Radioactive Fallout And Shelter (1965)

[Music] [Music] medical self-help is an emergency measure to be used only in cases of sudden or extraordinary misfortune if people require medical care in the course of normal everyday living they should always be treated by a doctor however when disaster strikes you may not be able to obtain trained medical aid in time there are many forms of disaster they can happen to you and your family at any moment this film is one of a series on medical self-help its purpose is to teach you what to do in an emergency situation when there is no doctor this powerful x-ray machine a tool of medical science is being used for healing purposes the radiant energy atom it is able to kill all living tissue within its beam both sick and healthy cells of the human body it's invisible rays so highly penetrated that protective shielding with lead glass windows must be used x-rays are much like the gamma rays of radioactive fallout we began our picture with x-rays because you are all to some degree familiar with their effects but radioactive fallout is another matter if you're like most people it creates many questions in your mind and you have doubtless read or heard some falsehoods and misconception this film will tell you what you need to know about fallout so that if our country is ever subjected to a nuclear attack you can help yourself and your family to survive its dangers for fallout is probably the most dangerous product of nuclear disaster in terms of the number of people who could be affected it is also the one from which we are best able to protect ourselves let's examine what happens when a nuclear weapon is exploded near the earth first there is blast or the pressure wave created by the explosion along with heat the most intense ever created on earth both will extend great distances from the point of the explosion from 1 to 20 or 25 miles depending on the size of the weapon however the further away you are from the site of the explosion the less are the chances you will suffer the fatal effects of blast and heat there is yet a third immediate result of a nuclear detonation initial radiation the final effect is residual radiation the main concern of this film or radiation that follows the explosion and one that may remain at high altitudes for some time before falling back to earth what exactly is residual radiation our Sun like other stellar bodies of the universe is a giant nuclear furnace burning at temperatures of millions of degrees while emitting various types of radiation among these are gamma rays shorter in wavelength than their closest neighbour x-rays the Earth's atmosphere prevents these radiations dangerous to the health of man and animal from reaching our planet however when a nuclear weapon is exploded man is creating on earth in the splitting of atomic nuclei his own nuclear furnace to produce the gamma and beta radiations of outer space let's see now just how this radiation is created at the time of the bursts vast amounts of dirt stone and other debris vaporized by the heat of the explosion are sucked up into the rising cloud as the mushroom cloud forms these particles are made radioactive or as they cool and condense they are contaminated by residue from the bomb these particles when they fall back to earth are what we call radioactive fallout can you or anyone else predict with accuracy the pattern by which fallout particles will return to Earth the answer is no for fallout will depend on the number size and location of nuclear weapons exploded and the direction of upper air current let's for example explore the fallouts produced by one of these nuclear weapons it sends its column of radio material up to 80,000 feet or about 16 miles or more above the earth here the radioactive particles beginning to drift downward are at the mercy of upper air currents that vary from day to day descending at various altitudes through many different layers of air that may be moving at varying speeds and direction thus winds on the surface of the earth give little help in determining the direction or the occurrence of fallout meteorologists with their special instruments however can appraise altitudes as well as the total distance fallout will be carried in a nuclear attack keep tuned to your local radio station it will keep you posted where fallout is taking place and it's the proximate amount though you may be able to see this dust once it reaches the earth you cannot see or detect the radiation it emits without the aid of radiological instruments nor can you taste smell or feel this radiation why is fallout so dangerous to human and animal life because each particle gives off radiation as if it were a tiny x-ray machine this radiation consists mainly of gamma rays which are extremely penetrating like x-rays gamma rays are able to injure even destroy the cells of our body if we are exposed to a sufficient dosage long enough or if we eat or drink material contaminated by fallout particles exposure to gamma rays can make you sick can even cause death however no matter how long one may be exposed to fallout he does not become radioactive nor can anyone catch radiation sickness from him like a contagious disease in fact this radiation cannot make anyone or anything radioactive now let us suppose that fallout has descend on this can will that salt represent fallout dust the particles don't go through the tin the radiation does but radiation is harmless to all except living materials it has no effect on the food inside now if you wipe away the fallout particles or better still wash them away the food inside cannot be contaminated and is perfectly safe to eat the same is true of all foods and liquids that have been protected by packagings or containers even the thinnest layer of cellophane if you don't swallow the dust there is no ill effect if water for washing is in short supply canned goods that may have been exposed to fallout can be handled safely with a piece of paper towel use one sheet of paper to lift the cans and turn it upside down there is no dust on the bottom now dispose of the paper wipe the sides of the can with a new piece of towel and don't forget to put the contaminated paper in a covered receptacle now open the clean top there will be no harmful particles in the food itself a seal loaf of bread that has been exposed to fallout can be salvaged in a similar manner turn the loaf upside down to expose the bottom which will be clear of dust then dispose of the towel now insert a sharp knife through the wax paper at the center of the loaf and cut upwards making a slot for 5 inches lengthwise insert your fingers through the slot and rip the paper slowly open the bread can be safely removed to a clean place finally dispose of the wax paper contaminated vegetables such as potatoes can be paired like this use a clean piece of newspaper and working first in one corner cut off one end move to a clean surface of the paper and peel in this manner move to another area of the paper and remove the other end dispose of all peelings and soiled paper carefully after handling any contaminated food containers or vegetables wash your hands fall out dust is dangerous but it can be dealt with by following safe procedures there's another widespread legend the fear that fallout spells death to all life on earth the plain fact is that even if a great number of nuclear weapons were exploded the resulting fallout would cover only a small area of the world's total landmass the real concern then is this if we are in that area how do we protect ourselves like x-rays radiation from fallout can go through almost every kind of building material over 99% would pass through glass 66% through wood sheathing 50% through a brick veneer wall but only 1% of gamma radiation would penetrate 18 inches of concrete and though it's not a building material it's important to know that only 1% would pass through 25 inches of earth quite aside from the shielding effect of building materials the intensity of radiation decreases with the square of the distance from the source thus 10 feet away from a particle of fall out the radiation rate is only 1% of that encountered at a distance of 1 foot other things being equal the central parts of a building are safer the radiation rate or the intensity from fallout decreases with the passage of time in fact for every seven fold increase in time the radiation will be reduced by a factor of ten that means that at 7 hours after the explosion the radiation level will be about 10% of its intensity at one hour at 49 hours it will be about one percent within two weeks the radiation rate can be expected to decay to about one-tenth of one percent therefore the most vital period the seek protection from fallout is the first few days after nuclear attack even more so the first few hours but remember even with the passage of time a low level of radiation can be dangerous that is why you may need to remain within a sheltered area for as long as two weeks these then are the three basic factors in protection against fallout time distance and shielding time meaning the longer you stay protected from fallout the safer you will be distance or the further away you get from fallout the safer you will be shielding meaning the more mass or weight you put between yourself and fallout the safer you will be you have often seen this sign on buildings it means that indoors is a public fallout shelter one of many and various kinds of buildings in your community that are similarly identified architects and engineers have carefully surveyed the shielding qualities of these areas to ensure they offer a minimum protection factor of 40 or more meaning that in the event of fallout from a nuclear explosion the mass and weight this shelter will place between you and the source of radiation will make you at least 40 times safer than if you were outdoors each of these shelters will hold at least 50 people and has been stocked by the government with austere supplies food water sanitation equipment medical kits and radiological instruments but what about millions who live in suburbs or rural areas often far beyond quick walking distance of the nearest public shelters with foresight you can have a home shelter for the protection of your family built from specifications and cost estimates for various types of shelters provided by your local civil defense office the home shelter should be stocked with supplies of food and water sufficient for two weeks here you are afforded time distance and shielding if and when fall out so dangerous to human health should ever occur in your community just how much radiation can you receive without becoming sick we measure exposure to gamma radiation from fallout in units called Renkin they're the same units used to measure x-rays name for Vil hime Conrad Renkin the discoverer of x-ray people and animals may develop radiation sickness if they have been exposed to large amounts of radiation over a short period of time few people become sick who have been exposed to a total radiation dose of 100 renkins or less however exposure to more than 300 renkins over a period of a few days will cause sickness may cause death and if you receive an exposure of 600 renkins in that same period of time death is almost certain how can you tell just how much radiation you've been exposed to these are the instruments commonly used to detect and measure radiation they are part of the equipment supplied to the radiological monitoring team of every public shelter with them you can determine not only the total amounts of radiation received but also the dose rate per unit of time or the dose rate in renkins per hour this is the dosimeter conveniently shaped to be worn on one's person at all time it is able to measure the total accumulated radiation exposure in Renken the charger adjusts the dosimeter to a 0 reading prior to its use with each separate exposure to radiation building cumulatively on the dosimeter gauge so that a reading of the total dose is available at any given time next the Geiger counter this instrument measures radiation in fractions of renkins per hour within or outside the shelter finally the survey meter able to measure higher intensities of radiation that may exist outside the shelter or home shelters detection and measuring instruments are available from commercial sources however most householders will rely chiefly on their portable radios to receive readings as they are taken by civil defense monitoring team if there is a nuclear attack and you survive the initial effects of an explosion you will have at least a half hour to get to a public or home fallout shelter therefore to be safe from radiation sickness get into the best available shelter as soon as possible once there stay put because each time you're exposed to fallout radiation over a period of a few days the dosage continues to build until it reaches dangerous quantity if you're among those compelled to travel through a fallout area on essential errands there are certain rules to follow protect your body with boots or rubbers gloves headgear and outer clothing that can be removed before you re-enter the shelter on returning brush off the rest of your clothing thoroughly as well as any parts of your body that may have been exposed to fallout if sufficient water is available wash your face and hands carefully remember these are the dosages of radiation as they affect human health 100 renkins little or no affects 300 renkins sickness or death 600 renkins death recovery from radiation sickness is nothing new patients who are treated by x-rays routinely experience this thickness and get over it of course the dosages they receive are carefully measured just as in combating the virus of the common cold your general state of health will often govern how quickly you can throw off the effects of mild or moderate radiation sickness in an emergency situation where there is no doctor always treat radiation sickness by treating its symptoms in fact these symptoms are often similar to those produced by extreme anxiety or emotional stress so it's best not to try to determine their cause I repeat do not try to diagnose merely treat the symptoms just as you would if they were the result of any other type of illness these are the symptoms of mild as well as moderate radiation sickness one or more of which may appear shortly after exposure to fallout fatigue loss of appetite nausea vomiting prostration the treatment is rest or nausea you may give the patient any of the commercial preparations that settle an upset stomach or one half teaspoon of baking soda in a cup of water tea and other hot liquids may be helpful when a high fever is present apply cold wet packs aspirin also tends to reduce a fever in severe radiation sickness along with the early symptoms other symptoms may appear a week or more after exposure recovery is possible but it'll take longer the symptoms are diarrhea inflammation of mouth and throats loss of hair or treatments control the diarrhea and give aspirin and warm water gargles people are naturally alarmed at the thought of bodily changes that may follow severe radiation sickness such as loss of hair or sterility these conditions are usually temporary and will disappear with recovery so I hope we've dispelled another commonly held myth you can get over radiation sickness just as you get over many others nevertheless don't minimize the danger of fallout remember if the effects are cumulative the only real protection against it is to take shelter now let's review some of the outstanding facts we have learned in this brief exploration of a vitally important subject fallout is composed of trillions of particles of dust that are made radioactive by residue from the nuclear weapon during the aftermath of the explosion in a nuclear attack depend on your local radio station to tell you where fallout is taking place you may be able to see some of the fallout dust when it reaches the earth but you cannot taste smell or feel the radiation itself the gamma rays given off by fallout are able to injure or destroy the living cells of our body if we are exposed long enough food or water in containers that prevent contamination by fallout dust is perfectly safe radiation is harmful only to living tissues pakis foods that have been exposed to fallout should be open carefully by following proper procedures you can eat such foods without danger to health radiation can pass through most building materials but its intensity is diminished in proportion to the weight and mass of the material or the shielding the intensity also decreases with distance from the fallout the radiation rate will decrease or decay rapidly with time it is most dangerous in the first few days after the explosion thus the three basic factors that protect you from fallout radiation are time distance and shielding you should know the location of the nearest public shelter in your community inside it you will be at least 40 times safer from fallout than you would be outdoors and it has been stocked with supplies to sustain its occupants for up to two weeks if you're not within walking distance of a public shelters you can provide a satisfactory home shelter for your family radiation is invisible but we have accurate instruments with which to measure it in Renkin units the dosimeter can be worn on the person and measures the accumulated radiation exposure the total dose at any given time the Geiger counter measures radiation in fractions of renkins per hour inside or outside the shelter the survey meter is used to measure the higher intensities of radiation that may be present outside the shelter assuming that you have the protection of a good shelter within a half hour after nuclear attack you will probably have little or no radiation sickness if there are victims who appear to have radiation sickness do not diagnose treat the symptoms perhaps the most important thing you have learned is to see the danger in its true perspective make no mistake nuclear attack would be a terrible catastrophe millions of our people would be killed by the initial blast and heat millions more would be threatened by death from radioactive fallout but that is a threat that can be combated can with knowledge preparation and courage be faced and Congress [Music]