What Types of Terrorist Events Might Involve Radiation?

• Possible
  terrorist events could involve introducing radioactive material into
  the food or water supply, using explosives (like dynamite) to scatter
  radioactive materials (called a “dirty bomb”), bombing or destroying
  a nuclear facility, or exploding a small nuclear device.
• Although
  introducing radioactive material into the food or water supply most
  likely would cause great concern or fear, it probably would not cause
  much contamination or increase the danger of adverse health effects.
  
• Although
  a dirty bomb could cause serious injuries from the explosion, it most
  likely would not have enough radioactive material in a form that would
  cause serious radiation sickness among large numbers of people. However,
  people who were exposed to radiation scattered by the bomb could have
  a greater risk of developing cancer later in life, depending on their
  dose.
• A
  meltdown or explosion at a nuclear facility could cause a large amount
  of radioactive material to be released. People at the facility would
  probably be contaminated with radioactive material and possibly be injured
  if there was an explosion. Those people who received a large dose might
  develop acute radiation syndrome. People in the surrounding area could
  be exposed or contaminated.
• Clearly,
  an exploded nuclear device could result in a lot of property damage.
  People would be killed or injured from the blast and might be contaminated
  by radioactive material. Many people could have symptoms of acute radiation
  syndrome. After a nuclear explosion, radioactive fallout would extend
  over a large region far from the point of impact, potentially increasing
  people’s risk of developing cancer over time.

How
Can I Protect Myself During a Radiation Emergency?

• After
  a release of radioactive materials, local authorities will monitor the
  levels of radiation and determine what protective actions to take.
• The
  most appropriate action will depend on the situation. Tune to the local
  emergency response network or news station for information and instructions
  during any emergency.
• If
  a radiation emergency involves the release of large amounts of radioactive
  materials, you may be advised to “shelter in place,” which means to
  stay in your home or office; or you may be advised to move to another
  location.
• If
  you are advised to shelter in place, you should do the following:
  
  • Close
    and lock all doors and windows.
  • Turn
    off fans, air conditioners, and forced-air heating units that bring
    in fresh air from the outside. Only use units to recirculate air
    that is already in the building.
  • Close
    fireplace dampers.
  • If
    possible, bring pets inside.
  • Move
    to an sealed room or basement.
  • Keep
    your radio tuned to the emergency response network or local news
    to find out what else you need to do.
• If
  you are advised to evacuate, follow the directions that your local officials
  provide. Leave the area as quickly and orderly as possible. In addition
  –
  • Take
    your Go Pack.
  • Take
    pets only if you are using your own vehicle and going to a place
    you know will accept animals. Emergency vehicles and shelters usually
    will not accept animals.

What
is Radiation?

• Radiation
  is a form of energy that is present all around us.
• Different
  types of radiation exist, some of which have more energy than others.
  
• Amounts
  of radiation released into the environment are measured in units called
  curies. However, the dose of radiation that a person receives is measured
  in units called rem.

For
more information about radiation, check the following Web sites: www.epa.gov/radiation,
www.orau.gov/reacts/define.htm

How Can Exposure Occur?

• People
  are exposed to small amounts of radiation every day, both from naturally
  occurring sources (such as elements in the soil or cosmic rays from
  the sun), and man-made sources. Man-made sources include some electronic
  equipment (such as microwave ovens and television sets), medical sources
  (such as x-rays, certain diagnostic tests, and treatments), and from
  nuclear weapons testing. 
• The
  amount of radiation from natural or man-made sources to which people
  are exposed is usually small; a radiation emergency (such as a nuclear
  power plant accident or a terrorist event) could expose people to small
  or large doses of radiation, depending on the situation.
• Scientists
  estimate that the average person in the United States receives a dose
  of about one-third of a rem per year. About 80% of human exposure comes
  from natural sources and the remaining 20% comes from man-made radiation
  sources – mainly medical x-rays.
• Internal
  exposure refers to radioactive material that is taken into the body
  through breathing, eating, or drinking. 
• External
  exposure refers to an exposure to a radioactive source outside of our
  bodies. 
• Contamination
  refers to particles of radioactive material that are deposited anywhere
  that they are not supposed to be, such as on an object or on a person’s
  skin.

Health
Effects of Radiation Exposure

• Radiation
  affects the body in different ways, but the adverse health consequences
  of exposure may not be seen for many years.
• Adverse
  health effects range from mild effects, such as skin reddening, to serious
  effect such as cancer and death. These adverse health effects are determined
  by the amount of radiation absorbed by the body (the dose), the type
  of radiation, the route of exposure, and the length of time a person
  is exposed.
• Acute
  radiation syndrome (ARS), or radiation sickness, is usually caused when
  a person receives a high dose of radiation to much of the body in a
  matter of minutes. Survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs
  and firefighters responding to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant event
  in 1986 experienced ARS. The immediate symptoms of ARS are nausea, vomiting,
  and diarrhea; later, bone marrow depletion may lead to weight loss,
  loss of appetite, feeling like you have the flu, infection, and bleeding.
  The survival rate depends on the radiation dose. For those who do survive,
  full recovery takes from a few weeks to 2 years.
• Children
  exposed to radiation may be more at risk than adults. Radiation exposure
  to the unborn child is of special concern because the human embryo or
  fetus is extremely sensitive to radiation.
• Radiation
  exposure, like exposure to the sun, is cumulative.

Protecting
Against Radiation Exposure

The three basic ways to reduce radiation exposure are through—
TIME 

• Decrease
  the amount of time you spend near the source of radiation.

  DISTANCE

• Increase
  your distance from a radiation source.
  SHIELDING
• Increase
  the shielding between you and the radiation source. Shielding is anything
  that creates a barrier between people and the radiation source. Depending
  on the type of radiation, the shielding can range from something as
  thin as a plate of window glass or as thick as several feet of concrete.
  Being inside a building or a vehicle can provide shielding from some
  kinds of radiation.