BREAKING NEWS: W.H.O Warns Countries to STOCKPILE Nuclear Meds

How To Make Your Home Fallout Proof

 Original Article

by MICHAEL MAJOR

 A nuclear attack or disaster will come without warning, and while it is not practical to harden your home against the shockwave and thermal blast of an atomic bomb, you can take steps to shield yourself and your family from the impending fallout.

A purpose-built fallout shelter is ideal but also prohibitively expensive and outside the reach of most of us. The good news is that we can take steps to secure our homes against fallout without digging a bunker in our backyard.

What Is Fallout?

Nuclear fallout is caused by the vaporized debris mixing with the radioactive particles that make up a mushroom cloud. The wind then carries this fallout downwind from the blast.

Related: A Strange Thing That Might Save Your Life in A Nuclear Aftermath

Fortunately, most of the fallout in the immediate area will fall within twenty-four hours and look like ash or sand.

Surviving in the Aftermath of a Nuclear War

 Original Article

By Bill White

Here in the prepping community, we’re accustomed to talking about EMP as a TEOTWAWKI event, perhaps even our “favorite” such event, at least from the viewpoint of planning for it. But somewhere along the way, we’ve managed to lose track of the fact that conventional nuclear war is still a very real possibility. Our “friend” (cough, cough) Vladimir Putin has reminded us that such a possibility is quite real.

Granted, if Russia let loose a full-blown nuclear attack against the United States, there would probably be at least a few missiles fused for a high-altitude burst, generating an EMP. But that’s an assumption on my part. What if there weren’t any fuses like that, or what if those fuses didn’t work right? We’d be looking at a conventional nuclear war without the EMP taking out the grid. 

How to Survive Nuclear Fall Out

Preparing for Biological Warfare

Original Article

History repeats. Biological warfare has been used in the past; it will be used again. Bodies of plague victims were catapulted over the walls of besieged cities as late as the eighteenth century in Europe.

 Native Americans were killed with smallpox through gifts of infected blankets. Anthrax weapons were used in WWI. Some believe COVID-19 was engineered by the Chinese. While the casualty rate when factoring in all persons exposed and asymptomatic cases is perhaps a bit low as far as bioweapons go, the effect on the economy was huge.

Breaking news...Largest copper mine might be closing for strike...You re...

Respirator Masks, Do You Need Them?

Original Article

by Mike Yukon

The 3M-8511-N95 Particulate Sanding Respirator with Valve

 

The 3M-1860-N95 Respirator and Surgical Mask (Bird Flu Mask)

My opinion is yes we do for certain conditions.

Example; My home was less than two miles from a forest fire a few years ago and the burnt ash particulate falling from the sky looked like a light snow fall, with every breath you could feel it in your lungs and could taste it in your mouth. At that time I did not have any masks in my prep stocks (I'm more focused on surviving hurricane threats). Either of these masks would have helped especially if I had to be outside for any length of time.

We are also, I believe, at the beginning of a climate/weather shift and dust storms and forest fires will become more common in the years to come. Small volcano eruptions can pump out massive amounts of choking dust to name just a few scenarios where a particulate filtering mask would be needed. Live Prepared for them!

Then to complicate things we have animal virus's such as the Bird Flu and now pigs have a virus that "if it mutates" and becomes infectious to humans it will be far worse than the bird flu. http://livingprepared.blogspot.com/2014/03/porcine-epidemic-diarrhea-virus.html 

A simple respirator mask may save you from a lot of health issues and have you breathing easy in dusty conditions.

Some people will say just stay indoors. Well for people with live stock or family issues where you must travel outside the home a mask is a very wise choice.

Which Mask Do We Need?

There are two common prepper types of respirator masks to have in our prep stock. I have these two in my stock.

One is primarily a dust/particulate mask, commonly referred to as the "N95":

"3M 8511 N95 Particulate Sanding Respirator with Valve".

The other is for what has been referred to as the "Bird Flu" mask:

"3M 1860 N95 Respirator and Surgical Mask/Bird Flu".

Why does the 3M 8511 N95 mask have a breathing valve and the other 3M 1860 N95 surgical mask does not?

The breathing valve only works during your exhale and is beneficial when you're working hard and exhaling/breathing heavily, your exhale will freely pass through the valve and not create pressure that could lift the face sealing perimeter of the mask from your face. During inhale the mask will be sucked tighter about the face sealing you from the atmosphere dust you don't want to inhale.

The surgical mask is not normally used in those heavy work load conditions so it doses not have a valve. This mask also serves as a dust/particulate mask.

Neither of these masks are perfect, but both are rated 95% efficient hence the "N95" designation. However when you need one these masks they are very good and far better than nothing or a homemade bandana over your face.

Long Term Storage:

These masks will last for decades if you simply store them sealed in a Zip-Lock or Mylar sealed storage bags. Just keep them free from moisture that could lead to bacteria growth. Use a zip-lock bag for in the car or bug out bag, a few of them is just smart.

Where to buy?

N95 Particulate Mask:

http://www.amazon.com/3M-8511-Particulate-Sanding-Respirator/dp/B0002YKBV2/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1395574027&sr=1-1&keywords=n95+mask

N95 Surgical Mask:

http://www.amazon.com/3M-1860-RESPIRATOR-SURGICAL-MASK/dp/B000S395R8/ref=pd_sim_indust_6?ie=UTF8&refRID=0YC1VTJ6J9WG99AZNE7K

(above are just two sources, there are many more available so Google search for the best pricing and shipping for your area)

Respirator Fitting to Face Instruction Videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2rZwIgU3Ak
or
http://bcove.me/luxr60u9

For additional facts visit the 3M website:

There are many masks to choose from. This 3M site will explain in detail how each mask 3M makes including these above will protect you in the environment you must deal with.

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/3M-PPE-Safety-Solutions/Personal-Protective-Equipment/Products/Product-Catalog/?N=5022966&rt=c3

Survival Scenario – Can You Survive a Nuclear War?

Original Article

from SHTF blog by Jarhead Survivor

With the North Koreans getting ready to test their latest rocket it seems like a good time to scare the hell out of everybody with a nuclear war survival scenario.  Honestly, I doubt it will amount to much (but it is Friday the 13th!); however, in the interest of a thought experiment I thought I’d use it as the basis of a survival scenario.

So here we go…

By September, 2016 the North Koreans have quietly built up an arsenal of nuclear weapons and distributed them around their country in various secret locations.  The U.S. and other NATO countries are aware of some of the activity, but badly underestimate the size and number of weapons, and the determination of the North Korean leadership.

A border flare-up with South Korea starts with conventional shelling and then quickly escalates to small tactical nukes along the border.  A few small towns and several important bridges are eradicated before the rest of the world can react.  The U.S. reacts by sending stealth bombers into North Korea to bomb Pyongyang, but North Korean leadership has long since moved into mountain bunkers with all their command and control.


The North Koreans react to the bombing of Pyongyang by dropping a 20 megaton bomb on Seoul, the capital of South Korea.  The U.S. responds with three MIRV’s, again targeting Pyongyang and several port cities as well.
China, upset at the nuclear testing by their neighbor in earlier years, had pretty much written them off as allies.  When Chinese leadership saw the war escalating they too opened fire on North Korea with nuclear weapons.
North Korea finally opens the floodgates and shoots sixty-five of their weapons at the United States, a full two-thirds of their arsenal was saved just for us.

Russia inexplicably joins with North Korea and shoots at the US and China.
The world has now been officially at war for less than four hours.

In the United States warning sirens go off across the country and people head for shelter, confused and scared, hoping that it’s just a drill.

The first missiles from North Korea come across the North Pole and hit Washington State and California.  Shortly thereafter a rain of missiles comes down across the Midwest.  Russia’s weapons target the east coast and everything from Boston to Florida is pummeled by MIRV’s and nuclear bombs ranging up to 50 MT.
It doesn’t matter where you are, the world war that lasted less than 24 hours has affected you.  Fires rage out of control, nuclear fallout is in the air, EMP has destroyed a lot of the delicate electronics our world runs on, and most of the large cities have become blast zones.

You have managed to survive the initial war somehow, but now you emerge from your shelter into a world vastly changed.  Although there’s some structural damage to your home/apartment building/shelter, it appears solid enough to live in.

The government is setting up emergency shelters where they can, but are quickly overwhelmed by the number of survivors needing medical attention, shelter, food and clean water.

Look at your own situation – current level of preps, location (close to a big city or living in the hills?), number of people you have to care for, etc.

This is it folks.  TEOTWAWKI.  What do you do?  Stay in place?  Head to one of the FEMA camps for help?   Start robbing people as they go by because you haven’t prepped?  Build a wall around your place against the people pouring out of the cities?  Open your doors and start helping those who need aid?  It doesn’t look like there’s going to be much help in the foreseeable future.

-Jarhead Survivor

 BTW:
Update:  Yeah, the rocket fizzled and I know that they’re nowhere near to being a nuclear super power.  It’s just a thought exercise, folks!  A little something to get the thought processes going.  Have fun with it!


No related posts.

Protecting Yourself from Radiation

Original Article

from PreppingToSurvive.com by Laura

Last week, I reviewed a disaster-survival book about a nuclear meltdown and also listed some of the pros and cons associated with nuclear energy.  Regardless of how you feel about the safety and wisdom of nuclear power plants, they already exist.  There is also that outside possibility that “nukes” would accidentally or intentionally be launched onto U.S. soil.  We need to think about how we would deal with that.
To begin with, you probably want to know how close you are to a nuclear reactor.  Beyond that, you want to look at the typical wind patterns and see how likely you are to be “downwind” in the case of a release of radiation.  These things may impact how much money and time you allocate to preparing for this particular disaster scenario.

Steps to Take to Safeguard Yourself Before the Emergency

Consider storing and doing the following:
1.  Potassium Iodate
If you want to prepare for the possibility of radiation, I would begin by buying some KIO3 tablets.  It acts to “fill” your thyroid with safe iodine so that it will not absorb radioactive iodine in fallout.  One of the major problems radiation victims suffer long-term is thyroid cancer.  KIO3 a preventative.  You have to take it before radiation reaches you or as soon as possible.  It does not rid your thyroid of radioactive iodine after the fact.  In other words, by the time you know you need it, it’s too late to order.  Many in Japan sadly found that out.
Iodine-131 actually “decomposes” relatively quickly (within weeks or months).  The danger from this particular radioactive particle is shorter lived than others.
2.  Vitamin D and Vitamin K
These help rid your body of irregular cells- in other words, cells that may be affected by radiation and therefore replicating or acting improperly may be killed off better (appropriate apoptosis) in the presence of these two vitamins.  Vitamin D also helps the body with DNA repair.
3.  Potassium and Iron
These minerals may help in combating some of the radioactive particles that stick around longer.  Cesium-137 has a “half-life” of 30 years.  This is still commonly found in the ground around the old Chernobyl reactor in the Ukraine.  It is easily taken up by the body because it mixes well into liquids.  It is also carried easily by the wind.
4.  Other Antioxidants and Herbal Supplements
There isn’t a “magic bullet” for countering radiation, but some things are known to be helpful in protecting the body from the effects of radiation.  Some of these include turmeric, gingko biloba, garlic, ginger,ginseng,  melatonin,  magnesium, and spirulina.
5.  Choose a centrally located room in your home.  It should be the one with the fewest windows, preferably a basement or storm shelter.  Store supplies you may need there (the usual- food, water, medicine, clothes, flashlights…).  Consider what you will do for pets or livestock.
6.  Make sure all your loved ones know that this is where the family will gather in case of radiation.

What to Do at the Beginning of the Emergency

1.  Remove all articles of clothing before entering your sheltered area  if you have had any contamination risk.  Doing so could remove up to 90% of the radiation and you do not want to bring it inside.
2.  Wash as thoroughly as you can to get rid of what is on the surface of your body.
3.  Close off all vents and stop drafts that may bring contaminated air into your shelter.  If possible, seal off doors and windows with plastic sheeting and tape for the period of time that a radiation plume may be passing over.  You can only stay sealed up without fresh air for a few hours though.
4.  Keep your emergency radio on to find out updates.  Hopefully, you will be able to track the direction of the radiation, find out about medical help, etc.

What to Do Afterward

In the days after radiation has been released, there are a few other things you may want to do to help protect yourself.  Of course, stay inside as much as possible until you are sure it is relatively “safe” to venture out.
1.  Eat whole grains and the foods high in the above mentioned nutrients.  High fiber foods with phosphorus spend less time in the digestive tract and therefore help the body in eliminating all wastes.  Also, being a plant and therefore low on the food chain, any toxins the whole grains may have been exposed to will be less concentrated than those found higher on the food chain.
2.  Avoid some foods- highly processed, very fatty, and sugary things contain less nutrition anyway and are held in the GI tract longer.
3.  See a doctor as soon as possible if you suspect radiation exposure.  He may prescribe Prussian Blue, DTPA, or Neupona.
In the final piece in this series, I will outline the symptoms radiation sickness, technically called Acute Radiation Syndrome.
Do you have anything to add?  Have you taken any classes or found any good books with information you’d like to share?  Please do so in the comments section.

Related Posts

• Nuclear Energy: Pros and Cons
• Book Review: The Nuclear Catastrophe
• Avoiding Fear
• Do We Have What It to Survive TEOTWAWKI?

What’s Your Annual Radiation Dose?

Image via Wikipedia

Original Article

from Ready Nutrition by Tess Pennington

Did you know that we are exposed to radiation levels on a daily basis?  Radiation can occur naturally and by man-made instruments or appliances.  Radiation comes up from the ground, from space particles, from our home, even our smoke detectors.  Although, we typically receive small, minute levels at a given period of time, our bodies still absorb the radiation nonetheless.  The annual average dose per person from all natural and man-made sources is about 350 mrems, but it is not uncommon for any of us to receive more than that in a given year (largely due to medical procedures).  In fact, 80% of our radiation is from naturally occurring means.

Because radiation is an everyday part of our lives, we cannot avoid it.  Our home appliances emit small amounts of radiation, as do our cellular phones.  Even though we may not like the idea of being exposed to radiation; we can, however, reduce our risks by controlling, to some extent, our exposure to it.  This calculator can assist you in finding out how much radiation you receive on a yearly basis from natural means and from un-natural means.
Annual Radiation Calculator
Natural Ways to Reduce Radiation in The Body
According to the website, survival-spot, the author provides natural alternatives to assisting the body in ridding itself of radiation exposure rather than ingesting potassium-iodide.  Foods such as kelp, rosemary, spirulina, miso soup and niacin all assist the body in fighting radiation damage.  Making these foods a regular part of your diet, could help lower your chances of radiation damage to the body.

Other foods that may help in combating radiation sickness are foods that naturally detoxify the body.  Foods such as reishi mushrooms, green and black teas, garlic, nettles, dandelions, ginseng, lentils, collards and mustard greens.
Educate Yourself
Everyone is so concerned about radiation levels increasing due to the disaster in Japan.  Ironically, we absorb radiation everyday.  Knowing the proper levels of radiation we are exposed to each year can help us stay healthier.  Those that are concerned about limiting their exposure to radiation can eat foods that have detoxifying properties, as well as staying away or limiting exposure of appliances and machines that radiate radiation.

Related Reading:

• Essential Prepping Calculators
• SURVIVE ANYTHING! Chapter 1: Nuclear Attack
• Be Nutrition Ready and Store Super Foods
• To Your Health Series: Types of Medicinal Mushrooms
• To Your Health Series: How Medicinal Mushrooms Can Benefit Your Immune System

Geiger Counter Numbers, How Bad is Bad?

Original Article

from Modern Survival Blog - surviving hard times by ken (Modern Survival Blog)

Given the recent events in Japan and the nuclear reactor damage and radiation entering the atmosphere there, the following information may help to understand the units of measurement being discussed, and how it may correlate to Geiger Counter readings such as those being displayed around the country on the Radiation Network.

Units of Measurement (Radiation)

1 rad = 0.01 gray (Gy)


1 rem = 0.01 sievert (Sv)
1 gray (Gy) = 100 rad

1 sievert (Sv) = 100 rem
Rad and Gray are ‘absorbed dose’ units.


Rem and Sievert are ‘equivalent dose’ units.

Why a Rem and a Sievert?

They relate to biological damage done to human tissue and factor the differences between types of radiation. A multiplication factor is used that represents the ‘effective’ biological damage of a given type of radiation. This is the main reason for these units – to factor the differences in damage that is caused from one type of radiation to the next.
Radiation Factor (QF Quality Factor)

(1) Beta

(1) Gamma

(1) X-ray

(10) Nuetron

(20) Alpha

For example, the list above shows that a ‘rad’ or ‘gray’ unit of ‘Alpha’ energy that is absorbed by soft human tissue does 20 times more damage than a ‘rad’ or ‘gray’ of Gamma, X-ray or Beta radiation.

Measuring Radiation with a Geiger Counter CPM

What is CPM (also the ‘number’ used on the Radiation Network )?

CPM (counts per minute) is a measure of radioactivity, a unit of measurement for a Geiger counter. Technically, “It is the number of atoms in a given quantity of radioactive material that are detected to have decayed in one minute.”
Most Geiger counters are calibrated to Cs137 (Cesium).
1,200 CPM on the meter (for Cs137) is about 1 mR/hr (milliRad per hour).

120 CPM on the meter (for Cs137) is about 1 uSv/hr (microSievert per hour).

How many CPM of radiation is bad?

Answer: It depends on how long you are exposed at any given level. The Radiation Network website, for example, uses a threshold warning level of 100 CPM, mainly because it is unusual to observe levels of 100 or higher without something more going on in the area than just background level.
Having said that, how could one figure out the ‘badness’ of a given level? How bad is bad? All we need to do is put in terms that makes sense.
First, we must understand a few radiation facts and numbers regarding dosage. There tend to be lots of conversions and it can be confusing, but by plodding through the math, you can determine a better idea and relationship of the Geiger counter numbers versus the risks to your health.

Radiation Dosage

Radiation dosage is a measure of the risk of biological harm that the tissues receive in the body.

The unit of absorbed radiation dose is the sievert (Sv). Since one sievert is a large quantity, radiation doses normally encountered are expressed in milliSievert (mSv) or microSievert (µSv) which are one-thousandth or one millionth of a sievert. For example, one chest X-ray will give about 0.2 mSv of radiation dose.
On average, our annual radiation exposure due to all natural sources is about 300 milliRem, which is equivalent to 3 milliSieverts (3 mSv). Adding man-made sources (medical procedures, and others) the average annual U.S. radiation dose is about 600 milliRem, which is equivalent to 6 milliSieverts (6 mSv).
Average annual human exposure to radiation (U.S.)

600 milliRem (mRem)

6 milliSievert (mSv)
Radiation dose for increase cancer risk of 1 in a 1,000

1,250 milliRem (mRem)

12.5 milliSievert (mSv)
Earliest onset of radiation sickness


75,000 milliRem (mRem)

750 milliSievert (mSv)
Onset of radiation poisoning

300,000 milliRem (mRem)

3,000 milliSievert (mSv)
Expected 50% death from radiation

400,000 milliRem (mRem)

4,000 milliSievert (mSv)

What do the Radiation Network CPM numbers mean with regards to health risk?

With the examples of radiation dose listed above, we can correlate how long it would take to experience those effects based on a hypothetical Geiger counter CPM number.
So, let’s use the number 100, since this is the threshold that the Radiation Network website has chosen. The Cs137 calibration factor listed above (120 CPM) was converted to obtain the proper factored results listed below (0.83x). Higher CPM numbers are also listed for relevancy.
Days compared with the avg. annual human exposure (U.S.)

207 (at 100 CPM)

42 (at 500 CPM)


14 (at 1,500 CPM)

2 (at 10,000 CPM)
Days to receive dose for increase cancer risk of 1 in a 1,000

432 (at 100 CPM)

86 (at 500 CPM)

28 (at 1,500 CPM)

4 (at 10,000 CPM)
Days for earliest onset of radiation sickness

25,937 (at 100 CPM)


5,187 (at 500 CPM)

1,729 (at 1,500 CPM)

259 (at 10,000 CPM)




Conclusion: Regarding the radioactive fallout from Japan reaching here to the U.S., the metered Geiger Counter CPM that we see on the Radiation Network can be compared to the equivalent ‘what-IF’ scenarios listed above. Not saying though that anything less would not be ‘bad’ for us, there are lots of theories out there regarding long-term effects of various types of radioactive ionized particles making it into the food chain, etc…




Interesting fact:

All food sources combined, expose a person to around 40 millirems per year on average.


Many foods are naturally radioactive, and bananas are particularly so, due to the radioactive potassium-40 they contain. The equivalent dose for 365 bananas (one per day for a year) is 3.6 millirems (36 μSv).
Other foods that have above-average levels are potatoes, kidney beans, nuts (especially brazil nuts), and sunflower seeds.




Ways to limit radiation exposure:

1. Time (limit exposure time)

2. Distance (intensity decreases sharply according to the inverse-square-law)


3. Shielding

(alpha: nearly anything… a sheet of paper will stop it)

(beta: wood, water, plastic-acrylic, aluminum)

(gamma: water, concrete, lead)




Disclaimer: Do not rely upon this information for life or health, it is only one person’s estimation based on a several hours research and punching calculator buttons. We have no affiliation with the Radiation Network, who may or may not agree with these numbers.



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Potassium Iodide (KI) and How to Protect Yourself From Radiation Poisoning

Original Article

from Prepper Planet by Utah Preppers

With the current potential nuclear crisis in Japan, I have been inundated with questions about Fallout Survival, Nuclear Preparedness, General Preparedness and Potassium Iodide among many other things.  I realized that while a lot of these things are covered on Utah Preppers, Potassium Iodide is kind of glossed over.  This post is my answer to all those questions and should be a definitive post on KI or Potassium Iodide.  Please note: at this time, due to the crisis in Japan, KI is Sold Out pretty much everywhere.
Potassium Iodide or KI is a salt of iodine and is what the body uses to make thyroid hormones.  If you are exposed to radioactive iodine through fallout , your thyroid will quickly absorb it into your thyroid and cause serious problems.  By super loading your thyroid with safe iodine via Potassium Iodide you can minimize your bodies absorption of radioactive iodine.  It should be noted that Potassium Iodide is NOT a cure for radiation sickness nor will it prevent other problems that will occur from fallout or radioactive exposure.
Potassium Iodide should be taken when exposure to radioactive iodine is imminent.  Local Government and Health Officials will notify the public if this precaution becomes necessary.
Taking Potassium Iodide does not provide 100% protection against radioactive iodine.  Factors include how soon prior to being exposed that Potassium Iodide was ingested, how fast it can absorb into your blood and the total amount of radioactive iodine the person is exposed to.  In other words, it’s critical to take as soon as notification is issued, that you take it in a liquid form and that you take the proper dose.  And, of course, that you limit your exposure to any kind of fallout as much as possible.
There are two typical forms of Potassium Iodide, liquid and tablet.  The liquid form typically comes as a crystalline powder that you mix with water.  Tablets come in 130 and 65 mg, the 130 mg are typically scored for easy cutting.  The dosages are as follows:

• Adults – 130 mg
• Breastfeeding Women – 130 mg
• Children 3-18 – 65 mg
• Children over 150 lbs – 130 mg
• Infants & Children 0-3 yrs – 32 mg
• Newborn – 16mg

Taking a higher dose of Potassium Iodide or taking more than is recommended does not offer more protection and may cause severe illness or death!
These doses of Potassium Iodide are sufficient for 24 hours.  Typical expectations of exposure risks are that if dosing is needed it will likely only be needed for 24 hours.  However, it is possible that exposure risks will continue for several days.  Local Government, Health Officials and Emergency Managers will notify you as to how long you should be taking it.
Potassium Iodide may be harmful to you if you are allergic to iodine or with certain skin disorders.  There is minimal risk to taking Potassium Iodide unless it is taken for several days, you take more than the recommended dosage or you have a pre-existing thyroid disease.
Summing it up:
In my opinion, the easiest way to figure out how much Potassium Iodide to store is to calculate the maximum adult dosage (not the lower children’s dosage) for each member of your family and multiply it by 7 (1 week).  This is designed to give you an excess to allow for spillage, etc.  So, for my family of 10, I calculate 130 mg X 7 X 10 = 9100 mg or 9.1 grams.  I purchase Potassium Iodide in 40 gram bottles (typically for $10 – $15) and have enough for pretty much my whole neighborhood.

Fallout: Natural Sources Of Iodine

Original Article

from Catman's Litterbox by Catman

One of my less tasteful friends made the comment that Japan had to wait sixty years to return the favor of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

I suppose, in a sense, he was correct.

There's been much in the news about having to deal with potential radioactive fallout from the Fukushima powerplant's possible meltdown. Unit One and Unit Three have already been rocked by explosions and the threat to the remaining reactors is growing. Some news articles contend that a meltdown is in progress, or a partial meltdown has already occurred.

If a meltdown does, or has, happened fallout in the form of heavy and light particles will rise into the atmosphere and travel across the Pacific Ocean on air currents.

Maps tracking fallout patterns to the west coast of North America as well as an excellent article can be found here at Modern Survival Blog. It has updates on the developing situation and pertinent information regarding personal preparation.

The good news is many of the heavier particles will drop out of the airstream over the Pacific and probably not make landfall in North America.

The bad news is the more fine, lighter particles, will travel farther before dropping out of the airstream. These will make landfall, possibly as far as Colorado, before dropping out.

The good news is that if the quantity of fallout is small, it will be so widely scattered as to essentially disappear into normally present background radiation sources.

And there's where the hitch is.

How much fallout North America will have to deal with is also a question that is, pardon the pun, up in the air. If we use Chernobyl as a representation of a possible scenario, an estimated 50 TONS (100,000 pounds) of nuclear fuel "evaporated" in the explosion and fire. Much of it landed in the area immediately surrounding the plant, and even more in the areas downwind in the Ukraine. But significant materials remained in the air so that it traveled and triggered radiation detectors in Western Europe, and even the Eastern US.

Remember, Chernobyl was a single reactor. Japan is dealing with the potential for multiple reactor failures.

What most people should be concerned with are Cesium 137, Strontium 90, and Iodine 131.

Cesium 137 is released by reactor accidents and presents a significant health risk in that it distributes itself through the soft tissues and is a strong source of ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation can destroy your DNA and disrupt the body's cellular functions. Half life is 30 years, and the primary path into the body is ingestion and inhalation.

Strontium 90 is not likely to be released by a reactor accident, BUT it can be. Strontium 90 mimics calcium and is readily taken up by the body. Half life is approximately 30 years and the primary path into the body is ingestion and inhalation.

Iodine 131 is readily absorbed by the thyroid gland as it mimics the non-radioactive form of iodine which is needed for the production of certain hormones. Half life is 8 DAYS, not years, so that is a sort of a blessing. Primary path into the body is ingestion.

Three simple steps to protect yourself from ingesting these elements:

Wash all produce thoroughly with clean running water.

Wash all cans of food prior to opening them to avoid potential contamination from radioactive dust that may have settled on the cans. (Remember your pets, too!)

Avoid drinking from open water sources (streams, ponds, etc.).

Much has been said about purchasing Potassium Iodine (Iodate) in order to flood your thyroid with the needed element to prevent the uptake of the radioactive form of Iodine. Apparently, there are rumors of panic buying.

If you find yourself unable to locate iodine supplements, there are natural sources that are readily available.

Kelp

Arame

Wakame

Laver (Nori in Japan. It's that greenish/black paper-like wrap around makizushi )

Seafood (fish and shellfish)

Yogurt

Cow's Milk

Eggs

Mozzarella Cheese

Another strategy is eating peanuts, soybeans (and related like Tofu), canola oil, cassava, strawberries, pine nuts, millet, pears, peaches, spinach, bamboo shoots, sweet potatoes, and anything in the Brassica family. These are known to inhibit the absorption of iodine by the thyroid.

This last suggestion is a stop gap measure only to be considered if you do not have access to a source of iodine.

The Reality of Bio-Terror

By Joseph Parish

Few people realize that emergency medicine is a function of our homeland security agencies. In today’s fearful world it has been determined by a congressional committee that our greatest threat is not so much nuclear as it is biological weapons. 

Biologic attacks will not be immediately noticeable and the resultant impact of the infectious agents will lie silently during their incubation period. Since these types of weapons are not generally released within a "bomb" they appear to be more effective. Bombs would in fact destroy the dangerous bacteria or viruses and eliminate the biological agent immediately.

Today’s stress on biological weapons has necessitated that our doctors learn to recognize the associated symptoms of the illness patterns which are indicative of potential infectious disease outbreaks. Various clues which contribute to the physician’s diagnosis are the number of patients which are reporting the same symptoms all of a sudden within the same time frame as well as the geographic area of concern. As these clues are uncovered the health care facilities and doctors will start to upload their data to their local health authorities who will begin releasing their stockpiled antibiotics, vaccines, etc to combat the attack. These efforts will be accomplished in coordination with all levels of government.

As a survivalist there are certain functions that you can accomplish for your family and yourself. The major task at hand when confronted with this type of emergency is to keep informed. Many of our state or local health departments now have social media accounts on Facebook or Twitter and maintain these accounts with up to date data. If your area health and emergency agencies participate in the "reverse 911" you could sign up and receive automated updates concerning events of a disastrous mature.

Next you should have a plan in place in the event of an emergency of this kind. I know you have heard me stress over and over for every family to have some sort of plan and the reason I do this is because it is so important for your survival. Sit down before a disaster occurs and work out the various details with the members of your family. Develop several potential evacuation routes and maintain maps of your surrounding areas which are clearly marked with emergency shelter locations. If you have school age children learn how the school will handle various emergency situations. Establish safe locations for all family members to meet when a disaster occurs as well as procedures to take if vital communications are cut off or disrupted. Have an out of state call list so you have a central message center to pass information.

Lastly make certain to prepare your emergency kits so that they can be quickly grabbed and taken with you in the event of an evacuation call. Your kits should include water, canned or non-perishable foods and prescription medications. Don’t overlook your personal hygiene items, perhaps a second pair of glasses and if you have an infant include the necessary supplies to attend to the baby. Evacuation kits should include first aid supplies, a wind up or battery powered flashlight and a radio so you can listen to media updates. Keep copies of your important papers on your person or within easy reach. 

There you have the basics laid out for you. Naturally your personal chooses for supplies will depend upon your usual likes and dislikes as well as your lifestyle. 

Copyright @2010 Joseph Parish

http://survival-training.info/articles22/TheRealityofBioTerror.htm

Dirty Bombs

from Perpetual Preparedness by Gary W Kibble

[A] radioactive "dirty bomb" (...) spreads radioactive material that is highly toxic to humans and can cause mass death and injury. - Attorney General John Ashcroft, 2002
An analysis on Stratfor.com downplays the danger of Dirty Bombs. These types of bombs use common explosives to spread radioactive materials (hence ‘dirty’). There is no nuclear reaction, no mushroom cloud, just a normal explosion that coats an area with radioactive dust. Since they are much easier to build than an atom bomb, and radioactive byproducts are easier to acquire, there reasonable concern that terrorists will someday use dirty bombs.
The common media portrayal of dirty bombs is that they will “immediately cause hundreds or even thousands of deaths.” Not true, says Stratfor. A dirty bomb is not a “weapon of mass destruction” but rather a weapon of mass “disruption”. Immediate deaths would result from the explosion itself and the resulting panic when the bomb is found to be “dirty”. The dirty effects of the radioactivity are longer term and most people will be safely decontaminated (eventually).
The real problem is economic and psychological. Since anyone living or working in a radioactive area will sicken and die over days/weeks/years, the area must be cordoned off and abandoned until cleaned. A total cleanup will require relocating everyone, tearing down the buildings, streets, sidewalks, and scraping the soil. Not at all cheap if the area is downtown NY, London or DC. And not nice if the target is something historical and irreplaceable.
To back up their analysis downplaying the danger, Stratfor looks at the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster in northern Ukraine. This was bigger than any possible dirty bomb and in fact more than one hundred times the radiation of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. The Chernobyl explosion killed 31 persons in the immediate aftermath. Over several decades it may contribute to the deaths of 9,000 people from radiation poisoning. But many of those affected by the radiation are still alive more than 20 years after the accident. Today, 5.5 million people live in the contaminated zone.
Fortunately for civilization, it’s not easy to use radiation as a mass weapon. Yes, a concentrated radioactive substance can kill individuals quickly with direct exposure – but such items are rare and quantities small. With dirty bombs the radiation is spread far and wide by the explosion; maximizing the number of people impacted but weakening the lethality.
Bottom Line
What should you do if you are a victim of a dirty bomb?

• Don’t panic!
• The CDC recommends sheltering inside a building with intact walls. If you’re outside, cover your mouth and nose to avoid breathing in the radioactive dust (VERY IMPORTANT), avoid touching anything, and get inside the nearest walled shelter quickly. While outside, clothing is an effective shield against energetic alpha particles but if you breath those same particles in – damage will be done.
• If inside a damaged building, move to an undamaged interior room.
• When you come in from outside, remove your shoes and outer clothing at the door. Up to 90% of the radioactive dust on you is on your clothes. Don’t spread it around your shelter. If possible seal your clothes, shoes, and breathing cloth/mask it in a plastic bag or other disposable storage. You don’t want to be near these clothes afterwards (or ever again).
• Shut all windows, outside doors, and fireplace dampers. Turn off fans and heating and air-conditioning systems that bring in air from the outside. It is not necessary to put duct tape or plastic around doors or windows.
• If outside or exposed, shower or wash ALL exposed skin with soap and water to remove any remaining dust. Be sure to wash your hair. Don’t put contaminated clothes back on. Don’t forget that your washing area may now be slightly radioactive from the rinsed off dust. Initially the washing water should be safe – water inside pipes at the time of the explosion is protected. But over time as water is used, you’ll be drawing from lakes and reservoirs that may have been exposed.
• Cover any open wounds to keep radioactive dust out of your blood stream.
• If you’re at home and have pets outside, get them indoors and wash them completely.
• Tune to the local radio or television news for more instructions.
• Don’t go outside until instructed to by authorities. When leaving your temporary shelter, cover up 100% with clean clothes/coat/blanket. You’ll need new shoes or a substitute. You’ll repeat the process of disposing the outer clothing layers and washing when you return to a shelter.
• Do not attempt to rescue your children at their school. They should be safe in a school shelter. You endanger yourself by traveling and contaminate the school shelter by demanding entrance or even opening the door.
• Don’t eat or drink from anything that was open and possibly contaminated by dust. Sealed food is ok but be sure to wash the outside container first. Avoid drinking public faucet water until authorities say it is safe. You don’t want to allow anything radioactive inside your body.
• If all goes well, your exposure will be no worse than an intensive medical X-ray and there will be no symptoms. However if you experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and swelling and redness of the skin then you were exposed to a higher level of radiation and need medical attention ASAP.

Resources
CDC Public Service Announcements for a Dirty Bomb
(what you hope to never hear on your radio)
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/firsthours/word/messages_dirtybomb.doc
Nuclear War Survival Skills by Kresson H Kearny.
CNN
http://archives.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/06/10/cohen.dirty.bomb.otsc/
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_bomb

How Much Radiation Can You Take

Image via Wikipedia

from BEYOND THE WIRE by The Wolf

We all know radiation is dangerous and can have severe effects on the body; we only need to look at the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster or the atomic bombs dropped over Hiroshima and Nagasaki to see their horrific effects. But how much radiation can a body take? Can you recover? And what are the signs and symptoms of radiation poisoning?
The first thing you have to understand about radiation is you can’t see it, smell it or taste it. The only time it will be visible is the fallout after a nuclear blast. This dust will have the appearance of dusty snow. Apart from that you won’t have any idea your in a radioactive zone without proper detection equipment.

So just how much radiation can the human body withstand? Here is a list giving you a basic idea of what to expect at what levels. All measurements here are calculated in RADS which is short for radiation absorbed dose.

5 RADS and under - No visible symptoms

5 to 50 RADS - Temporarily decreased red blood cell count (you’ll survive but will fee pretty ill)

50 to 100 RADS - Decreased production of immunity cells, you will be susceptible to infections, nausea, headache, and vomiting are common. With treatment you will survive.

150 to 300 RADS - Up to 35 percent of those who are exposed to radiation up to this level will die within 30 days. They will suffer nausea, vomiting and will lose all their hair

300 to 400 RADS - At this point your chances drop to 50/50 fatality rate after 30 days. Like the last level all the same symptoms will happen but with the addition of uncontrollable bleeding in the mouth, under the skin, and the kidneys

400 to 600 RADS - You have a 60 percent fatality rate after 30 days, symptoms like those at the 150 to 300 level starts to become visible in a couple hours after exposure

600 to 1000 RADS - Almost 100 percent fatality rate after 14 days. Your intestinal tissue will be severely damaged and almost all bone marrow will be destroyed

1200 to 2000 RADS - 100 percent fatality with immediate symptoms after exposure

2000 RADS and over - Symptoms set in instantly upon contact then will cease for several days, giving the victim a “false hope” that they are recovering. Suddenly gastrointestinal cells are destroyed and death will begin with delirium since the brain can’t function normally and starts to shut down.

If your interested in learning more about radiation poisoning I found this documentary on YouTube made by the BBC about the Chernobyl disaster and the following cover up the Soviet government used to try to try and down play the disaster.

Gas masks and protective clothing

from California Preppers Network by William Lankes

When we think of chemical or biological attacks, the first things that usually spring to mind are gas masks.

Some people run to the local Army-Navy surplus store and buy a mask secure in the knowledge that they will be safe in the event of an attack.

This is a mistake

Looking at the movies you get the impression that there's nothing more to gas masks than pulling it over your face and you're safe.  The reality, however, is altogether different. Gas masks are complex pieces of equipment. To use them inappropriately is potentially more dangerous that the chemical they're supposed to protect you from.

Having many years experience with Chemical & Biological weapons, I'll attempt to lay aside the myth of the gas mask and put you in a position to make a reasoned decision on whether you should use them or not.

Do you need a gas mask?

This is the million dollar question. Most experts would advise that stocking up on gas masks for the whole family is not worth it.  An appropriate gas mask will protect you from breathing in most chemical or biological agents, BUT there are some things to bear in mind before you run out to buy one:

A gas mask will be effective IF you're wearing it before exposure to the agent or immediately upon exposure. If you're inexperienced in the use of gas masks, or if you take to long to find it, you may be putting your life more in danger than if you simply moved quickly to escape the cloud. Of course there's every chance that you will not know what kind of poison is in the air and may not have the appropriate filter in your mask. This may lead to a false sense of security.

In the case of a biological attack masks are of little use. In most cases a biological attack will go undetected for at least several days making the gas mask virtually redundant.

It's also worth bearing in mind that gas masks are quite expensive. You can expect to spend about $200 for an effective mask. Then you need to decide if (1 you're going to carry the mask with you everywhere you go which would be uncomfortable, impractical and probably not too popular an idea with the kids or (2 you're going to have one mask for home, one for work, one for the car, and so on which would be very expensive.

NOTE

In the case of a biological attack, breathing through a doubled-up t-shirt will greatly increase your chances of survival in an emergency situation. Unfortunately, this method isn't effective against most chemical agents.

I would suggest that a gas mask, used properly, would be useful in the event of an attack (provided you know how to use it and you're aware of the attack in time to put it on). However, I would not feel compelled - despite current threats - to rush out and invest large amounts of money in them.

IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT GAS MASKS

Gas mask filters have a limited life-span. Most of them have just a few hours of active use (depending on the amount of dangerous substance being filtered and the relative air humidity). At this point the filter needs to be changed. Never buy a second-hand mask as you will not know how much life the filter has left in it.

You'll need precise instructions on using your gas mask. There's more to it than just pulling it over your face. Inappropriate use may be more dangerous than the substance you're trying to protect yourself against. Ideally you should get some training on the correct use of gas masks and both you and your family should practice using them regularly.

You should be clean-shaven when putting on your gas mask. A beard (or even stubble) may enable the poisons to infiltrate the mask.

If you've had no training in the use of gas masks, there's one important point to remember - take the plastic seal off the filter before putting the mask on. During Operation Desert Storm (1990) eight people lost their lives because they forgot to remove the seal (they thought they were being poisoned, when in fact it was the mask that was smothering them).

Some gas mask filters have larger intake openings designed for people with lung/breathing problems.

Increasingly, gas masks are available in various sizes - even for children and babies. If you're buying gas masks for your family, then be sure that each one has a perfect fit. Some masks are equipped with drinking systems, and masks that enable easier speech (via 'voice-mitter') are also available.

Don't buy masks via mail-order or over the Internet as you can't be sure that they'll fit properly. Always buy them in person from a professional who knows what he/she is talking about. Be sure to get a mask fitted for everyone in the family. To my knowledge, there are currently no gas masks available for pets...

Bear in mind that, while gas masks are effective against most chemical and biological agents, they do not assure protection against everything. Be sure to get a gas mask that is certified to be effective against chemical and biological weapons agents.

Generally, for biological agents to be effective, they need to be between 1 and 5 microns in diameter. For this reason, regular surgical masks, which are relatively cheap, would protect you against almost all biological threats. Protection against chemical agents, however, requires a gas mask.

If you have a baby or a young infant who is reluctant to put on a gas mask during an attack, then don't waste time struggling. Strive instead, to get both yourself and the child to a safe place as quickly as possible. It's for this reason also, that it's vital that you practice proper gas mask usage with your family -- particularly young children.

Buying a gas mask

There are a number of important points to bear in mind when buying a gas mask:

While there have been some advances lately in the production of gas masks for women, children and people with smaller faces, a lot of the masks on the market are designed with the adult male (military) face in mind.

Be sure to buy a mask that fits perfectly otherwise it will only give you a false sense of security (there's no point in a filter that keeps out bacteria at 0.3 microns if you've got 1mm of space between your face and the mask (which is why you have to be clean-shaven before putting on the mask). Of course, you would need to have a mask fitted individually for every member of your family.

Make sure that your gas mask is certified against chemical and biological warfare agents. But, bear in mind that no matter how good the gas mask is, the filter will not protect you against everything. You may need to get different sets of filters with your mask to have the broadest protection possible. Be sure to discuss this issue thoroughly with potential suppliers before buying.

Don't buy your gas mask from surplus 'Army-Navy' type stores. The gas masks you'll find here have most likely been used in military exercises, may be out of date and very possibly contain flaws in the structure (small cracks or holes in the rubber). If you are buying a mask, buy one from a reputable manufacturer and buy it in person with every member of your family available for a fitting.

The best masks are those with HEPA filter* (ideally coupled with chromium-free impregnated carbon, that filters both inorganic warfare agents like cyanide, chlorine and phosgene, as well as organic agents like VX, sarin, tabun, mustard gas and lewisite). Some gas masks can even protect you against acid gases and ammonia.

Protective Suits

Appropriate protective clothing can prevent exposure through the skin.

Protective suits usually come with built-in boots and hood. They can protect against liquid and vapor chemical warfare agents, as well as against biological warfare agents.

Several sizes exist, including those for children.

Protective boots are usually designed especially to accommodate the extra bulk of a protective suit, and remain relatively easy to put on even if you're wearing protective gloves. Protective boots are usually knee high and have a high chemical resistance.

Protective gloves are extremely solid, they can be as thick as 25mm and have a particularly long chemical resistance, resisting most toxic/hazardous chemicals.

Like gas masks, I would need to question the practicality of buying protective suits. Obviously, you wouldn't be able to carry one around with you everywhere you go (you're kids would definitely draw the line on that one!), and the cost of keeping a suit everywhere is prohibitive.

And, like gas masks, you would need to know about the attack in time to get the suit on. And again, you may be putting yourself in danger as you struggle to put on the suit when you could, instead, be making sensible efforts to escape the gas cloud

For more information about chemical and biological attacks; visit me at Prepare to Survive in California.