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IN TIME OF EMERGENCY
This government publication has
been electronically transcribed by a volunteer member of LIVE FREE
INTERNATIONAL, the country's largest non-profit survival
education group, in order to place basic
emergency information in the hands (and computers) of as many citizens as
possible. Live Free International does not necessarily endorse the
views of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and no endorsement by
or association with FEMA is claimed or implied by Live Free International.
Printed copies of this document may be ordered from-
U.S. General Services Administration
Consumer Information Center
P.O. Box 100
Pueblo, CO 81002
Write to them for current prices.
LIVE FREE INTERNATIONAL publishes a monthly
newsletter, Directions, and offers a series of papers dealing with
various aspects of emergency preparedness. We also offer a wide
range of activities, including periodic field exercises to teach and practice
the skills of emergency preparedness and self-sufficiency like our annual
National Survival Week, held at our National Training Center
in Harrisburg, MO. Live Free membership costs $20.00 per year, and
overseas and life memberships are available.
For more information on our programs and services,
write to:
LIVE FREE INTERNATIONAL
P.O. BOX 1743
HARVEY, IL 60426
Please enclose $2.00 to help with our printing and
postage costs.
IN TIME OF EMERGENCY
a citizen's handbook on
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
For additional information contact:
Office of Public Affairs
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Washington, D.C. 20472
***FEMA Publication H-14***
Reprinted 1980
Electronic entry 1991 by J.P. Wieser - Live Free
International
P.O. Box 1743 Harvey IL 60426
This is a public domain document.
| TABLE OF CONTENTS | PAGE | ||
| INTRODUCTION | iii | ||
| PART I: | NUCLEAR ATTACK | vii | |
| Chapter 1: | Understanding the Hazards of Nuclear Attack | 1 | |
| Chapter 2: | Warning | 11 | |
| Chapter 3: | Fallout Shelters, Public and Private | 17 | |
| Chapter 4: | Improvising Fallout Protection | 29 | |
| Chapter 5: | Shelter Living | 35 | |
| Chapter 6: | Fire Hazards | 45 | |
| Chapter 7: | The Relocation Option | 49 | |
| Chapter 8: | Emergency Care of the Sick and Injured | 57 | |
| PART II: | MAJOR NATURAL DISASTERS | 71 | |
| Chapter 1: | General Guidance | 73 | |
| Chapter 2: | Floods | 77 | |
| Chapter 3: | Hurricanes | 83 | |
| Chapter 4: | Tornadoes | 87 | |
| Chapter 5: | Winter Storms | 89 | |
| Chapter 6: | Earthquakes | 93 | |
| Chapter 7: | Tidal Waves | 97 | |
INTRODUCTION
The
primary purpose of this handbook, In Time Of Emergency, is to
save lives. It is addressed directly to the individual and the family
to provide them with information and guidance on what they can and should
do to enhance their survival in the event of nationwide nuclear
attack or other major disasters.
This guidance is general in nature and
should supplement specific instructions issued by local
governments. Since special conditions exist in some communities,
local instructions issued by local governments may differ slightly from
this general guidance. In such cases, the local instructions
should be followed.
Cities and counties in all parts of the
country, with the aid of Federal and state
governments, have developed and are continuing to
develop civil preparedness programs to reduce the loss of life and protect
property in the event of major peacetime emergencies and enemy
attack. Many lives have been saved and much suffering has been
alleviated as a result of these programs. People have been warned of
impending storms and similar dangers, told how to
protect themselves, sheltered from the elements, fed,
clothed, treated for injury and illness, and given help in resuming their normal
lives.
Part I (pages viii - 68) is
concerned with nuclear attack and basic preparations to take.
Part II (pages 71 - 98) discusses
preparations and emergency actions that will help individuals
cope with major natural disasters- floods, hurricanes,
tornadoes, winter storms, earthquakes, and tidal waves.
Special advice for rural families on
emergency actions related to crops and livestock is available from
the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
PART ONE
NUCLEAR ATTACK
In this
uneasy age in which we live, strife abounds in many troubled parts of the
world. The weapons of modern warfare have become increasingly powerful and
numerous. Potential aggressors can deliver nuclear warheads
accurately on targets up to 8,000 miles away.
Despite continuing efforts to achieve and
maintain peace, a nuclear attack upon the United States remains a distinct
possibility. In the face of this threat, a strong civil
defense is needed not only throughout government, but on the
part of the individual and the family. And that is what this
first section is all about- to help the individual and
the family prepare for the possibility of nuclear attack.
Much has been done to prepare for a possible
nuclear attack. Public fallout shelter space has been located for
millions. Civil defense systems also include warning and communication
networks, preparations to measure fallout radiation, emergency
operating centers to direct lifesaving and recovery
operations, emergency broadcasting stations, local governments
organized for emergency operations, and large numbers of citizens trained
in emergency skills.
If an enemy should threaten to attack the United
States, you would not be alone. The entire Nation would be
mobilizing to repulse the attack, destroy the enemy, and hold down
our own loss of life. Much assistance would be available
to you- from local, State, and Federal governments, from the U.S.
Armed Forces units in your area, and from your neighbors and fellow
Americans. If an attack should come, many lives would be
saved through effective emergency preparations and actions.
You can give yourself and your
family a much better chance of surviving and
recovering from a nuclear attack if you will take time now to:
-Understand the dangers you would face in an attack.
-Make your own preparations for an attack.
-Learn what actions you should take at the time of an attack.
Every family or individual should give special attention to plan for shelter. depending upon your location and upon various circumstances, one of three possible shelter options may be available to you:
1: Seek private shelter at home.
2: Seek public shelter in your own community.
3: Leave your community to seek shelter in a less dangerous area.
Part
I of this handbook contains basic information on the threat of nuclear
attack. This guidance supplements specific instructions issued by local
governments. Special conditions may exist in some communities, and
instructions issued by local governments may differ slightly
from the general guidance in this handbook. In such cases, the local
instructions should be followed.
UNDERSTANDING THE HAZARDS OF
NUCLEAR ATTACK
The first step in preparing for a
possible nuclear attack is to understand the major hazards you
would face if attack should come.
When a nuclear bomb or missile explodes, the main
effects produced are intense light (flash), heat, blast, and
radiation. How strong these effects are depends on the size
and type of the weapon; how far away the explosion is; the weather
conditions (sunny or rainy, windy, or still); the terrain
(whether the ground is flat or hilly) and the height of the
explosion (high in the air, or near the ground).
All nuclear explosions cause light, heat, blast, and
initial nuclear radiation, which occur immediately. In addition,
explosions that are on or close to the ground would create large quantities of
dangerous radioactive fallout particles, most of which would fall to earth
during the first 24 hours. Explosions high in the
air would create smaller radioactive particles, which would not have any real effect on
humans until many months or years later, if at all. (These smaller
particles would drift to earth more slowly, losing much of their
radioactivity before they reach the ground, and would be spread by
the upper winds over vast areas of the world.)
| DIRECT EFFECTS OF 1 MT. BLAST (SURFACE BURST) | ||
| Distance | overpressure in this zone | Damage & Effects |
| 0.24 miles | 12 P.S.I. | crater diameter |
| 0.70 miles | maximum fireball radius | |
| 1.70 miles | destruction of all but specially designed facilities; 98% of people killed 2% of people injured | |
| 3 miles | 5 - 12 P.S.I. | severe damage to commercial-type buildings & many fires initiated; 50% of people killed 40% of people injured 10% of people safe |
| 5 miles | 2 - 5 P.S.I. | moderate damage to commercial-type buildings, severe damage to small residences & many fires initiated; 5% of people killed 45% of people injured 50% of people safe |
| 7 miles | 1 - 2 P.S.I. | light damage to commercial-type buildings, moderate damage to small residences & potential fire spread; 25% of people injured 75% of people safe |
| 7+ miles | 0 - 1 P.S.I | potential fire spread; 100% of people safe |
|
NOTE: If burst is elevated to altitude maximizing the reach of blast damage, moderate damage from blast and initial fires on a clear day are extended from 5 miles to 8 miles. |
||
| DIRECT EFFECTS OF 25 MT. BLAST (SURFACE BURST) | ||
| 0.70 miles | 12 P.S.I. | crater diameter |
| 2.50 miles | maximum fireball radius | |
| 5 miles | destruction of all but specially designed facilities; 98% of people killed 2% of people injured | |
| 8 miles | 5 - 12 P.S.I. | severe damage to commercial-type buildings & many fires initiated; 50% of people killed 40% of people injured 10% of people safe |
| 14 miles | 2 - 5 P.S.I. | moderate damage to commercial-type buildings, severe damage to small residences & many fires initiated; 5% of people killed 45% of people injured 50% of people safe |
| 22 miles | 1 - 2 P.S.I. | light damage to commercial-type buildings, moderate damage to small residences & potential fire spread; 25% of people injured 75% of people safe |
| 22+ miles | 0 - 1 P.S.I. | potential fire spread; 100% of people safe |
|
NOTE: If burst is elevated to altitude maximizing the reach of blast damage, moderate damage from blast and initial fires on a clear day are extended from 14 miles to 22 miles. |
||
(FEMA graphic transcribed into table
by RMSG)
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO PEOPLE
In a nationwide nuclear attack, people close to a
nuclear explosion in the area of heavy destruction probably
would be killed or seriously injured by the blast, or by the heat or initial
nuclear radiation of the nuclear fireball.
People a few miles away- in the "light
damage" area of the explosion- would be endangered by the blast and heat,
and by fires that the explosion might start. However, it is likely that most of
the people in the "light damage" area would survive these
hazards, but they would be further endangered by radioactive fallout.
People who were outside the immediate damage area would
not be affected by the blast, heat, or fire. Department of Defense studies
show that in any nuclear attack an enemy might launch against
us, tens of
millions of Americans would be outside the immediate damage
areas. To them- and to the people in the "light
damage" areas who survived the blast, heat, and fire-
radioactive fallout would be the main danger.
What would happen to people in case of
nuclear attack, therefore, would depend primarily upon their
nearness to a nuclear explosion.
TYPE OF PROTECTION NEEDED
People in the areas of heavy destruction would likely
need protection from various combinations of blast, initial
radiation, heat, fire, and radioactive fallout. This would call for
shelters strong enough to resist the blast pressure,
made of heat- and fire-resistant materials, and
sufficiently dense or heavy and thick to protect from initial
radiation and radioactive fallout. Usually, shelters affording
protection from blast, heat, and fire would also provide
appreciable protection from radioactive fallout.
Although many people in the "light damage" areas
would likely survive the blast. heat, and fire effects, they would
still need protection from radioactive fallout. By improvising blast
and heat protection with attendant improvement in fallout protection, the lives of
millions of additional people could be saved.
However, people caught in the area of the fireball
would no doubt be killed. Therefore, people living in or near
likely target or high-risk areas may wish to relocate in safer areas
and take fallout shelter there. (See Chapter 7, "The Relocation
Option".) This would be a serious option for many to consider if a period
of international tension permitting time for such relocation should
precede a nationwide nuclear attack.
For those people outside the immediate
damage areas and for those relocating to lower-risk areas
prior to an attack, effective protective measures can be taken
against the danger of radioactive fallout.
WHAT IS FALLOUT?
When a nuclear weapon explodes near the ground,
great quantities of pulverized earth and other debris are sucked up
into the nuclear cloud. There the radioactive gases produced by the
explosion condense on and into this debris, producing radioactive fallout
particles. Within a short time, these particles fall back to earth-
the larger ones first, the smaller ones later. On
the way down, and after they reach the ground,
the radioactive particles give off invisible gamma rays- like X-rays- too much
of which can kill or injure people. These particles give off most of their
radiation quickly; therefore the first few hours or days after an
attack would be the most dangerous period.
In dangerously affected areas the particles
themselves would look like grains of salt or sand; but the rays they
would give off could not be seen tasted, smelled, or felt. Special
instruments would be required to detect the rays and measure their
intensity.
The distribution of fallout particles after a
nuclear attack would depend on wind currents, weather
conditions, and other factors. There is no way of
predicting in advance what areas of the country would
be affected by fallout, or how soon the particles would fall back to earth at a
particular location.
Some communities might get a heavy
accumulation of fallout, while others- even in the same
general area- might get little or none. No area in the U.S. could be sure
of not getting fallout, and it is probable that some fallout particles
would be deposited on most of the country.
Areas close to a nuclear explosion might receive
fallout within 15 - 30 minutes. It might take 5 - 10 hours or more for the
particles to drift down on a community 100 or 200 miles away.
Generally, the first 24 hours after fallout began to
settle would be the most dangerous period to
a community's residents. The heavier particles
falling during that time would still be highly radioactive and give off
strong rays. The lighter particles falling later would have lost much of
their radiation high in the atmosphere.
FALLOUT CAUSES RADIATION SICKNESS
The invisible gamma rays given off by
fallout particles can cause radiation sickness- that
is, illness caused by physical and chemical changes in
the cells of the body. If a person receives a large dose of
radiation, he will die. But if he receives only a small or medium
dose, his body will repair itself and he will get well. The same dose
received over a short period of time is more damaging than if it is received over a
longer period. Usually, the effects of a given dose of radiation are more
severe in very young and very old persons, and those not in good health.
SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF RADIATION EXPOSURE
Following are estimated short-term effects
on humans of external exposure to gamma radiation from
fallout during a period of less than 1 week. The total
exposure is given in terms of Roentgens (R), a unit for measuring
the amount of radiation exposure.
| EXPOSURE | SHORT-TERM EFFECTS |
| 0 - 50 R | No visible effects |
| 50 - 200 R | Brief
periods of nausea on day of exposure. 50% may experience radiation sickness (nausea); 5% may require medical attention; no deaths expected |
| 200 - 450 R | Most will
require medical attention because of serious radiation sickness. 50% deaths within two to four weeks |
| 450 - 600 R | Serious
radiation sickness; all require medical attention. Death for more than 50% within one to three weeks |
| Over 600 R | Severe radiation sickness. 100% deaths in two weeks |
No
special clothing can protect people against gamma radiation, and no
special drugs or chemicals can prevent large doses of radiation from
causing damage to the cells of the body. However, antibiotics and
other medicines are helpful in treating infections that sometimes follow
excessive exposure to radiation (which weakens the body's ability to fight
infections).
Almost all of the radiation that people
would absorb from fallout particles would come from particles
outside their own bodies. Only simple precautions would be
necessary to avoid swallowing the particles, and because
of their size (like grains of sand) it would be
practically impossible to inhale them.
People exposed to fallout radiation do not
become radioactive and thereby dangerous to other people. Radiation
sickness is not contagious or infectious, and one person cannot "catch
it" from another person.
PROTECTION IS POSSIBLE
People can protect themselves against fallout
radiation, and have a good chance of surviving it, by staying inside a
fallout shelter. In most cases, the fallout radiation level
outside the shelter would decrease rapidly enough to permit
people to leave the shelter within a few days.
Even in communities that receive
heavy accumulations of fallout particles, people soon might be
able to leave shelter for a few minutes or a few hours at a time in order to
perform emergency tasks. In most places, it is unlikely that full-time shelter
occupancy would be required for more than a week or two.
Information from trained radiological
monitors, using special instruments to detect and measure the
intensity of fallout radiation, would be used to advise people
when it is safe to leave shelter.
MANY KINDS OF FALLOUT SHELTERS
The farther away you are from the fallout particles
outside, the less radiation you will receive. Also, the building materials
(concrete, brick, lumber, etc.) that are between you and the fallout
particles serve to absorb many of the gamma rays and keep them from
reaching you.
A fallout shelter, therefore, does not need to be
a special type of building or an underground bunker. It can be any space,
provided the walls and roof are thick enough to absorb many of the
rays given off by the fallout particles outside, and
thus keep dangerous amounts of radiation from reaching the people
inside the structure.
A shelter can be the basement
or inner corridor of any large building; the
basement of a private home; a subway or tunnel; or even a backyard
trench with some kind of shielding material (heavy lumber, earth, bricks, etc.)
serving as a roof.
In addition to protecting people from fallout
radiation, most fallout shelters also would provide some limited protection
against the blast and heat effects of nuclear explosions that were not
close by.
Chapter 3, "Fallout Shelters, Public
and Private," discusses the various types of
fallout shelters that people can use to
protect themselves in case of nuclear attack.
FOOD AND WATER WOULD BE AVAILABLE AND USABLE
From many studies, the Federal Government has
determined that enough food and water would be available after an attack
to sustain our surviving citizens. However, temporary food shortages
might occur in some areas, until food was shipped there from other
areas.
Most of the Nation's remaining food supplies would be
usable after an attack. Since radiation passing through food does not
contaminate it, the only danger would be the actual
swallowing of fallout particles that happened to be on the
food itself (or on the can or package containing the food), and these could be
wiped or washed off. Reaping, threshing, canning and other
processing would prevent any dangerous quantities of fallout
particles from getting into processed foods. If
necessary to further protect the population,
special precautions would be taken by food
processors.
Water systems might be affected somewhat by radioactive
fallout, but the risk would be small, especially if a
few simple precautions were taken. Water stored in covered
containers and water in covered wells would not be contaminated after an
attack, because the fallout particles could not get into the water.
Even if the containers were not covered (such as buckets or bathtubs
filled with emergency supplies of water), as long as they were
indoors it is highly unlikely that fallout particles would get into them.
Practically all of the particles that dropped
into open reservoirs, lakes, and streams (or into open containers or
wells) would settle to the bottom. Any that didn't would
be removed when the water was filtered before being pumped to
containers. A small amount of radioactive material might remain, but at
the most it would be of concern for only a few weeks.
Milk contamination from fallout is
not expected to be a serious problem after an attack. If cows
graze on contaminated pasture and swallow fallout particles that contain some
radioactive elements, their milk might be harmful to the thyroid glands of
infants and small children. Therefore, if possible, they should be given canned
or powdered milk for a few weeks if authorities say that
the regular milk supply is contaminated by radioactive
elements.
In summary, the danger of people receiving
harmful doses of fallout radiation through food, water, or
milk is very small. People suffering from extreme hunger or thirst
should not be denied these necessities after an attack, even
if the only available supplies might contain fallout
particles.
Chapter 2
WARNING
An enemy
attack on the United States probably would be preceded by a period
of international tension or crisis. This crisis period would help alert
all citizens to the possibility of attack.
If an attack actually occurs, it is almost
certain that incoming enemy planes and missiles would be
detected by our networks of warning stations in time for citizens to
get into shelters or at least take cover. This warning time might be as little
as 5 - 15 minutes in some situations, or as much as an hour or more in others.
How you received warning of an attack
would depend on where you happen to be at that time. You
might hear the warning given on radio or television, or even by
word-of-mouth. Or your first notice of attack might come from the outdoor
warning system in your city, town, or village.
Many U.S. cities and towns have outdoor warning
systems, using sirens, whistles, horns, or bells. Although they have been
installed mainly to warn citizens of enemy attack, some local governments also
use them in connection with natural disasters and other peacetime
catastrophes.
Different cities and towns are using their outdoor
warning systems in different ways. Most local governments, however, have decided
to use a certain signal to warn people of an enemy attack, and a
different signal to notify them of a peacetime disaster.
THE STANDARD WARNING SIGNALS
The two "standard" signals that have been
adopted in most communities are these:
THE ATTACK WARNING SIGNAL. This will be sounded only in case of enemy attack. The signal itself is a 3- to 5-minute wavering sound on the siren, or a series of short blasts on whistles, horns, or other devices, repeated as deemed necessary. The Attack Warning Signal means that an actual enemy attack against the United States has been detected, and that protective action should be taken immediately. This signal has no other meaning, and will be used for no other purpose.
THE ATTENTION OR ALERT SIGNAL. This is used by some local governments to get the attention of citizens in a time of threatened or impending natural disaster, or some other peacetime emergency. The signal itself is a 3- to 5- minute steady blast on sirens, whistles, horns, or other devices. In most places, the Attention or Alert signal means that
the local government wants to broadcast important information on radios or television concerning a peacetime disaster.
WHAT TO DO WHEN SIGNALS SOUND
1. If you should hear the Attack Warning Signal- unless your local government has instructed you otherwise- go immediately to a public fallout shelter or to your home fallout shelter. Turn on a radio, tune it to any local station that is broadcasting, and listen for official information. Follow whatever instructions are given.
If you are at home and there is no public or private shelter available, you may be able to improvise some last-minute protection for yourself and your family by following the suggestions in Chapter 4, "Improvising Fallout Protection."
2. If you should hear the Attention or Alert Signal, turn on a radio or TV set, tune it to any local station, and follow the official instructions being broadcast.
DON'T USE THE TELEPHONE
Whichever signal is sounding, don't use the telephone
to obtain further information and advice about the emergency. Depend on radio
and television, since the government will be broadcasting all the information it
has available. The telephone lines will be needed for official calls. Help keep
them open.
LEARN YOUR COMMUNITY'S SIGNALS NOW
As mentioned before, not all communities in the U.S.
have outdoor warning systems, and not all communities with outdoor warning
systems have adopted the two "standard" warning signals.
You should therefore find out now from your local
Civil Defense Office what signals are being used in your community; hat they
sound like; what they mean; and what actions you should take when you hear them.
Then memorize this information, or write it down on a card to carry with you at
all times. Also, post it in your home. Check at least once each year to
see if there are any changes.
IF THERE IS A NUCLEAR FLASH
It is possible- but extremely unlikely- that your first
warning of an enemy attack might be the flash of a nuclear explosion in the sky
some distance away. Or there might be a flash after warning had been
given, possibly while you were on your way to shelter.
*TAKE COVER INSTANTLY. If there should be
a nuclear flash- especially if you are outdoors and feel warmth at the same
time- take cover instantly in the best place you can find. By getting inside or
under something within a few seconds, you might avoid being seriously burned by
the heat or injured by the blast wave of the nuclear explosion. If the
explosion were some distance away, you might have 5 to 15 seconds before being
seriously injured by the heat, and perhaps 15 to 60 seconds before the blast
wave arrived. Getting under cover within these time limits might save your life
or avoid serious injury. Also, to avoid injuring your eyes, never look at the
flash of an explosion or the nuclear fireball.
*WHERE TO TAKE COVER. You could take cover in
any kind of a building, a storm cellar or fruit cellar, a subway station, or
tunnel; or even in a ditch or culvert alongside the road, a highway underpass, a
storm sewer, a cave or outcropping of rock, a pile of heavy materials, a trench
or other excavation. Even getting under a parked automobile, bus or train,
or a heavy piece of furniture, would protect you to some extent. If no
cover is available, simply lie down on the ground and curl up. The important
thing is to avoid being burned by the heat, thrown about by the blast, or struck by flying objects.
*BEST POSITION AFTER TAKING COVER. After
taking cover you should lie on your side in a curled-up position, and cover your
head with your arms and hands. This would give you some additional protection.
*MOVE TO A FALLOUT SHELTER LATER. If you
protected yourself against the blast and heat waves by instantly taking
cover, you could get protection from the radioactive fallout (which would
arrive later) by moving to a fallout shelter.
Chapter 3
FALLOUT SHELTERS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
After a
nuclear attack, fallout particles would drift down on most areas of this
country. To protect themselves from the radiation given off by these particles,
people in affected areas would have to stay in fallout shelters for 2 or 3
days to as long as 2 weeks. Many people would go to public fallout shelters,
while others- through choice or necessity- would take refuge in private or
home fallout shelters.
IDENTIFYING PUBLIC SHELTERS
Most communities now have public fallout shelters that
would protect many of their residents against fallout radiation. Where there are
still not enough public shelters to accommodate all citizens, efforts are being
made to locate more. In the meantime, local governments plan to make use of the
best available shelter.
Most of the existing public shelters are located in
larger buildings and are marked with the standard yellow-and-black fallout
shelter sign. Other public shelters are in smaller buildings,
subways, tunnels, mines and other facilities. These also are marked with shelter
signs, or would be marked in a time of emergency.
LEARN THE LOCATIONS OF PUBLIC SHELTERS
An attack might come at any hour of the day or night.
Therefore you should find out now the locations of those public fallout
shelters designated by the local government for your use. If no designations
have yet been made, learn the locations of public shelters that are nearest to
you when you are at home, work, school, or any other place where you spend
considerable time.
This advice applies to all members of the family.
Your children especially should be given clear instructions now on where to find
a fallout shelter at all times of the day, and told what other actions they
should take in case an attack should occur.
A HOME SHELTER MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE
Public fallout shelters usually offer some advantages
over home shelters. However, in many places- especially suburban and rural
areas- there are few public shelters. If there is none near you now, a home
fallout shelter may save your life.
The basements of some homes are usable as family
fallout shelters as they now stand, without any alterations or changes-
especially if the house has two or more stories, and its basement is below
ground level.
However, most home basements would need some
improvements in order to shield their occupants adequately from the radiation
given off by fallout particles. Usually, householders can make these
improvements themselves,
with moderate effort and at low cost.
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN HOME SHELTER SURVEY
If you do not have information about the fallout
protection of your basement, you may obtain it quickly as follows:
Select the answer in each multiple choice question
which most nearly applies to your home. Write the number of points selected in
the blank space provided opposite each question. Add the numbers written in the
blanks. Write the sum in the blank opposite "TOTAL POINTS"
and compare your total with the "Shelter Protection" table.
1. How many stories are above the ground level in this house?
( ) One story...............................................11 points_____
( ) One and one-half stories.................................9 points_____
( ) Two stories..............................................6 points_____
( ) Three stories or more....................................3 points_____
2. What is the maximum exposure of any basement wall above the ground?
(Exclude exterior entrances of 3 feet width or less.)
( ) No basement (skip question 3)...........................15 points_____
( ) 3 feet or more...........................................8 points_____
( ) 2 to 3 feet..............................................3 points_____
( ) 1 to 2 feet..............................................1 point______
( ) less than 1 foot.........................................0 points_____
3. What is the principal material of the basement walls?
( ) Cinder block or concrete block...........................2 points_____
( ) Stone, brick, or poured concrete.........................0 points_____
4. What is the principal material of the first story walls?
( ) Solid brick or stone, concrete...........................3 points_____
( ) Other....................................................0 points_____
5. Is the home attached to or closer than 10 feet to another home or homes
of similar size and construction?
( ) No.......................................................2 points_____
( ) Yes, 1 side..............................................1 point______
( ) Yes, 2 sides.............................................0 points_____
__________________
------------------
TOTAL POINTS_____
Shelter potential: Up to 13 points- adequate
14 - 19 points- improvable at low cost
20 or more points- low
Remember, in this type of survey,
the lowest number of points means highest degree of fallout shielding.
SHIELDING MATERIAL IS REQUIRED
In setting up any home fallout shelter, the basic aim
is to place enough "shielding material" between the people in the
shelter and the fallout particles outside.
Shielding material is any substance that would absorb
and deflect the invisible rays given off by the fallout particles outside
the house, and thus reduce the amount of radiation reaching the occupants of the
shelter. The thicker, heavier, or denser the shielding material is, the
more it would protect the shelter occupants.
Some radiation protection is provided by the existing,
standard walls and ceiling of a basement. But if they are not thick or dense
enough, other shielding material will have to be added.
Concrete, bricks, earth, and sand are some of the
materials that are dense or heavy enough to provide fallout
protection. For comparative purposes, 4 inches of concrete would provide
the same shielding density as:
-5 to 6 inches of bricks
-6 inches of sand or gravel may be packed into bags, cartons, boxes,
-7 inches of earth or other containers for easier handling
-8 inches of hollow concrete blocks (6 inches if filled with sand)
-10 inches of water
-14 inches of books or magazines
-18 inches of wood.
HOW TO PREPARE A HOME SHELTER
If there is no public fallout shelter near your home,
or if you would prefer to use a family-type shelter in a time of
attack, you should prepare a home fallout shelter. Here is how to do it:
*A PERMANENT BASEMENT SHELTER. If your home
basement- or one corner of it- is below ground level, your best and easiest
action would be to build a fallout shelter there. If you have basic carpentry or
masonry skills, you probably could buy the necessary shielding material and do
the work yourself in a short time. If you decide to set up one of these shelters, first get the free plan for it by writing to the U.S. Army
AG Publications Center, Civil Preparedness Section, 2800
Eastern Blvd., (Middle River), Baltimore, Maryland 21220. In
ordering a plan, use the full name shown for it.
The FEMA sketches of these shelters have
necessarily been omitted here, as well as some of the related text. The names of
the shelter plans are:
-Ceiling Modification Plan A
-Alternate Ceiling Modification Plan B
-Permanent Concrete Block or Brick Shelter Plan C
-Preplanned Snack Bar Shelter Plan D
-Preplanned Tilt-up Storage Unit Plan E
*A PERMANENT OUTSIDE SHELTER. If your home has no basement, or if you prefer to have a permanent-type home shelter in your yard, you can obtain free construction plans by writing to (the same address.)
-Outside Concrete Shelter, Plan H-12-1
-Aboveground Fallout Shelter, Plan H-12-2 ]
FEMA sketches and explanatory text omitted
Chapter 4
IMPROVISING FALLOUT PROTECTION
If an enemy
attack should occur when you are at home, and you have made no advance shelter
preparations, you still might be able to improvise a shelter either inside or
outside your house. In a time of emergency, the radio broadcasts may tell you
whether you have time to improvise a shelter or whether you should take cover
immediately.
An improvised shelter probably would not give you as
much protection as a permanent or a preplanned family
shelter, but any protection is better than none, and might
save your life.
The best place to improvise a shelter would be the
basement or storm cellar, if your home has one.
SHIELDING MATERIAL NEEDED
To improvise a shelter you would need
shielding materials such as those mentioned on page 20-
concrete blocks, bricks, sand, etc. Other things could
also be used as shielding material, or to support shielding material, such
as:
-House doors that have been taken off their hinges (especially heavy outside doors).
-Dressers and chests (fill the drawers with sand or earth after they are placed in position, so they won't be too heavy to carry and won't collapse while being carried).
-Trunks, boxes, and cartons (fill them with sand or earth after they are placed in position).
-Tables and bookcases.
-Books, magazines, and stacks of firewood or lumber.
-Flagstones from outside walks and patios.
IMPROVISING A BASEMENT SHELTER
Here are two ways of improvising fallout protection in
the basement of a home.
Set up a large, sturdy table or workbench in the
corner of your basement that is most below ground level.
On the table, pile as much shielding material as it
will hold without collapsing. Around the table, place as much shielding
material as possible.
When family members are "inside the shelter"-
that is, under the table- block the opening with other shielding material.
If you don't have a large table or workbench
available- or if more shelter space is needed- place furniture or large
appliances in the corner of the basement so they will serve as the
"walls" of your shelter.
As a "ceiling" for it, use doors from the
house that have been taken off their hinges. On top of the doors, pile as
much shielding material as they will support. Stack other shielding
material around the "walls" of your shelter.
When all persons are inside the shelter space, block
the opening with shielding material.
USING A STORM CELLAR FOR FALLOUT PROTECTION
A below-ground storm cellar can be used as an
improvised fallout shelter, but additional shielding material may be needed to
provide adequate protection from fallout radiation.
If the existing roof of the storm cellar is
made of wood or other light material, it should
be covered with one foot of earth or an equivalent
thickness of other shielding material (see pages 21 and 22) for overhead
shielding from fallout. More posts or braces may be needed to
support the extra weight.
After the roof has been shielded, better
protection can be provided by blocking the entrance way with 8-inch
concrete blocks or an equivalent thickness of sandbags, bricks,
earth, or other shielding material, after all the occupants
are inside the shelter. After particles have stopped falling, the
outside door may be left open to provide further ventilation.
If shielding material is not available for the entrance
way, shelter occupants should stay as far away from it as possible.
They also should raise the outside door of the storm cellar
now and then to knock off any fallout particles that may have collected on
it.
USING THE CRAWL SPACE UNDER YOUR HOUSE
Some homes without basements have
"crawl space" between the first floor and the ground
underneath the house. If you have this space under your house-
and if the house is set on foundation walls, rather than on pillars-
you can improvise fallout protection for your family there.
First, get access to the crawl space through the floor
or through the outside foundation wall. (A trapdoor or other entry
could be made now, before an emergency occurs.)
As the location for your shelter, select a
crawl-space area that is under the center of the house, as far
away from the outside foundation walls as possible.
Around the selected shelter area,
place shielding material- preferably bricks or blocks, or containers
filled with earth- from the ground level up to the first
floor of the house, so that the shielding material forms the
"walls" of your shelter area. On the floor above, place other
shielding material to form a "roof" for the shelter area.
If time permits, dig out more earth and make the
shelter area deeper, so that you can stand erect or at least sit up in it.
IMPROVISING AN OUTSIDE SHELTER
If your home has no basement, no storm cellar and no
protected crawl space, here are three ways of improvising fallout
protection in your yard.
SHELTER UNDER A HOUSE SLAB
An excellent fallout shelter can be built by excavating
under a small portion of the house slab.
First, dig a trench alongside the house, preferably
alongside an eave to help keep out rainwater. Once the bottom of the slab
foundation wall is reached, dig out a space under the slab. The area can very in
size, but it should not extend back more than 4 feet from the
outside edge of the foundation wall.
Place support shoring under the slab, and
pile dirt on top of the slab inside the house
to improvise overhead shielding from fallout radiation.
You can add to the protection by making a lean-to
over the entrance trench, using boards or house doors,
covering them with soil, and and covering this with a
polyethylene sheet to keep out rainwater.
OUTSIDE TRENCH SHELTER
Dig an L-shaped trench, about 4 feet deep and 3
feet wide. One side of the L, which will be the
shelter area, should be long enough to accommodate
all family members. The other side of the L can be shorter, since
its purpose is to serve as an entrance-way and to reduce the amount of
radiation getting into the shelter area.
Cover the entire trench with lumber (or with
house doors that have been taken off their hinges), except for about
2 feet on the short side of the L, to provide access and ventilation.
On top of the lumber or doors, pile earth 1 to 2 feet
high, or cover them with other shielding material.
If necessary, support or "shore up" the walls
of the trench, as well as the lumber or doors, so they will not collapse.
OUTSIDE LEAN-TO SHELTER
Dig a shallow ditch, 6 inches deep and 6 inches wide,
parallel to and 4 feet from the outside wall of your house.
Remove the heaviest doors from the house. Place
the bottoms of the doors in the ditch (so they won't
slip) and lean the doors against the wall of the house.
On the doors, pile 12 to 18 inches of earth or
sand. Stack or pile other shielding material at the sides of the
doors, and also on the other side of the house wall (to protect you
against radiation coming from that direction.)
If possible, make the shelter area deeper by
digging out more earth inside it. Also dig some other shallow
ditches, to allow rain water to drain away.
BOATS AS IMPROVISED SHELTERS
If no better fallout protection is available, a boat
with an enclosed cabin could be used. However, in addition to emergency
supplies such as food, drinking water and battery-powered radio, you
should have aboard the items you would need (a broom, bucket, or
pump-and-hose) to sweep off or flush off any fallout particles that might
collect on the boat.
The boat should be anchored or
cruised slowly at least 200 feet offshore, where
the water is at least 5 feet deep. This distance from shore
would protect you from radioactive fallout particles that had fallen on
the nearby land. A 5-foot depth would absorb the
radiation from particles falling into the water and settling on the
bottom.
If particles drift down onto the boat, stay inside the
cabin most of the time. Go outside now and then, and sweep or flush
off any particles that have collected on the boat.
Chapter 5
SHELTER LIVING
SUPPLIES FOR FALLOUT SHELTERS
People gathered in public and private
fallout shelters to escape fallout radiation after
a nuclear attack would have to stay there- at least part of
the time- for a week or two.
During this time they would need certain supplies
and equipment in order to stay alive and well, and to cope
with emergency situations that might occur in their shelters.
This chapter tells you what supplies and
equipment to take with you if you go t a public fallout shelter, and
what items you should keep on hand if you plan to use a family
fallout shelter at home.
To augment the supplies of water and food
normally found in or near large structures where public
fallout shelter is usually located, you should plan to take
the following with you:
-Special medications or foods required by members of your family, such as insulin, heart tablets, dietetic food, or baby food.
-A blanket for each family member.
-A battery-powered radio, flashlight, extra batteries for each, and
writing materials for taking notes on information given over the radio.
-As much potable liquids (water, fruit and vegetable juices, etc.)
and ready-to-eat food as you can carry to the shelter.
STOCKS FOR A HOME SHELTER
If you
intend to use a home fallout shelter, you should gather together now
all the things you and your family would need for 2 weeks, even though you
probably wouldn't have to remain inside the shelter for the entire period.
All these items need not be stocked in your home
shelter area. They can be stored elsewhere in or around your house, as
long as you could find them easily and move them to your shelter area
quickly in a time of emergency.
*THE ABSOLUTE NECESSITIES. There are a
few things you must have. They are water, food, sanitation supplies, and
any special medicines or foods needed by family members such as insulin, heart
tablets, dietetic food, and baby food.
*THE COMPLETE LIST. In addition to
the absolute necessities, there are other important items.
Some of them may be needed to save lives. At the least, they will be
helpful to you. Here is a list of all major items- both essential and desirable.
WATER. This is even more important than
food. Each person will need at least one quart of water per day. Some will need
more. As explained on pages 39 and 40, do not ration drinking water.
Store it in plastic containers, or in bottles or cans. All should have
tight stoppers. Part of your water supply might be "trapped"
water in the pipes of your home plumbing system, and part of it might be
in the form of bottled or canned beverages, fruit or vegetable
juices, or milk. A water-purifying agent (either water-purifying
tablets, or 2 percent tincture of iodine, or a liquid household chlorine bleach)
should also be stored, in case you need to purify any cloudy or
"suspicious" water that may contain bacteria.
FOOD. Enough food should be kept on hand
to feed all shelter occupants for 14 days, including special foods needed
by infants, elderly persons, and those on limited diets. Most people in
shelter can get along on about half as much as usual and can survive without
food for several days if necessary. If possible, store canned or
sealed package foods, preferably those not requiring refrigeration
or cooking. These should be replaced periodically. Here is a table showing
the suggested replacement periods, in months, for some of the types of
food suitable to store for emergency use. (This table, and other
suggestions concerning emergency supplies of food and
water, is contained in "Family Food Stockpile for
Survival," Home and Garden Bulletin No. 77, available to individuals free,
from the U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Office of Communications, Washington, D.C. 20250.)
| Item Category | Item Description | Replace After (Mo.s) |
| Milk | Evaporated | 6 |
| Nonfat dry or whole dry milk, in metal container | 6 | |
| Canned meat, poultry, fish | Meat, poultry | 18 |
| Fish | 12 | |
| Mixtures of meats, vegetables, cereal products | 18 | |
| Condensed meat and vegetable soups | 8 | |
| Fruits and vegetables | Berries and sour cherries, canned | 6 |
| Citrus fruit juices, canned | 6 | |
| Other fruit and fruit juices, canned | 18 | |
| Dried fruit, in metal container | 6 | |
| Tomatoes, sauerkraut, canned | 6 | |
| Other vegetables, canned (including dry beans and dry peas) | 18 | |
| Cereals and baked goods | ||
| Ready-to-eat cereals | In metal container | 12 |
| In original paper package | 1 | |
| Uncooked cereal (quick-cooking or instant) | In metal container | 24 |
| In original paper package | 12 | |
| Sugars, sweets, and nuts | Sugar, Salt | indefinitely |
| Hard candy, gum | 18 | |
| Nuts, canned | 12 | |
| Instant puddings | 12 | |
| Miscellaneous | Coffee, tea, cocoa (instant) | 18 |
| Dry cream product (instant) | 12 | |
| Bouillon products | 12 | |
| Flavored beverage powders | 24 | |
| Flavoring extracts (e.g., pepper) | 24 | |
| Soda, baking powder | 12 | |
| Hydrogenated (or antioxidant-treated) fats, vegetable oil | 12 | |
SANITATION
SUPPLIES. Since you may not be able to use your regular bathroom during a
period of emergency, you should keep on hand these sanitation supplies: A
metal container with a tight-fitting lid to use as an emergency toilet;
one or two large garbage cans with covers (for human wastes and garbage);
plastic bags to line the toilet container; disinfectant; toilet paper; soap;
wash cloths and towels; a pail or basin; and sanitary napkins.
MEDICINES AND FIRST AID SUPPLIES. This
should include any medicines being regularly taken, or likely to be needed, by
family members. First aid supplies should include all those found in a good
first aid kit (bandages, antiseptics, etc.) plus all the items normally kept
in a well-stocked home medicine chest (aspirin, thermometer, baking soda,
petroleum jelly, etc.). A good first aid handbook is also recommended.
INFANT SUPPLIES. Families with babies should
keep on hand a two-week stock of infant supplies such as canned milk or
baby formula, disposable diapers, bottles and nipples, rubber
sheeting, blankets and baby clothing. Because water for washing might be
limited, baby clothing and bedding should be stored in larger-than-normal
quantities.
COOKING AND EATING UTENSILS. Emergency supplies
should include pots, pans, knives, forks, spoons, cups, napkins,
paper towels, measuring cup, bottle opener, can opener, and pocket knife.
If possible, disposable items
should be stored. A heat source also might be helpful, such as an electric hot
plate (for use if power is available), or a camp stove or canned-heat
stove (in case power is shut off). However, if a stove is used
indoors, adequate ventilation is needed.
CLOTHING. Several changes of clean clothing-
especially undergarments and socks or stockings- should be ready for shelter
use, in case water for washing should be scarce.
BEDDING. Blankets are the most important items
of bedding that would be needed in a shelter, but occupants probably would be
more comfortable if they also had available pillows, sheets, and air mattresses
or sleeping bags.
FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT.
Simple fire fighting tools, and the knowledge of how to use
them, may be very useful. A hand-pumped fire extinguisher of the
inexpensive, 5-gallon, water type is preferred. Carbon tetrachloride and
other vaporizing-liquid type extinguishers are not recommended for use in
small enclosed spaces, because of the danger of fumes. Other useful
fire equipment for home use includes buckets filled with sand, a
ladder, and a garden hose.
GENERAL EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS. The essential
items in this list are a battery-powered radio and a flashlight or
lantern, with spare batteries the radio might be your only link with the outside
world, and you might have to depend on it for all your information and
instructions, especially for advice on when to leave shelter. Include writing
materials for taking notes on information given over the radio. Other
useful items: a shovel, broom, axe, crowbar, kerosene lanterns, short rubber hose for siphoning, coil of half-inch rope at least 25
feet long, coil of wire, hammer, pliers, screwdriver, wrench, nails and screws.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. In addition to such
practical items as matches, candles, and civil defense instructions, some
personal convenience items could be brought into the home shelter if space
permits. These might include books and magazines, a clock, and
calendar, playing cards, and hobby materials, a sewing kit,
and toiletries such as toothbrushes, cosmetics, and shaving
supplies.
WATER, FOOD, AND SANITATION IN A SHELTER
At all times and under all conditions,
human beings must have sufficient water, adequate food and
proper sanitation in order to stay alive and healthy. With people
living in a shelter- even for a week or two- water and food might be
scarce, and it would be difficult to maintain normal sanitary conditions.
Water and food supplies would have to be "managed" - that is, kept
clean, and used carefully by each person in the shelter. Sanitation also would
have to be managed and controlled, perhaps by setting up
emergency toilets and rules to insure that they are used properly.
missing segment
de the risk area, but within a reasonable distance, go
there as soon as possible. As relocation gets underway, it
may be difficult or impossible to get to the location of your
choice.
*If you do not have a definite location to go to...
You should proceed to the nearest reception area
indicated by your government officials.
*If you are a key worker...
If you have been designated by your employer as a
key worker in an essential industry, you may be
expected to go with your family to a reserved nearby
reception area. You would probably not be expected to stay in location at
your high-risk area, but you would probably commute daily to work
from your assigned reception area. Protection would be provided for
you while in your high-risk location, and you would be able to join
your family after work.
HOW TO GET THERE
If you have a car, truck, camper, or recreational
vehicle, drive it to your designated reception area, using the
route given by your local officials. Remember that several days
should be available for relocating all those living in the high-risk
area. Take the time you need to prepare and pack.
Relocation routes will be designated to assure that
residents will be equally distributed among the reception counties
so that there will be adequate food and lodging for you and your
family. If you use a route not assigned to you, you may
find the reception area you have chosen is filled,
and there is no room or accommodations for you.
Follow the relocation route to the reception county as
indicated by your local officials. Wherever possible,
police officers will be on duty to advise and direct you. Obey all
instructions by law enforcement officers.
If you get caught in a traffic jam, turn off your
engine, remain in your car, listen for official instructions, and be
patient. Do not get out of the line to find an alternate route. All
routes will be crowded. If traffic is stopped for an
hour or more, do not leave your car for any reason.
Be sure you have adequate gasoline when you start out.
DO NOT BUY ANY MORE GAS THAN YOU WILL NEED. Gasoline will be in short supply and
will be needed to provide you with food and other essential
supplies. But if you run out of gas or have other mechanical difficulties, move your car to the side
of the road out of traffic lanes to allow traffic
to continue. Service to stalled autos will be available during the
evacuation period. Leave your hood up as a sign
that you are stalled, and you will be assisted as soon
as possible.
If you have no private means of transportation, public
transportation will probably be provided to move you to your reception area. If
you are physically unable to get to
transportation, make arrangements to be picked up and be transported to your
reception area.
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARRIVE
When you reach a major community or town in your
assigned reception county, proceed immediately to your assigned reception
area.
At the center you will register yourself and your
family. Reception county officials will make every effort to assign you to
a place to sleep, in a larger building or possibly with
a private household that has volunteered to share their
home.
Lodging in Public Buildings...
If you are assigned to a public building such as a
school, church, or other temporary lodging center, do everything you
can to help maintain order and sanitary living
conditions. Elect a leader and form working groups to help
local officials and volunteers with such tasks as:
- Cooking and feeding services
- Providing water supply
- Cleaning up trash and garbage
- Maintaining order
- Assuring quiet during sleeping hours
- Organizing recreation and religious activities
- Arranging medical care for the sick and assisting the handicapped
HOW TO KEEP INFORMED
Listen to the radio for information and advice from
national, State, and local officials. You will be told when you should
return home. DO NOT RETURN HOME BEFORE YOU ARE ADVISED TO DO SO. It
is impossible to predict how long you will have to stay in the reception
area. It could be only for a few days or could last for a week or more.
If a nuclear attack should occur and
the Emergency Broadcasting System (EBS) is in operation, a
number of radio stations will remain on the air to provide emergency
information. All other radio stations will stop broadcasting. Those emergency
stations remaining on the air will provide you with information and
instructions that you will need.
FINDING FALLOUT SHELTER IN HOST AREAS
Many larger buildings have been designed as public
fallout shelters. They are marked by signs like this:
[yellow-and-black
sign with trefoil radiation symbol on top and words "Fallout
Shelter" with directional arrows on bottom]
Host areas usually do not have
enough shelters for their own residents.
Consequently, it will be necessary for many residents of host counties
AND FOR MOST CITY EVACUEES to upgrade to protection
in the building they are to stay in or to try to improvise
their own fallout protection.
Residents of host areas are
encouraged to share their homes and shelter facilities
as far as possible. Both the residents of the host areas
and the city evacuees will have to WORK HARD FOR A DAY OR MORE to
construct improvised shelters to protect against fallout. In this
case, radiation protection would be "cheap as
dirt." Up grading existing structures by piling earth outside
them can be done by adding an average of one cubic yard of earth for each
10 square feet of shelter space to be developed (more for some buildings,
less for others.) Moving a cubic yard of earth is not easy- it's
about 80 to 100 buckets full- but can be done if everyone works for their
survival.
Generally, shelter in host areas can be found in the
following:
*Buildings which have been identified in the National
Shelter Survey and marked with a shelter sign.
*Home basements
*Buildings which can be upgraded to improve the fallout
protection by placing earth overhead and against the walls.
*Caves, mines, and tunnels.
*Expedient fallout shelters involving digging of
trenches, movement of earth, or use of materials at hand, such as
tables, doors, bricks, or books.
For specific information on
improvising fallout protection, see Chapter 4,
"Improvising Fallout Shelters."
Chapter 8
EMERGENCY CARE OF THE SICK AND INJURED
A
nuclear attack on the United States would cause great numbers of
casualties, and there would be fewer doctors,
nurses, and hospitals available to care for
them. Even in areas where no nuclear weapons exploded,
radioactive fallout could prevent doctors and
nurses from reaching sick or injured persons for a considerable period of
time. People would have to help each other during the emergency, and
would have to depend on their own knowledge of first aid and
emergency medical care.
Both adults and teenagers can acquire these
valuable skills now by taking free courses that are offered in many
communities, such as a First Aid course.
The following information is no substitute for one of
these courses. The basic guidance may save lives during a nuclear
emergency, however, by helping untrained persons take
care of the sick and injured when
professional medical assistance may not be immediately available.
GENERAL RULES FOR ANY MEDICAL EMERGENCY
1. First of all, DO NO HARM. Often,
well-meaning but untrained persons worsen the injury or illness in their
attempts to help. Get competent medical assistance, if possible. Do
not assume responsibility for a patient if you can get the help of a
doctor, nurse, or experienced first-aid worker. But if no one better qualified
is available, take charge yourself.
2. LOOK FOR STOPPAGE OF BREATHING, AND FOR
SERIOUS BLEEDING. These are the two most life-threatening conditions you
can do something about. They demand IMMEDIATE treatment (see pages 59 and
62).
3. PREVENT SHOCK, OR TREAT IT. Shock, a serious
condition of acute circulatory failure, usually accompanies a
severe or painful injury, a serious loss of blood, or a severe
emotional upset. If you EXPECT shock, and take prompt action, you can prevent it
or lessen its severity. This may save the patient's life. (Treatment of
shock is discussed on page 63.)
4. DON'T MOVE THE PATIENT IMMEDIATELY. Unless there is
REAL DANGER of the patient receiving further injury where he is, he should not
be moved until breathing is restored, bleeding is stopped, and
suspected broken bones are splinted.
5. KEEP CALM, AND REASSURE THE PATIENT.
Keep him lying down and comfortably warm, but do not apply heat to his body, or
make him sweat.
6. NEVER ATTEMPT TO GIVE LIQUIDS TO AN
UNCONSCIOUS PERSON. If he is not able to swallow, he may choke to death or
drown. Also, don't give him any liquids to drink if he has an abdominal injury.
IF THE PATIENT HAS STOPPED BREATHING
Quick action is required. You must
get air into his lungs again immediately or he may die.
The best and simplest way of doing this is to use mouth-to-mouth
artificial respiration. Here is how to do it.
1. Place the patient on his back. Loosen his collar.
2. Open his mouth and use your fingers to remove any
food or foreign matter, If he has false teeth or removable dental bridges,
take them out.
3. Tilt the patient's head back so that his chin points
upward. Lift his lower jaw from beneath and behind so that it juts out.
This will move his tongue away from the back of his throat, so it does not
block the air passage to his lungs. Placing a
pillow or something else under his shoulders will
help get his head into the right position. Some patients will start
breathing as soon as you take these steps, and no further help
is necessary.
4. Open your mouth as wide as possible, and place it
tightly over the patient's mouth, so his mouth is completely covered
by yours. With one hand, pinch his nostrils shut. With your other
hand, hold his lower jaw in a thrust-forward position and keep his
head tilted back. With a baby or small child, place your mouth over
both his nose and mouth, making a tight seal.
5. Blow a good lungful of air
into an adult patient's mouth, continuing to keep
his head tilted back and his jaw jutting out so that the air
passage is kept open. (Air can be blown through an unconscious
person's teeth, even though they may be clenched tightly together.) Watch
his chest as you blow. When you see his chest rise, you will know that you are
getting air into his lungs.
6. Remove your mouth from the patient's mouth, and
listen for him to breathe out the air you breathed into him. You also may
feel his breath on your cheek and see his chest sink as he exhales.
7. Continue your breathing for the patient. If he is an
adult, blow a good breath into his mouth every 5 seconds, or 12
times a minute, and listen for him to breathe it back out
again. Caution: If the patient is an infant or small child, blow small
puffs of air into him about 20 times a minute. You may rupture his lung if
you blow in too much air at one time. Watch his chest rise to make
sure you are giving him the right amount of air with each puff.
8. If you are not getting air into the patient's
lungs, or if he is not breathing out the air you blew into him, first make
sure that his head is tilted back and his jaw is jutting out in the proper
position. Then use your fingers to make sure nothing in his mouth or
throat is obstructing the air passage to his lungs. If this does not
help, then turn him on his side and strike him sharply with the palm of your hand
several times between the shoulder blades. This should dislodge any
obstruction in the air passage. Then place him again on his back,
with his head tilted back
and his jaw jutting out, and resume blowing air into his mouth. If
this doesn't work, try closing his mouth and blowing air through his nose
into his lungs.
9. If you wish to avoid placing your mouth directly on
the patient's face, you may hold a cloth (handkerchief, gauze, or other
porous material) over his mouth and breathe through the cloth. But
don't waste precious time looking for a cloth if you don't have one.
10. Important: Even if the patient does not
respond, continue your efforts for 1 hour or longer, or wait until
you are completely sure he is dead. If possible, have this confirmed by at
least one other person.
TO STOP SERIOUS BLEEDING
1. Apply firm, even pressure to the wound
with a dressing, clean cloth, or sanitary napkin. If you
don't have any of these, use your bare hand until you can get
something better. Remembers, you must keep blood from running
out of the patient's body. Loss of 1 or 2 quarts
will seriously endanger his life.
2. Hold the dressing in place with your hand
until you can bandage the dressing in place. In
case of an arm or leg wound, make sure the bandage is
not so tight as to cut off circulation; and raise the arm or leg
above the level of the patient's heart. (But if the arm or leg appears broken,
be sure to splint it first.)
3. Treat the patient for shock.
4. If blood soaks through the dressing, do not
remove the dressing. Apply more dressings.
5. SPECIAL ADVICE ON TOURNIQUETS: Never use a
tourniquet unless you cannot stop excessive, life-threatening
bleeding by any other method. Using a tourniquet increases the
chances that the arm or leg will have to be amputated later.
If you are forced to use a tourniquet to keep the patient from
bleeding to death (for example, when a hand or foot has been accidentally
cut off), follow these instructions carefully:
-Place the tourniquet as close to the wound as
possible, between the wound and the patient's heart.
-After the tourniquet has been
applied, do not permit it to be loosened (even
temporarily, or even though the bleeding has stopped) by anyone
except a physician, who can control the bleeding by other methods and
replace the blood that the patient has lost.
-Get a physician to treat the patient as soon as
possible.
PREVENTING AND TREATING SHOCK
Being "in shock" means that a
person's circulatory system is not working properly, and not
enough blood is getting to the vital centers of his brain and spinal cord.
These are the symptoms of shock: The
patient's pulse is weak or rapid, or he may have no pulse that
you can find. His skin may be pale or blue, cold, or moist. His
breathing may be shallow or irregular. He may have chills. He may be
thirsty. He may get sick at his stomach and vomit.
A person can be "in shock" whether he is
conscious or unconscious.
Important: All seriously injured persons should be
treated for shock, even though they appear normal and alert.
Shock
may cause death if not treated properly, even though the
injuries which brought on shock might not be serious enough to
cause death. In fact, persons may go into shock without having any
physical injuries.
Here is how to treat any person who may be in shock:
1. Keep him lying down and keep him from chilling, but
do not apply a hot water bottle or other heat to his body. Also, loosen his
clothing.
2. Keep his head a little lower than his legs and hips.
But if he has a head or chest injury, or has difficulty in breathing, keep his
head and shoulders slightly lower than the rest of his body.
3. Encourage him to drink
fluids if he is conscious and not nauseated,
and if he does not have abdominal injuries. Every 15 minutes give
him a half-glass of this solution until he no longer wants it: One
teaspoonful of salt and a half-tablespoonful of baking soda to one
quart of water.
4. Do not give him alcohol.
BROKEN BONES
Any break in a bone is called a fracture. If you
think a person may have a fracture, treat it as though it were one.
Otherwise, you may cause further injury. For example, if an
arm or leg is injured and bleeding, splint it as well as bandage it.
With any fracture, first look for bleeding and
control it. Keep the patient comfortably warm and quiet, preferably lying
down. If you have an ice bag, apply it to the fracture
to ease the pain. Do not move the patient (unless his
life is in danger where he is) without first applying a splint or
otherwise immobilizing the bone that may be fractured. Treat the patient for shock.
A FRACTURED ARM OR LEG
should be straightened out as much as possible,
preferably by having 2 persons gently stretch it into a normal position.
Then it should be "splinted"- that is, fastened to a board
or something else, to prevent motion and keep the ends of the
broken bone together. As a splint, use a board, a
trimmed branch from a tree, a broomstick, an
umbrella, a roll of newspaper, or anything else rigid
enough to keep the arm or leg straight. Fasten the arm or
leg to the splint with bandages, strips of cloth, handkerchiefs,
neckties, or belts. After splinting, keep the injured arm or leg a little
higher than the rest of the patient's body. From time to time, make sure that
the splint is not too tight, since the arm or leg may swell, and the blood
circulation might be shut off. If the broken bone is sticking out through
the skin but the exposed part of it is clean, allow it to slip back
naturally under the skin (but don't push it in) when the limb
is being straightened. However, if the exposed part of the bone is dirty,
cover it with a clean cloth and bandage the wound to stop the bleeding.
Then splint the arm or leg without trying to straighten it out, and
try to find a doctor or nurse to treat the patient.
A FRACTURED COLLARBONE should also be
prevented from moving, until the patient can get professional
medical attention. It can be immobilized by placing the arm on that side
in a sling and then binding the arm close
to the body.
A FRACTURED RIB should be suspected
if the patient has received a chest injury or if
he has pain when he moves his chest, breathes, or coughs.
Strap the injured side of his chest with 2-inch adhesive tape if
available, or with a cloth bandage or towel wrapped around and around his
entire chest.
Fractured bones in the NECK OR BACK are
very serious, because they may injure the patient's spinal cord and
paralyze him or even kill him. He should not be moved until a doctor
comes (or a person trained in first aid), unless it is
absolutely necessary to move him to prevent further injury. If a
person with a back injury has to be moved, he should be place gently on
his back on a stiff board, door, or stretcher. His head, back, and legs
should be kept in a straight line at all times.
A person with a neck injury should be moved
gently with his head, neck, and shoulders kept in the same position
they were when he was found. His neck should not be allowed to bend when he is
being moved.
BURNS
Non-serious
or superficial (first degree) burns should
not be covered- in fact, nothing need be done for them.
However, if a first degree burn covers a large area of
the body, the patient should be given fluids to drink as mentioned in item
2 following.
Some of the radioactive fallout on exposed skin
may cause burns for which the same action should be taken as for normal
heat burns.
The most important things to do about
serious (second or third degree) burns are: (a) Treat the
patient for shock, (b) Prevent infection, and (c) Relieve pain. These specific
actions should be taken:
1. Keep the patient lying down, with his head a little
lower than his legs and hips unless he has a head or chest
wound, or has difficulty breathing.
2. Have him drink a half-glass every 15 minutes
of a salt-and-soda solution (one teaspoonful of salt and a
half-teaspoonful of baking soda to a quart of water). Give him additional
plain water to drink if he wants it.
3. Cover the burned area with a dry, sterile gauze
dressing. if gauze is not available, use a clean cloth, towel, or pad.
4. With soap and water, wash the area around the
burn (not the burn itself) for a distance of several inches, wiping
away from the burn. The dressing will help prevent surface washings
from getting into the burned area.
5. Use a bandage to hold the dry dressing firmly in
place against the burned area. This will keep moving air from
reaching the burn and will lessen the pain. Leave dressings and
bandage in place as long as possible.
6. If adjoining surfaces of skin are burned, separate
them with gauze or cloth to keep them from sticking together (such as between
toes or fingers, ears and head, arms and chest).
7. If the burn was caused by a chemical- or
by fallout particles sticking to the skin or hair- wash the
chemical or the fallout particles away with generous
amounts of plain water, then treat the burn
as described above.
What NOT to do about burns:
-Don't pull clothing over the
burned area (cut it away, if necessary).
-Don't try to remove any pieces of cloth, or bits of
dirt or debris, that may be sticking to the burn.
-Don't try to clean the burn; don't use iodine or
other antiseptics on it; and don't open any blisters that may form on it.
-Don't use grease, butter, ointment, salve,
petroleum jelly, or any type of medication on severe burns. Keeping them
dry is best.
-Don't breathe on a burn, and don't touch it with
anything except a clean dressing.
-Don't change the dressings that were initially applied
to the burn, until absolutely necessary. Dressings may be left in place
for a week, if necessary.
RADIATION SICKNESS
Radiation sickness is caused by the
invisible rays given off by particles of radioactive fallout.
If a person has received a large dose of radiation in a short period of time-
generally, less than a week- he will become seriously ill and probably
will die. But if he has received only a small or medium dose, his body
will repair itself and he will get well. No special clothing can protect a person from gamma radiation, and no special
medicines can protect him or cure him of radiation sickness.
Symptoms of radiation sickness may not be noticed
for several days. The early symptoms are lack of
appetite, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, weakness, and
headache. Later, the patient may have sore mouth, loss of hair,
bleeding gums, bleeding under the skin, and diarrhea. But these same symptoms
can be caused by other diseases, and not everyone
who has radiation sickness shows all these symptoms, or shows them all at
once.
PART TWO
MAJOR NATURAL DISASTERS
Disasters
and other emergencies affecting large areas and many people can sometimes
develop quickly. Flash floods and earthquakes, for example, can strike
with little or no advance warning.
Other types of disasters and emergencies are
preceded by a build-up period that provides more time for taking
effective protective measures. For example, the paths of a hurricane
are traced for days, and people in likely danger areas
are notified several hours before the storm is
expected to strike land. In many cases, floods can also be predicted
to provide considerable warning time for people in the danger areas. Even
in cases of tornadoes, the forecast of weather conditions frequently
permits some warning of possible disaster. Winter storms, blizzards, heavy
snows, ice storms, or freezing rains- also may
pose hazards of disaster proportions which lend themselves to
reasonable prediction.
Some of these disasters or emergencies are more
likely to occur in certain parts of the country. For
example, hurricanes are more common along the Gulf and
Atlantic Coast States, and tornadoes are more frequent in mid
western and southern States. Yet, no area is entirely free
from possible disasters or emergencies of one type or another.
Many of the actions recommended in Part 1 of this
handbook to help you prepare for and live through a nuclear
attack- such as learning the warning signals, stocking emergency
supplies, taking a course in emergency skills, and knowing how to
fight fires at home- also would help you in case a major natural
disaster occurs in your area.
Part II of this handbook is intended to help you
prepare for those natural disasters that may occur in
your area, and tell you the right actions to take if they
occur.
Chapter 1
GENERAL GUIDANCE
There are
certain things you can learn and do that will help you get ready for, and
cope with, almost any type of emergency.
Perhaps the most basic thing to remember is to
keep calm. This may mean the difference between life and death. In
many disasters, people have been killed or injured needlessly because they
took thoughtless actions when they should have done something else-
or or done nothing at all just then.
In a time of emergency, taking proper action may save
your life. Take time to think, and then take the considered action
that the situation calls for. Usually, this will be the action
you have planned in advance, or the action you are instructed to take by
responsible authorities.
Here is other guidance that applies
to most types of peacetime emergencies.
WARNING
LEARN YOUR COMMUNITY'S WARNING SIGNALS. In most
communities having outdoor warning systems, the Attack Warning Signal is a
wavering sound on the sirens, or a series of short
blasts on whistles, horns, or other
devices. This signal will be used only to warn of an attack against
the United States.
Many communities also are using an Attention or Alert
Signal, usually a 3- to 5- minute steady blast to get the attention of
their people in a time of threatened or impending peacetime
emergency. In most places, the Attention or Alert Signal means that people
should turn on their radio or television set to hear important emergency
information being broadcast.
You should find out now, before any emergency
occurs, what warning signals are being used in your community, what
they sound like, what they mean, and what actions you should take when you
hear them.
Also, whenever a major storm or other peacetime
disaster threatens, keep your radio or television set turned on to
hear weather reports and forecasts (issued by the National Weather
Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), as
well as other information and advice that may be broadcast by your local
government.
When you are warned of an emergency, get
your information on the radio or television. Use your
telephone only to report important events (such as
fires, flash floods, or tornado sightings)
to the local authorities. If you tie up the telephone lines simply
to get information, you may prevent emergency calls from being completed.
EMERGENCY SUPPLIES
A major disaster of almost any kind may interfere
with your normal supplies of food, water, heat,
and other day-to-day necessities. You should keep on hand, in
or around your home, a stock of emergency supplies sufficient to meet your needs
for a few days or preferably for a week.
If you stayed at home during the disaster, these
supplies would help you live through the period of emergency without
hardships. If you had to evacuate your home and
move temporarily to another location, your
emergency supplies could be taken with you and used en route or after you
arrived at the new location (where regular supplies may not be available). Even
if you only had to move to an emergency shelter station set up by a local
agency, these supplies might be helpful to you, or make your stay
easier.
The most important items to keep on hand
are water (preferably in plastic jugs or other stoppered
containers); canned or sealed-package foods that
do not require refrigeration or heat for cooking; medicines needed
by family members, and a first aid kit; blankets or sleeping bags,
flashlights or lanterns, a battery-powered radio; and perhaps a
covered container to use as an emergency toilet. In addition, an
automobile in good operating condition with an ample supply of gasoline
may be necessary in case you have to leave your home.
In those parts of the country subject to hurricanes or
floods, it is also wise to keep on hand certain emergency
materials you may need to protect your home from wind and
water- such as plywood sheeting or lumber to board up your windows and
doors, and plastic sheeting or tarpaulins to protect furniture and
appliances.
FIRE PROTECTION AND FIRE FIGHTING
Fires are a special hazard in time of disaster.
They may start more readily, and the help of the fire department may not
be available quickly. Therefore, it is essential that you:
1. Follow the fire prevention
rules given on page 45, and be especially careful
not to start fires.
2. Know how to put out small fires yourself. (See pages
45 to 48.)
3. Have on hand simple tools and equipment needed for
fire fighting. (See page 38.)
4. Install smoke or heat detectors to save lives and
protect property by detecting fires promptly.
AFTER A NATURAL DISASTER
Use extreme caution in entering or working in buildings
that may have been damaged or weakened by the disaster, as they may
collapse without warning. Also, there may be gas leaks or electrical short
circuits.
Don't take lanterns, torches, or lighted
cigarettes into buildings that have been flooded or otherwise
damaged, since there may be leaking gas lines or flammable material
present.
Stay away from fallen or damaged electric wires,
which may still be dangerous.
Check for leaking gas pipes in your home.
Do this by smell only- don't use matches or
candles. If you smell gas, do this:
(1) Open all windows and doors,
(2) Turn off the main gas valve at the meter,
(3) Leave the house immediately,
(4) Notify the gas company or the police or fire department,
(5) Don't re-enter the house until you are told it is safe to do so.
If any of
your electrical appliances are wet, first turn off the main power switch
in your house, then unplug the wet appliance, dry it out, reconnect
it, and finally, turn on the main power switch. (Caution: Don't do
any of these things while you are wet or standing in water.) Is fuses blow
when the electric power is restored, turn off the main power switch again and then inspect for short circuits in your home wiring, appliances, and
equipment.
Check your food and water supplies before
using them. Foods that require refrigeration may be
spoiled if electric power has been off for some time. Also, don't
eat food that has come in contact with flood waters. Be sure to
follow the instructions of local authorities concerning the
use of food and water supplies.
If needed, get food, clothing, medical care or
shelter at Red Cross stations or from local government authorities.
Stay away from disaster areas. Sightseeing could
interfere with first aid or rescue work, and may be dangerous as well.
Don't drive unless necessary, and
drive with caution. Watch for hazards to yourself and others,
and report them to local authorities.
Write, telegraph, or telephone your relatives, after
the emergency is over, so they will know you are safe. Otherwise
local authorities may waste time locating you- or if you
have evacuated to a safer location, they may not be able to find
you. (However, do not tie up the phone lines if they are still needed for
official emergency calls.)
Do not pass on rumors or exaggerated reports of damage.
Follow the advice and instructions of your local
government on ways to help yourself and your community recover from the
emergency.
Chapter 2
FLOODS
The
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, through
its Weather Service River Forecast Centers and River District offices,
issues flood forecasts and warnings when rainfall is enough to cause
rivers to overflow their banks or when melting snow
combines with rainfall to produce similar effects.
Flood warnings are forecasts of impending floods,
and are given to you by radio and television and through local
government emergency forces. The warning message tells the
expected severity of flooding (minor, moderate, or
major), the affected river, and when and where the flooding will begin.
Careful preparations and prompt response will assure personal safety and
reduce property loss.
BEFORE THE FLOOD
1. Find out how many feet your property is above
or below possible flood levels so when
predicted flood levels are broadcast, you can determine
if you may be flooded.
2. Keep a stock of food which
requires little cooking and no refrigeration. Regular
electric service may be disrupted.
3. Keep a portable radio,
emergency cooking equipment, and flashlights in working order.
4. Keep first aid supplies and any
medicines needed by members of your family.
5. Keep your automobile fueled. If electric power is
cut off, filling stations may not be able to operate pumps for several days.
6. Keep materials like sandbags,
plywood, plastic sheeting, and lumber handy for emergency
waterproofing. But if flooding is imminent, do not stack sandbags around
the outside walls of your house to keep flood waters out of your basement. Water
seeping downward through the earth (either beyond the sandbags or
over them) may collect around the basement walls and under the
floor, creating pressure that could damage the walls or else raise
the entire basement and cause it to "float" out of the ground. In most
cases, it is better to permit the flood waters to flow freely into the basement
(or flood the basement yourself with clean water, if you feel sure it will be
flooded anyway). This will equalize the water pressure on the
outside of the basement walls and floors, and thus avoid structural damage
to the foundation and the house.
7. Store drinking water in closed, clean
containers. Water service may be interrupted.
8. If flooding is likely, and time permits, move
essential items and furniture to upper floors of
your house. Disconnect any electrical appliances
that can't be moved- but don't touch them if you are wet or
standing in water.
EVACUATION
If you are warned to evacuate your home and move to
another location temporarily, there are certain things to
remember and do. Here are the more important ones:
*FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS AND ADVICE OF YOUR LOCAL
GOVERNMENT. If you are told to evacuate, do so promptly. If you are
instructed to move to a certain location, go there- don't go
anywhere else. If certain travel routes are specified or
recommended, use those routes rather than trying to find your
own. (It will help if you have previously become familiar with
the routes likely to be used.) If you are told to shut
off your water, gas, or electric service before leaving home, do so. Also
find out on the radio where emergency housing and
mass feeding stations are located, in case you need to use
them.
*SECURE YOUR HOME BEFORE LEAVING. If you have
time, and if you have not received other instructions from
your local government, you should take the following actions before
leaving your home:
-Bring outside possessions inside the house, or tie them down
securely. This includes outdoor furniture, garbage cans, garden tools,
signs and other movable objects that might be blown or washed away.
-As already suggested, move furniture and other movable objects to
the upper floor of your house. Disconnect any electrical appliances or
equipment that cannot be moved- but don't touch them if you are wet or
standing in water.
-Lock house doors and windows. Park your car in the garage or
driveway, close the windows, and lock it (unless you are driving to your
new temporary location).
*TRAVEL WITH CARE. If your local government is arranging transportation for you, precautions will be taken for your safety. But if you are walking or driving your own car to another location, keep in mind these things:
-Leave early enough so as not to be marooned by flooded roads.
-Make sure you have enough gasoline in your car.
-Follow recommended routes.
-As you travel, keep listening to the radio for additional
information and instructions from your local government.
-Watch for washed-out or undermined roadways, earth slides, broken
sewer or water mains, loose or downed electric wires, and falling or
fallen objects.
-Watch out for areas where rivers or streams may flood suddenly.
-Don't try to cross a stream or a pool of water unless you are
certain that the water will not be over your knees, or above the middle of
your car's wheels, all the way across. Sometimes the water will hide a
bridge or a part of the road that has been washed out. If you decide it is
safe to drive across it, put your car in low gear and drive very slowly to
avoid splashing water into your engine and causing it to stop. Also,
remember that your brakes may not work well after the wheels of your
car have been in deep water. Try them out a few times when you
reach the other side.
AFTER THE FLOOD
1. Do not use fresh food that has come in contact with flood waters.
2. Test drinking water for potability. Wells should be pumped out and
the water tested before drinking.
3. Do not visit disaster area. Your presence will probably hamper
rescue and other emergency operations.
4. Do not handle live electrical equipment in wet areas. Electrical
equipment should be checked and dried before being returned to service.
5. Use battery-powered lanterns or flashlights, not oil or gas
lanterns or torches, to examine buildings. Flammables may be inside.
6. Report broken utility lines to police, fire, or other appropriate
authorities.
7. Keep tuned to your radio or television station for advice and
instructions of your local government on where to obtain medical care,
where to get assistance for such necessities as housing, clothing, and
food, and how to help yourself and your community to recover.
SPECIAL ADVICE ON FLASH FLOODS
In many areas, unusually heavy rains
may cause quick or "flash" floods. Small
creeks, gullies dry streambeds, ravines, culverts, or even low-lying
ground frequently flood quickly and endanger people, sometimes before any
warning can be given.
National Weather Service offices
issue two types of flash flood advisories: a flash flood
watch and a flash flood warning. A flash flood watch means that heavy
rains occurring or expected to occur may soon cause flash flooding
in certain areas, and citizens should be alert to the
possibility of a flood emergency which will require immediate
action. A flash flood warning means that flash flooding is occurring or
imminent on certain streams or designated areas, and
precautions should be taken immediately by those threatened.
In a period of heavy rains, be aware of the
hazard of flash floods and be prepared to protect yourself against
it. If you see any possibility of a flash flood occurring where you
are, move immediately to a safer location (don't wait for
instructions to move) and then notify your local authorities of the
danger, so other people can be warned.
Especially during periods of heavy rainfall:
-STAY AWAY FROM NATURAL STREAMBEDS, arroyos, and other drainage channels during and after rainstorms. Water runs off the higher elevations very rapidly, causing the natural drainage system to overflow with rushing floodwaters and their deadly cargo of rocks, mud, smashed trees, and other debris.
-USE YOUR MAPS. Know where you are, and whether you are on locally
low ground. Remember: You don't have to be at the bottom of a hill to be a
target for the dangers of flash flooding.
-KNOW WHERE THE HIGH GROUND IS and how to get there in a hurry. Remember: many roads and trails parallel existing drainage patterns, and