~ 12
~
The first on-site and off-site reports were encouraging.
The fallout
was progressing to the east-northeast and crossed Highway 93 south of Alamo
and north of Glendale, Nevada as predicted,
In anticipation of this event,
roadblocks had been established on Highway 93 at Alamo at 0715, and at
Glendale at 0725.
This prevented persons being directly in the fallout as
it occurred, thus reducing the whole body exposure and the possibility of
direct contamination of personnel and equipment.
The roadblocks were re-
moved at 0851 and the cars monitored after they had traveled through the
area.
Precautionary closing of Highway 91-93 between Las Vegas and Glendale
had been ordered at 0735 and lifted at 0805.
A precautionary roadblock had
been established at St. Goerge at 0745 but it was not until 1130 hours that
this roadblock was lifted.
All in all, hundreds of cars were monitored and
about 40-50 vehicles were washed (at Government expense) according to the
established radiological safety criteria.
Groom Mine was not directly in the path of the predicted fallout but
since it was the nearest inhabited place ~ about 30 miles from ground Zero monitors were stationed there.
At 0632 the radiation level rose rapidly
to 140 milliroentgens per hour and the few inhabitants living there were
asked to remain indoors.
They were released at 0748 after the cloud had
passed and the levels had subsided.
DOE ARCHIVES
At 0920 the radiation levels outside
were 11 mr per hour and were dropping rapidly.
Incidentally, there were
other occasions when individuals or families located near the test site were
temporarily relocated.
Usually this involved from one to a dozen or so
rs