K.G.Lawton February 2008
This is intended to start you thinking about your own unique situation regarding a serious emergency, and plan for how you will respond.
Let's start back a few years, for a quick historical view.
Way back in the 1950’s and thereabout, folks worried about Russia and the USA going to nuclear war. The reason I say "Russia and the USA" is because that is who had nuclear weapons at the time along with the preferred methods of delivery of such weapons. The “Cold War”, they called it.
The one thing most folks didn’t consider in their fear and loathing was that the leaders of both countries knew the secret term: “Mutual Destruction”. Which meant if one flew the first missile at the other, the other would retaliate with their missile, and if there were multiple incoming, there would be multiple outgoing, and if the whole sky was full of incoming the whole sky would be full of outgoing. “Mutual Destruction” of both combatants would be assured. Nobody relished the idea of the Chinese picking up the pieces of both countries. Not the Russians, not the Americans. Nobody else counted in the equation, "back in the day".
Therefore, nobody flew the first bird. Which explains why Russia got so upset when President Reagan started talking about “Star Wars” technology, or the ability to zap incoming missiles out of the sky. “Mutual Destruction” would no longer be assured if the USA could zap incoming missiles. The Russians, being by nature historically uber-suspicious of everyone else, did not want the Americans to have such technology. Therefore they raised holy hell when the subject was spoken of by President Reagan.
But that was a few years ago, and power-politics in the world has changed dramatically.
Half of the developed countries on the planet now have nuclear technology and either already have nuclear devices or are capable of producing them. Half of those are willing to sell their technology, consultation, or actual devices, to the highest bidder. Many of those countries are run by delerious madmen or radical religious fanatics who think their mission in life is to kill everyone who is not of their particular religion.
Delivery systems concepts for weapons of mass destruction have changed dramatically, becoming rediculously simple, cheap, and effective. Where everyone used to think "missiles" or "aircraft" for delivery systems, today nuclear devices can be delivered in just about any way that anything else can be transported in global commerce. Nuclear devices do not have to be delivered by a 300-million dollar aircraft, they can be shipped in a cheap cargo container carried by a ship that docks in San Francisco or any other deep-water port. Depending on the prevailing winds and projected initial-kill and subsequent fallout effectiveness. Devices can be ignited by remote control or by a simple GPS-triggered initial detonator as soon as the device gets to where the sender determines the target is.
The concept of the "dirty bomb" has evolved to the point of being equal in effect to the first "Atomic Bombs" dropped on Japan to conclude WWII. Think a cargo ship full of explosives with a top layer of spent nuclear rods and other radioactive trash. (Read "Good Trash, Bad Trash, And What Do We Care?" for more information).
So Now For "Duck And Cover". Real simple basics at first, more complicated and complete later on.
When "The Flash" goes off, don't stare in that direction wide-eyed to see what happened; "DUCK", and "TAKE COVER". Anything that looks like a foxhole can work, just get low to the ground even in a ditch. And if there is some heavy-duty cover there that is all the better. What you are doing is avoiding the nuclear winds and heat that will be coming directly "after the flash". If you are standing up like you are watching T.V., the nuclear heat blast and winds will set you on fire. That would really ruin the day.
But, after you've ducked and taken cover, and the nuclear winds have gone over you, don't get up yet because there is a part-two of that outgoing blast. It is the "incoming blast", with high winds rushing back into the detonation area to fill the vacuum caused by the explosion. It is a one-two punch; first the outgoing blast, and then the incoming blast. Relax in your foxhole, stay bunched up, and let the air pressures even themselves out. When the return winds have abated then you can get on with your next problem.
Thoughts in this part also applies to any natural disaster that disrupts our normal life style and safety.
First, if you are in the "fallout zone" (vicinity of several miles, prevailing winds, type and size of burst), you really need to start taking your Potassium Iodate pills. Real quick, by the way! One a day for adults, partial cuts for children and pets. You DO have them on hand, don't you? Here is where I got mine: Camping Survival
Now is the time for activation of your own unique family emergency plan, with communication, transportation, destination considerations. With of course "Plans A-B-C", in case one becomes unworkable. Everyone needs to put their part of that family emergency plan into gear. There should be some kind of preparedness kits in each vehicle, and everyone knows everyone else's plan for reestablishing contact.
Incidentally, all phone commo may be iffy, shut down for only emergency services, or just totally overwhelmed. "Texting" may be able to bypass the voice, so don't discount that tool. "CB Radio", "Ham Radio", "Walkie-talkies" may help with communication between family members. A small battery-powered or solar-powered or wind-up radio should be close at hand. You don't particularly need the hundred-dollar Grundig multi-channel, although they are very nice. I also have a twelve-dollar pocket-sized radio that picks up stations from all over the world, AM, FM, and several SW bands. If the power goes off for an extended time, radio will be your best bet for knowing what is happening outside.
After the blast winds have settled down, you need to get to permanent shelter as quickly as possible. That may be in a public fallout shelter, or it may be in your own home. Preferably with all your immediate family members in the same shelter.
The purpose of (Semi-Permanent) Shelter is to avoid allowing the radioactive debris in the sky to fall on your body. This can be accomplished by wearing protective clothing or even a large garbage sack modified appropriately, similar to a rain jacket. That is, if you really absolutely have to go outdoors during the first several days after the fallout begins.
If you "Bug-in", taking shelter in your home, you may be interested in creating a "positive-pressure" inside your home. Or even in a portion of your home depending on the complexity of your house design. A positive-pressure will prevent airborne particles from entering your living space. There are several relatively simple, inexpensive, methods for creating inside positive-pressure with clean filtered air. Such plans are available from reputable dealers , and "DIY" plans are on the internet. Don't be put off by expensive or complicated methods; you can create positive pressure with a good shop-vac, a supply of plastic sheeting, and a couple rolls of duct-tape. Or substitute the shop-vac with your own home-made filtration box and feed it with an enclosed continuous-use fan. Want to make a fan that doesn't depend on electricity? Power it with a bicycle.
If you "Bug-In", you will need necessary basic supplies for an unknown time. Don't forget that your family camping and outdoor equipment makes a good start in any emergency. The emergency may last two weeks, maybe two months, maybe two years. Think sanitation, medicines and first aid, water, basic foods, clothing, protection from the elements, personal protection. People living in different places will have different needs. A young family with four children in rural Wyoming has different needs and problems than the same family living in downtown Los Angeles.
Your family (everyone participates, especially the children!) can estimate your basic survival needs by asking the question; "What If...?"
So, "What If...?" (Here are a few, you can think up more according to your situation)
Additional Info Link Added March 2011: http://www.citizencorps.gov/news/webcasts/reducingnuclearconsequences