The Unthinkable Now a Possibility
There
is the possibility that terrorists could plan an attack that causes
the dispersal of radioactive material.
This could consist of an explosive device packaged with
various types of radioactive materials (a “dirty bomb”), an
attack on a facility employing radioactive materials, an attack on a
nuclear weapon, or even the detonation of a tactical nuclear device.
Hazards
Associated With Each Type of Threat
A
“dirty bomb” would generally consist of a conventional explosive
device that is packaged with some type of radioactive material.
There are numerous sources of radioactive materials available
from household, industrial, and medical sources.
Detonation of the device causes destruction in the immediate
vicinity of the weapon commensurate with the yield of the
explosives. The public
impact comes from the fact that radioactive materials have been
expelled and carried by the winds to contaminate people, buildings,
vehicles, and even foods in a much larger area.
People’s innate fear of radiation is what causes the major impact a terrorist is
seeking. A typical
‘dirty bomb’ will not contain enough radioactive material to
create an immediate life-threatening hazard.
The hazard comes from extended exposure and the inhalation or
ingestion of radioactive materials.
An attack on a facility that
employs radioactive material could possibly release a significant
amount of radioactive material. A
successful attack on a nuclear power plant could result in the release
of large quantities of material.
The State and counties surrounding the nuclear plant have
procedures in place and tested for responding to emergencies at major
nuclear facilities. Sheltering
or immediate evacuation would be ordered for a predetermined area
surrounding the facility, probably prior to the start of any release.
The probability of this type of attack succeeding is quite low
considering the security and design of today’s power plants.
An attack on other facilities that use radioactive materials in
much smaller quantities such as certain research, industrial, or
medical facilities would result in releases much smaller in scale. Immediate life-threatening levels of exposures are not
expected from these types of events.
An attack on a nuclear weapon is
another possible terrorist tactic.
This would typically involve the use of conventional explosives
or fire on a nuclear weapon in transport.
The hazard here comes from the possibility of the propellant or
the explosive materials in the weapon exploding, causing the nuclear
material in the warhead to be dispersed over a large area.
The Plutonium in a nuclear device is both radiologically and
chemically toxic. Sheltering
indoors is adequate protection from this type of event until directed
by local officials to do otherwise.
The detonation of a tactical
nuclear device poses the greatest hazard.
Depending on the size of the device, there could be total
destruction to an area of a mile or more from the site of the
explosion. 100% fatality
could occur in an area more than twice the size of the area of
destruction. Severe skin burns could occur as far out as 10 times the
radius of destruction. For
example: a 10 kiloton device, a large tactical device, could cause
100% destruction out to a distance of about 1000 feet from the site of
the explosion. 100%
fatality would occur in the next few days to those people exposed out
to about 3/4 mile. 50% of the exposed people within about one and one third
miles will experience third degree burns from the explosion.
(HOTSPOT dose projection program)
What You Can Do To
Protect Yourself
Stay Inside: Shelter yourself from
airborne radioactive particles, in the form of fallout, by staying
inside your home or office, unless instructed to do otherwise. Close
the windows, turn off the ventilation system, and stay toward the
center of the house or building. If there is a basement, go there. Once the initial blast is over, the existing risk will be
from airborne radioactivity.
Listen to the Radio: When you learn that a
nuclear detonation has occurred, tune a radio to your local
emergency-broadcasting network and listen for instructions. Federal,
state and local agencies will be doing everything they can to minimize
the hazards and keep you safe. You
may need to use a battery-powered radio, if electrical power is out in
your neighborhood. Paying
careful attention to any instructions given will help you minimize any
exposure to radiation.
Follow Instructions: Your best chance of avoiding exposure is to do what the experts
advise. If told to evacuate after the radioactive cloud has passed or
gone in another direction do so immediately. Listen
for news of the location of the cloud and travel at a right angle away
from the cloud. Even if it has already passed, radioactive contamination may
have been deposited on the ground.
Seek Help if Needed: Seek an assistance
center, which will be set up as soon as possible. If
that hasn’t happened yet, go to a fire station or police station
located outside the affected area.
Look for Symptoms: If you believe you have
been directly in the path of the cloud or in the blast zone itself,
watch for symptoms of exposure, like nausea, loss of appetite,
reddening of the skin, or diarrhea. Seek
immediate medical help if symptoms occur.
Blood changes can be measured at even moderate exposures and
are among the first detectable symptoms.
A doctor can test for those changes.
Watch what you Eat: Avoid drinking fresh milk
or eating fresh vegetables from the affected area.
One of the most common radionuclides found in a nuclear
explosion is iodine-131, which is taken up by and can affect the
thyroid. The most common pathway for exposure to iodine-131 is through
fresh milk and vegetables contaminated with fallout radiation. Wait
until the Department of Health announces that produce and dairy
products are safe to eat and drink.
If you Suspect you are Contaminated: If you may have been
exposed to radioactive materials from a terrorist attack, you should
change into clean clothes and place the potentially contaminated
clothing in a plastic bag. Take
a shower to remove any contamination that may be on your skin.
The shower should use lukewarm water (cold water will close the
pores of your skin trapping contamination inside, hot water will open
the pores allowing contamination to enter) and plenty of soap.
It is not necessary to scrub hard, you do not want to irritate
the skin unnecessarily.
Source
Office of Radiation
Protection, Washington State Department of Health
Links
to external resources are provided as a public service and do not
imply endorsement by the
Washington State Department of Health
