Thank
heaven enemy attacks us with nuclear weapons danger will come not just from blasts
or heat or nearby radiation effect.
But also fall out.
Which may occur miles and miles away from the blast.
You need to know about what it is how to detect it.
And what to do to protect yourself against it. Everybody needs to know.
Yes this does mean you watch and listen.
One day these facts may save your life.
What is this any just that's of radioactive matter
that fall out of the mushroom cloud of the nuclear explosion
and settle on the ground.
That's of matter can be dangerous if you're exposed to some radiation
every day from cosmic rays
or other natural sources of radiation these exposures are too small.
All to hurt you but
when a wartime nuclear explosion occurs a serious fall out follows thousands of
tons of atomized earth building materials rocks
and gases may be thrown into the air
and the mushroom cloud containing them sometimes moves as high as one hundred
thousand feet.
Nearly twenty miles up some of the radioactive particles still up near the
explosions site.
Others may be carried for ten fifty a hundred miles or more
but how will you know if there is fallout.
You can't hear smell taste or see the radiation
but you yourself can detect the fallout particles that produce it.
The easiest time to do this without special instruments is
when the fall out is settling through the air starts any time from about one half
hour to several hours after the explosion.
Depending on how far away you are and it continues to fall for an hour or longer.
Usually you can see the fallout.
So if there has been an explosion of a nuclear weapon within a few hundred miles of
you you should suspect every unusual concentration of dust in the air of being
followed after an explosion in daylight watch any unusual
accumulation of dust at night put on flight
or light colored light outside examine it.
Every fifteen minutes
or so if dust has accumulated on the plates created as follows
The particles in that fall out behave like many at your end.
Ray machines sending out radiation in all directions.
If there are many particles
and if you are exposed to them long enough you will be hurt
others will be watching for
that fall out of course experts will estimate the probable path
and speed of approaching fall out and try to keep you posted
but it may come before you hear any details by radio
or otherwise you must take precautions. Whether you hear their reports or not.
If radio stations are operating you will hear reports especially on the Conrad
frequencies six forty
or twelve forty on your AM dial as soon as it is safe for
specially protected crews to get out into the open these highly trained civil
defense radiation detection teams will make a thorough check of radiation levels
and characteristics those facts will be relayed to you by radio as fast as they
come in to civil defense headquarters in your area.
Information from the radiation monitoring teams will be combined
and analyzed by experts manning a central radiation control point.
These experts who know just how fast harmful radiation reduces inforce can predict
when it will be safe for people to come out of shelters
and resume normal tasks we have warned
that you may have to act before you get any detailed reports just what can you do
if fall out comes your way find the best shelter you can the more
solid substance you can put between yourself and the fallout the better
but an ordinary frame house with windows closed.
It will give considerable protection in a house.
It's best to get on the floor away from doors and windows
or if you can find a location with additional walls in the center of the building a
basement is even better if the house has one large buildings such as apartment
or office buildings.
You have good protection the thick heavy masonry of their walls
and floors makes it hard for radiation to get through basements inside
rooms or corridors on the lower floors are safe as the basement of any house
or building will become a good the improvised shelter if you block the windows with
sandbags and place other sandbags on the floor above the shelter area.
If you don't have sandbags thick solid layers of books magazines
or newspapers
or even a series of file cabinets standing close to each other can cut the
radiation danger in some parts of the country.
There are storm cellars or outside vegetable storage cellars.
They may be used to shelters from fallout if you plan to use such a cellar
or your basement or any other shelter stock it with food and supplies to equip
and supply your shelter area you need some of the same things you might take on a
vacation camping trip first sleeping equipment to your shelter area folding
cots or sleeping bags
and blankets then food and water there should be at least a two week supply.
You'll want plenty of fruit juices
and lots of your family's favorite canned foods the drinking water supply should be
rotated often to be sure it's fresh.
And don't forget such basic needs as sugar salt pepper and other seasoning
that your family. Ordinarily uses.
Now some equipment a radio is very important.
It should be a battery portable with spare batteries a transistorized radio is best
as the batteries last longer.
Next you need light in the form of flashlights
and a battery operated lantern then a good first aid kit now
plates cups silverware a can opener and a bottle opener are important.
Add to these things enough clothes containers to take care of garbage
and human waste.
Especially if there will be children in the shelter include some books
and magazines paper and pencils maybe one or two small simple games.
The best protection of all is the special shelter built according to specifications
of your local civil defense organization.
This has an air filter to allow ventilation.
But keep dust out
and it has at least three feet of earth over it it would be a good idea to go right
now to your local civil defense office to secure a plans for the type of shelter
you want
and then to get busy on construction plans are simple using standard materials.
So maybe you can do the job yourself.
But all this special shelter talk won't help very much.
If you are caught way out on the open road. When that happens.
Keep driving until you see a building which may be a house or barn church
or a school drive as close to the building as you can then get yourself and your.
Only out of the car and take cover in the building.
If you live on a farm and have sufficient warning get your Animals undercover
and give them enough food and water to last several days.
And if you can cover any piles of hay or harvested crops that may be outside.
If the explosion has been some miles away you will have time to fill tubs
and other containers with water before fallout arrives all locations where
outside dust does not then it will be safe storage points for water.
Whatever kind of shelter you find settle down
and make the best of it if there are others with you help them by being as calm as
you can and don't be discouraged.
You can go out for very brief periods.
If you are well covered
and keep the dust off your skin where heavy boots are shoes
and pants tucked in
or tied around the bottom to keep dust out if any dust gets on you brush
it off promptly and when you have a chance wash it off
that dust can burn your skin.
But what happens if you do get exposed to a great deal of fallout.
When food or water has been contaminated by the dust internal damage may occur
when dust has been left on the skin.
There will be skin burns when you have been there dust too long.
There may be radiation sickness exposure can even cause death.
If you have had considerable exposure.
You will vomit and grow weak but after a few hours this sensation will pass
and by the next day you.
You may have had the last of it even if you have been exposed to excesses fall out.
You may eat and drink just as you normally would.
But don't force yourself whether you have had these symptoms are not civil
defense radio announcements have said
that radiation has been high in your section keep an eye on your condition for the
next few days watch especially for these developments in the two weeks following
exposure return of nasi a sore throat
bruise spots developing without any known reason loss of hair
these conditions or a nose bleed
or diarrhea should be reported to a doctor
or to the nearest first aid stations set up under civil defense plans.
Unless civil defense teams and warned
that your area is still dangerously radioactive you can get out
and work to help yourself
and help others although fall outs can be deadly your chances of
avoiding damage from it are much better if you follow the directions we have given
you your being on alert.
Keep your portable radio tuned to the Conrad radio frequencies six forty
and twelve forty on the AM dial for the latest reports and advise.
Right now before there is an alert take time to learn the civil defense five
steps to the site.
Learn the warning signals
and what they mean learn your community plan for emergency action learn protection
from radioactive fallout learn first aid
and home emergency preparedness steps
and learn how to use Conrad six forty
or twelve forty on the AM dial
or over the shoulder wrecked who
has.