Everyone here likely knows that the best way to survive in any situation is to be prepared for it. So, today we decided to remind us of the most important rules and factors of survival during the fallout.
Nowadays, there are tons of computer games, books, and fan-made stories about nuclear fallout. Unfortunately, in the majority of cases, those can’t serve as reliable sources of information and must never be used as survival guides. To write this article, we used cold-war qualified books and videos about possible dangers from the fallout.
Three Simple Rules for Surviving Nuclear Fallout
- find shelter
- stay there
- stay informed.
So, some modern terrorists brought an atomic bomb to a city near you. What are your first steps? As you understand, the whole situation depends on your location during the initial blast. If you have survived it and didn’t sustain any injuries, then you have approximately 30 minutes to get to your family. During this time, radioactive ashes will remain high in the atmosphere, and won’t harm you. However, they will fall down pretty soon, so don’t waste your time. Chances are that your vehicle will fail. Hence, you may need to find a bicycle or just run home to get your family.
As soon as you find your family, you need to act very fast and calm. Your first task is to find a nice shelter. It is better to prefer a large building with reinforced concrete walls. The thicker the walls, the better. However, if you see that radioactive ashes have already started to fall down, you may have no time to get to such a building.
The radioactive ash is not that dangerous at the beginning, because the biggest flakes are still in the air. This gives you enough time to turn your house into a shelter. Follow these steps…
1. Find the Deepest Part of Your House
This works with any other place. Remember, the more barriers between you and radioactive ashes, the better. Thus, you need to find the deepest place in your house. It is perfect if you have a basement or cellar.
2. Stay Away from Exposed Parts of the Building
Here we are talking about windows, doors, and even external walls of your shelter. However, you still will need to act very quickly to close all windows and doors to prevent radioactive ashes from getting inside your shelter.
3. Collect Supplies
Your next step is to collect supplies. Start with water, because it is the heaviest, yet the most important item. Then start collecting food and medical supplies. Also, don’t forget about simple radio receiver and toys for your kids, because they will need a distraction.
4. Arrange a Toilet
Chances are that you won’t be able to leave your safe room for a couple of days. Hence, you need to make sure that you arrange at least some comfort for your family. A Bucket with a lid will do, and you may also need a curtain for privacy. I know that this sounds very bad, but the whole situation is terrible, and here we are talking about survival. Also, be ready to sometimes leave your shelter to empty the bucket.
5. Wear Protective Clothing
If we are talking about the attack of terrorists, then the government will arrange an evacuation in less than a day. However, you still need to be prepared to stay in your shelter for no less than 72 hours. Remember, the time of exposure and walls are the best defenders against radiation. The shorter the former and the thicker the latter, the more chances you have to survive.