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Re: Surviving a Dirty Bomb



Good start, Susan.
As a family doctor, I see one important addition - reassurance about LESS cancer risk.

Something like,
"Don't be worried about cancer risk from the radiation, because, overall, they found
LESS cancer among Hiroshima bomb survivors than people not exposed".

This will save many sleepless nights for both those exposed - and their doctors.

Howard Long

Susan McElrath wrote:

I put this list together to help advise the public. I would appreciate your comments. I tried to keep it simple and practical.

Susan McElrath

Surviving a Dirty Bomb

These instructions are intended for uninjured or mildly injured persons in the vicinity of a so-called dirty bomb, a conventional weapon which also disperses relatively common radioactive materials.

Do not panic. A dirty bomb is thousands of times less dangerous than a nuclear weapon like they type used in Japan at the end of World War II. The fact that you have survived the initial explosion and you are not badly injured probably means you are going to be okay.

Take a shower. After the initial shock is over and you have gotten away from the blast scene, remove your clothes and take a shower. Place discarded clothing in a garbage bag. Chances are the on-scene responders will provide some sort of shower facility.

Do not retrieve vehicles or personal effects that are near the blast scene, especially if they are coated with visible dust from the blast.

Do not eat or drink anything that was near the scene, especially items which are not packaged. (Fresh fruits, water from open containers, etc.)

Don’t waste time looking for iodine pills. These are probably not useful for the type of radioactive material you have perhaps been exposed to.

Do not flood the emergency room or your doctor’s office with non-emergency calls or visits. The possibility that you may have been exposed to some radioactive material is not an emergency in light of the overall situation. After the situation calms down a bit, you will probably want to discuss with a doctor the risks to your health caused by any radioactive material exposure. There is a good chance you will be afforded the opportunity to participate in long-term health monitoring.

Keep in touch with reliable media sources for further information.

Susan McElrath
voice: (770) 222-0829
cell: (770) 633-8591

smhp@bellsouth.net