injuries and poisoning
Radiation Injury
Prevention of Radiation Injury
Following widespread high-level environmental contamination from a nuclear power plant accident or the intentional release of radioactive material, people should follow the advice of public health officials. Such information is usually broadcast on TV and radio. The advice may be for people to evacuate the contaminated area or to take shelter where they are. Whether evacuation or sheltering is recommended depends on many factors, including time elapsed since the initial release, whether the release has stopped, weather conditions, availability of adequate shelters, and road and traffic conditions. If sheltering is recommended, sheltering in a concrete or metal structure, particularly one below grade (such as in a basement), is best. Halfway between the top and bottom of a tall building, near the center away from windows, is best when no below-grade shelter is available. A nuclear detonation near the ground produces a fireball that rapidly shoots up into the atmosphere and pulls up thousands of tons of dirt and debris. This creates the iconic mushroom-shaped cloud. The cloud stabilizes in the upper atmosphere where radioactive material produced in the explosion mixes with the dirt and small particles of debris from the detonation. Fallout is the term for when these particles fall back to earth, collect on surfaces, and give off dangerous radiation. Significant fallout can extend 10 to 20 miles from the blast. Going inside a building to shelter as far away from these particles is the best protective action. People have at least 10 to 15 minutes after the detonation to get inside before the fallout begins. Shelter in place as quickly as an effective shelter can be found for the first few hours after the detonation and then follow the advice of local emergency response officials. See alsoFEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency): Be Prepared for a Nuclear Explosion. After a radiation-releasing incident, whether evacuation or sheltering in place is recommended depends on many factors, including time elapsed since the initial release, whether the release has stopped, weather conditions, availability of adequate shelters, and road and traffic conditions. Changing clothes and showering are recommended if people suspect they may have been contaminated with radioactive material. People can obtainpotassium iodide(KI) tablets from local pharmacies and some public health agencies. However,potassium iodideis only useful if radioactive iodine is released. It does not provide protection from other radioactive materials. People with known iodine sensitivity and certain thyroid conditions should avoidpotassium iodide. A doctor should be consulted if iodine sensitivity is suspected. Certain experimental drugs given during or immediately after irradiation have been shown to increase survival rates in animals. However, these drugs can be very toxic and are not currently recommended for people. During imaging procedures that involve ionizing radiation and especially during radiation therapy for cancer, which involves high doses, the most susceptible parts of the body, such as the lenses of the eyes, female breasts, ovaries or testes, and thyroid gland, are shielded when possible (for example, by wearing a lead-filled covering). People living within 10 miles (16 kilometers) of a nuclear power plant should have ready access topotassium iodidetablets. Changing clothes and showering with warm water and regular shampoo are very effective in removing most external contamination. 