[ RadSafe ] NYC permitting of detectors: NYPD proposes some changes.

[Steven Dapra]

Feb. 5

         Good posting from Phil Smith.  Comments have been interspersed.

Steven Dapra


At 12:00 AM 2/5/08 -0500, Philip L Smith wrote:
>
>
>  I believe the real intent of this proposed legislation is to deny
>personal radiological knowledge and protection for the average citizen.
>You guys will all get to keep and carry your exotic and expensive
>instrumentation.  But, woe to the poor civilian who wants a rate meter
>for making informed decisions about his own safety.  The prevailing mind
>set among "authorities" seems to be "we're here to protect you and you
>better not try to protect yourself".  The sad truth is that a nuclear
>detonation in NYC will have all of the "authorities" hunkered down for
>days, probably unable to even communicate with those they are duty bound
>to protect.

         Private companies did a lot better job of responding to Katrina 
that did our government "protectors."

>The fallout zone would most likely cover much of Manhattan
>and substantial nearby populations.  Not only do they want to deny those
>populations access to the most basic instrumentation for evaluating
>shelter,  they also have strenuously avoided frank public discussion of
>prudent nuclear civil defense measures.  I think they sincerely believe
>that timely evacuation, directed by them, is the only reasonable response
>to a nuclear detonation.

         I would like to see anyone "evacuate" Manhattan Island just as a 
practice run, and under ideal conditions.  There appear to be only ten 
streets or tunnels to the mainland, and six streets or tunnels to Long 
Island.  (This is according to my 1991 Gousha Road Atlas.)  If that's off 
by one or two, let's not bicker over the exact number.  How many people 
live on Manhattan, and how many of them would have to be evacuated?  Divide 
that by the number of ways to get off Manhattan, and I'm guessing it will 
be a rather large number per exit.  And where are they all going to go when 
they get to the mainland, or to Long Island?  This will be the biggest 
traffic jam in history.  And just think (or don't think?) of all the 
attendant fist fights and shootings over right of way and so forth.  The 
evacuation will be a disaster in and of itself.  Plus, the tunnels probably 
would be impassible.  Electricity would probably have been knocked out, or 
the grid would be badly damaged or destroyed.  Aren't all those trains run 
by electricity?

         I would support a vigorously alive civil defense program, 
accompanied by as little traffic and traveling as possible.  Keep the 
streets open for ambulances and fire trucks, and let the residents survive 
as best they can in their homes and apartments.  Of course there will have 
to be some evacuation (perhaps to other areas of the island), but keep 
movement to a minimum.

>   This is sheer madness!  With almost daily press
>about nuclear terrorist threats it is high time we were allowed to use
>the words civil and defense in the same sentence.  Civil defense must
>involve civilians.  The more instrumentation of all types deployed the
>better.  In a 50 R/hr field, nobody will be directing traffic - the most
>desirable instrument will be the simplest, not the most accurate.
>
>Phil Smith
>http://www.NukAlert.com