■ I NUCLEAR EMERGENCY RADIOLOGICAL EVENT During a Nuclear Emergency • If you have advanced warning, take your 72-HOUR KIT and go to an approved shelter or your basement. Huddle close to the floor and as near to a wall as possible. Get under a table for protection from falling objects. • DO NOT attempt to evacuate your shelter until advised. • If you see a nuclear flash and feel sudden heat, take cover INSTANTLY, within one to two seconds. Drop to the ground and curl up tightly, covering as many parts of your body as possible. Go to a shelter once the heat and blast effects have cleared. • Never look at the light of a nuclear explosion. After a Nuclear Emergency • Take cover in an underground shelter, basement, etc. • Remove contaminated clothing. • Wash yourself thoroughly with soap and water. Wash your head and nose hairs especially well. • If source of radiation is known and travel advisable, travel in the opposite direction and go up wind from radiation. • Remain in a protective shelter until advised it is safe to leave. Limit your exposure to contaminated areas. • If someone needs radiation sickness treatment, keep the victim calm. Give emotional support and plenty of fluids. • Wipe food and water containers with a clean cloth to remove particles of fallout, which resemble sand or salt. A radiation threat, commonly referred to as a "dirty bomb" or "radiological dispersion device (RDD)", is the use of common explosives to spread radioactive materials over a targeted area. It is not a nuclear blast. The force of the explosion and radioactive contamination will be more localized. While the blast will be immediately obvious, the presence of radiation will not be clearly defined until trained personnel with specialized equipment are on the scene. As with any radiation, you want to try to limit exposure. It is important to avoid breathing radiological dust that may be released in the air. If there is a Radiation Threat or "Dirty Bomb" • If you are outside and there is an explosion or authorities warn of a radiation release nearby, cover your nose and mouth and quickly go inside a building that has not been damaged. If you are already inside check to see if your building has been damaged. If your building is stable, stay where you are. Close windows and doors; turn off air conditioners, heaters or other ventilation systems. • If you are inside and there is an explosion near where you are OR you are warned of a radiation release inside, cover nose and mouth and go outside immediately. Find a building or other shelter that has not been damaged and quickly get inside. Once you are inside a safe building, close windows and doors; turn off air conditioners, heaters or other ventilation systems. • If you think you have been exposed to radiation, take off your clothes (place outdoors in a container) and shower as soon as possible. Wash thoroughly around the mouth and nose. • Stay where you are, watch TV, listen to the radio, or check the Internet for official news as it becomes available. Thanks to the coordination of security for the 2002 Olympics, Utah is better prepared to prevent and respond to acts of terrorism. In 1999, Governor Michael Leavitt created the Utah Center for Domestic Preparedness by executive order and designated the Division of Emergency Services and Homeland Security to serve as the central coordinating office for domestic preparedness and implementation of weapons of mass destruction protection and prevention programs in the state. 40 Remember: To limit the amount of radiation you are exposed to, think about shielding, distance, and time. o Shielding: If you have a thick shield between yourself and the radioactive materials more of the radiation will be absorbed, and you will be exposed to less, o Distance: The farther away you are away from the blast and the fallout (dust and debris) the lower your exposure. o Time: Minimizing time spent exposed will also reduce your risk. 41 -