How to hide during a nuclear disaster

Little bombs

Dillon's fallout protection method has so far been developed only in theory. The fact is that it is designed for small nuclear bombs from 1 to 10 kilotons.

Dillon argues that now everyone associates nuclear bombs with the incredible power and destruction that could have occurred during the Cold War. However, such a threat seems less likely than terrorist attacks with the use of small nuclear bombs, several times less than those that fell on Hiroshima, and simply incomparably fewer of those that could destroy everything if there was a global war between countries.

Dillon's plan is based on the assumption that after a small nuclear bomb, the city survived and now its inhabitants must flee from radioactive fallout.

The diagram below shows the difference between the bomb hitting radius in the situation Dillon is investigating and the radius of the bomb from the Cold War arsenal. The most dangerous area is indicated in dark blue (psi standard is lb / in², which is used to measure the force of an explosion; 1 psi = 720 kg / m²).

People who are a kilometer away from this area run the risk of receiving a dose of radiation and burns. The range of radiation hazards following the detonation of a small nuclear bomb is much smaller than that of a Cold War thermonuclear weapon.

For example, a 10 kiloton warhead would create a radiation threat 1 kilometer from the epicenter, and fallout could travel another 10-20 miles. So it turns out that a nuclear attack today is not instant death for all living things. Maybe your city will even recover from it.

What to do if the bomb explodes

If you see a bright flash, stay away from the window: you could get hurt while looking around. As with thunder and lightning, a blast wave travels much slower than an explosion.

Now you have to take care of protection from radioactive fallout, but in the event of a small explosion, you do not need to look for a special isolated shelter. For protection, it will be possible to hide in an ordinary building, only you need to know in which one.

You must find a suitable shelter 30 minutes after the explosion. In half an hour, all the initial radiation from the explosion will disappear and the main danger will be radioactive particles the size of a grain of sand that will settle around you.

Dillon explains:

But what kind of buildings can become normal shelters? Dillon recounts the following:

Think about where you can find such a building in your city and how far away from you it is.

Maybe it's your basement or building with lots of interior spaces and walls, a library with book shelves and concrete walls, or something else. Just choose buildings that you can reach within half an hour and don't rely on transport: many will flee the city and the roads will be completely clogged.

Let's say you got to your hideout, and now the question arises: how long to sit in it until the threat passes? The films show different paths of events, ranging from a few minutes in a shelter to several generations in a bunker. Dillon claims that they are all very far from the truth.

It is best to stay in the shelter until help arrives.

Considering that we are talking about a small bomb, the radius of destruction of which is less than a mile, rescuers must react quickly and begin an evacuation. In the event that no one comes to help, you need to spend at least a day in the shelter, but still it is better to wait until the rescuers arrive - they will indicate the necessary evacuation route so that you do not jump out to places with a high level of radiation.

The principle of operation of radioactive fallout

It may seem strange that it is allowed to leave the shelter after 24 hours, but Dillon explains that the greatest danger after the explosion comes from the early radioactive fallout, which is heavy enough to settle within a few hours after the explosion. Typically, they cover the area in the immediate vicinity of the explosion, depending on the direction of the wind.

These large particles are most dangerous because of the high radiation levels that will ensure the immediate onset of radiation sickness. This is in contrast to the lower doses of radiation that can cause cancer many years after an incident.

Taking refuge in a shelter will not save you from the prospect of cancer in the future, but it will prevent early death from radiation sickness.

It is also worth remembering that radioactive contamination is not a magical substance that flies everywhere and penetrates anywhere. There will be a limited region with a high level of radiation, and after you leave the shelter, you will need to get out of it as soon as possible.

This is where you need rescuers who will tell you where the border of the danger zone is and how far you need to go. Of course, in addition to the most dangerous large particles, many lighter ones will remain in the air, but they are not capable of causing immediate radiation sickness - what you are trying to avoid after the explosion.

Dillon also noted that radioactive particles decay very quickly, so being outside the shelter 24 hours after the explosion is much safer than immediately after it.

Our pop culture continues to savor the theme of a nuclear apocalypse, which will leave only a few survivors on the planet hiding in underground bunkers, but a nuclear attack may not be as devastating and large-scale.

So you should think about your city and figure out where to run if something happens. Maybe some ugly concrete building that has always seemed to you a miscarriage of architecture will someday save your life.