The Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors at or (502) 227-4543.The CDC Public Response Service at 1-88.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site at.FOR MORE INFORMATIONĬall the New York State Department of Health Information Hotline at 51 or 80, visit or e-mail at For additional information about radiation and emergency response, see If radioactive material was released, the local news broadcasts will advise you where to report for radiation monitoring.īeing near a radioactive source for a short time or even being exposed to a small amount of radioactive material does not mean that a person will get cancer.Turn on to local radio or TV channels for advisories from emergency response and health authorities.This will reduce total radiation exposure, if the explosive device contained radioactive material. Take a shower (using a mild soap) to wash off dust and dirt.Save them to allow for future testing of the clothing for radiation contamination. If feasible, remove your clothes and place them in a sealed plastic bag.This will reduce exposure to any radioactive airborne dust. Move away from the immediate area-at least several blocks from the explosion-and go indoors.As with any exposure to potential contamination, the following precautions will reduce your risk: The biggest danger is from the force of the explosion. What if I am nearby and a "dirty bomb" goes off? Remember that even if a dirty bomb goes off in your city, it will likely affect only a small area. Keep televisions or radios tuned to local news networks for information. If a dirty bomb goes off in your city, it will probably not affect you unless the explosion is very close to your location. What should I do if there is a "dirty bomb" explosion in my city? Most of these sources are not useful for constructing a dirty bomb. They are used to diagnose and treat illnesses, sterilize equipment, inspect welding seams, and irradiate food to kill harmful microbes. These sources are found in hospitals, on construction sites and at food irradiation plants. It is far more likely that radioactive materials used in a dirty bomb would come from low-level radioactive sources. However, increased security at these facilities would make theft of these materials extremely difficult. The highest-grade radioactive materials are present in nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons sites. There has been a lot of speculation about where terrorists could get radioactive material to use in a dirty bomb. What are sources of radioactive material? Certain radioactive materials dispersed in the air could contaminate several city blocks, create fear and require costly cleanup. However, at the levels created by most sources, there would not be enough radiation in a dirty bomb to cause severe illness from exposure to radiation. Gauging how much radiation might be present is difficult when the source of the radiation is unknown. The primary danger from a dirty bomb containing a low-level radioactive source would be the blast itself. The level of contamination will depend on how much radioactive material was in the bomb, as well as the weather conditions at the time of the blast. Because the material will disperse as a result of the explosion, areas near the blast will be contaminated. A dirty bomb is a conventional explosive device that has been adapted to spread radioactive material and contaminate only a small area. The atomic explosions that occurred in Hiroshima and Nagasaki were caused by nuclear weapons. What is the difference between a dirty bomb and the atomic bombs used in Hiroshima and Nagasaki? The main purpose of a dirty bomb is to frighten people and contaminate buildings or land. A dirty bomb is intended to disperse radioactive material into a small, localized area around an explosion. All Health Care Professionals & Patient SafetyĪ dirty bomb, or radiological dispersion device, is a bomb that combines conventional explosives, such as dynamite, with radioactive materials in the solid, liquid or gaseous form. Clinical Guidelines, Standards & Quality of Care.
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