard because of its considerable
penetrating power. Beta particles
as such are not a serious menace
unless the source enters the system or remains on the skin for
some time.
Monitoring of Areas
Monitoring of suspected contaminated areas for gamma radiation should be carried out at the
earliest possible moment. Initially,