The principles of radiation protection are simple - with many options and resources families can use to prepare or improvise
a very effective shelter. You must throw off the self-defeating myths of nuclear un-survivability that may needlessly seal
the fate of less informed families.
Radioactive fallout is the particulate matter (dust) produced by a nuclear explosion and carried high up into the air by the
mushroom cloud. It drifts on the wind and most of it settles back to earth downwind of the explosion. The heaviest, most
dangerous, and most noticeable fallout, will 'fall out' first close to ground zero. It may begin arriving minutes after an explosion.
While the smaller and lighter dust-like particles will typically be arriving hours later, as they drift much farther downwind,
often for hundreds of miles. As it settles, whether you can see it or not, fallout will accumulate and blow around everywhere
just like dust or light snow does on the ground and roofs. Wind and rain can concentrate the fallout into localized
'hot spots' of much more intense radiation with no visible indication of its presence.
This radioactive fallout 'dust' is dangerous because it is emitting penetrating radiation energy (similar to x-ray's). This radiation
(not the fallout dust) can go right through walls, roofs and protective clothing. Even if you manage not to inhale or
ingest the dust, and keep it off your skin, hair, and clothes, and even if none gets inside your house, the radiation penetrating
your home is still extremely dangerous, and can injure or kill you inside.
Radioactive fallout from a nuclear explosion, though very dangerous initially, loses its intensity quickly because it is giving
off so much energy. For example, fallout emitting gamma ray radiation at a rate of 500 R/hr (fatal with one hour of exposure)
shortly after an explosion, weakens to only 1/10th as strong 7 hours later. Two days later, it's only 1/100th as strong,
or as deadly, as it was initially.
That is really very good news, because our families can readily survive it IF we get them into a proper shelter to
safely wait it out as it becomes less dangerous with every passing hour.
What stops radiation, and thus shields your family, is simply putting mass between them and the radiation source. Like
police body armor stopping bullets, mass stops (absorbs) radiation. The thicker the mass, the more radiation it stops. Also,
the denser (heavier) the mass used, the more effective it is with every inch more you add to your fallout shelter. The thickness
in inches needed to cut the radiation down to only 1/10th of its initial intensity for different common materials is: Steel
3.3", concrete 11", earth 16", water 24", wood 38", etc. The thickness required to stop 99% of the radiation is: 5" of steel,
16" of solid brick or hollow concrete blocks filled with mortar or sand, 2 feet of packed earth or 3 feet if loose, 3 feet of water.
You may not have enough steel available, but anything you do have will have mass and can be used to add to your shielding
- it just takes more thickness of lighter wood, for example, than heavier earth, to absorb and stop the same amount of
radiation. Increasing the distance between your family and the radiation outside also reduces the radiation intensity.
In fact,
most people will only need to stay sheltered full-time for a few days before
they can start coming out briefly to attend to quick essential chores. Later,
they can begin spending ever more time out of the shelter daily, only coming
back in to sleep. As miserable as it might seem now, you and your family
can easily endure that, especially compared to the alternative.
