[Guest]

Since July 16, 1945 the world has lived with nuclear weapons. For a time in the 1960's it looked as if there would be a global thermonuclear war with the Soviet Union. Since the fall of the USSR in 1991 that threat has diminished somewhat. However there are now many more nation states with nuclear weapons and the threat of nuclear conflict remains. The statistical probability of a nuclear war in any given year is low but over time nuclear war becomes a statistical certainty.

Additionally, many of us live in close proximity to nuclear power generation plants or nuclear reactors used for research. Interestingly, it was recently revealed that in a bunker beneath old Kodak Park in Rochester, NY there is a small nuclear reactor used for testing, research and quality control. Accidents happen.

Since September 11th we've become more aware of terrorist organizations eager to employ radiological "dirty" bombs against targets here in the United States.

Combined these facts create a tangible threat and a challenge to anyone serious about protecting his or her family.
Knowledge is your number one defense. It's important to educate yourself about how to measure radiation, the effects of radiation on the body and how to shield yourself and your family from it.

Next it is important to equip yourself with those instruments necessary to measure for yourself the levels of radiation around you. Without these devices you are at the mercy of distant government agencies that may not be reporting accurately.

Once you invest in the gear you need to commit yourself to learning the proper use of this equipment and also be committed to keepting these instruments calibrated and functional.

You may choose to equip yourself with a personal radiation monitor to alert you to the presence of ionizing radiation at any given time. This will elevate your personal situational awareness and can mean the difference between life and death.

Finally, you'll need to prepare a shelter plan for yourself and your family. The construction of a home shelter area should be explored and if at all possible such a shelter should be constructed.

How much time, energy and money you choose to invest in preparing your own radiological defense will be directly proportional to your likelihood of survival in the event of a radiological emergency.

 

[RayKnobs]

Pretty sure the kodaks nuclear material is long gone.

 

[RochPersDef]

Awesome! When I spent some time working out at Ginna, I was able to learn a lot of interesting facts, both about power generation and emergency situations. I also learned how unprepared I was!

As Kevin said, most of us live pretty close to a nuclear power source. Learn and prepare!

Thanks Kevin!

 

[arizonajack]

You can buy all those measuring devices, you can dig yourself a fallout shelter, but the bottom line - if there is a nuclear incident with radioactive fallout in your area you might as well bend over and kiss your ass goodbye.

You might be safe in a fallout shelter for a while. But, even if you have food and water for a year, you still have to come out eventually.

The half-life of most radioactive isotopes is measured in years, often many years, and will get you eventually.

Cesium 137 - 30 years
Strontium 90 - 28 years
Plutonium 239 - 24,000 years
Tritium - 12 years
Carbon 14 - 5,730 years

More bad news here:

Radioactive Fallout | Worldwide Effects of Nuclear War | Historical Documents | atomciarchive.com

 

[Guest]

You can buy all those measuring devices, you can dig yourself a fallout shelter, but the bottom line - if there is a nuclear incident with radioactive fallout in your area you might as well bend over and kiss your ass goodbye.

You might be safe in a fallout shelter for a while. But, even if you have food and water for a year, you still have to come out eventually.

The half-life of most radioactive isotopes is measured in years, often many years, and will get you eventually.

Cesium 137 - 30 years
Strontium 90 - 28 years
Plutonium 239 - 24,000 years
Tritium - 12 years
Carbon 14 - 5,730 years

More bad news here:

Radioactive Fallout | Worldwide Effects of Nuclear War | Historical Documents | atomciarchive.com

Oh my, where to start...

If it somehow makes you feel better to believe that any attempt to survive after a nuclear event is fruitless then you are of course free to believe that.

Most of what people think they "know" about the un-survivable nature of nuclear war is false. This information was spread by the Soviets, and their useful idiots, in an effort to erode our will to resist them during the cold war. (Better Red than Dead) The Soviets/the KGB set up and ran the World Peace Council which included the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. The KGB also promulgated and spread the myth of nuclear winter as part of their campaign against the Pershing missile.

Nuclear war is survivable if you are willing to make the effort. The catch is that the effort must be made ahead of time. There'll be no last minute preparations allowed. It'll be a "come as you are" affair.

An interesting side note is that the only person to survive both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings just died of stomach cancer at the age of 93. (Tsutomu Yamaguchi)

There were tens of thousands of people that survived the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These "Hibakusha" survived not only the blast and thermal effects but the initial and residual radiation as well. Tell them that atomic war is a "no hope" situation.

Prior to the signing of the Limited Test Ban Treaty in 1963 thousands of nuclear weapons had been detonated in our atmosphere, in outer space and under water.

I remember as a kid being told, "Don't eat the snow there's fallout in it." And "Don't drink that milk there's strontium 90 in it." Well that was fifty odd years ago and we're still here.

Today you might be quite comfortable proclaiming that you and your loved ones will take no steps to survive a nuclear event because "the living will envy the dead" etc. But, sticking to that notion as you listen to the sirens warble and the emergency broadcast network send out its last broadcast may prove difficult.

 

[Tactical Failure]

i've seen the geiger counters in sportsman's guide magazines, but the antique nuclear fallout shelter signs appealed more to me for their novelty factor which would get a chuckle if hung behind my bar. yes, these tools could be of use in the event of a nuclear apocalypse, but i believe that water, food, firearms, and ammunition will be far more worthy of being carried if a nomadic world without law scenario comes into play. twinkies will also become a hot commodity.

also, i just got back from a two-month shutdown job at nine mile point in oswego and was interested to learn about the nuclear industry. i tried not to be too obvious about checking out the ARs, smith and wesson 9mms, and tactical vests worn and carried by the guards, especially since my current grizzly adams look could easily make me be mistaken for jihadist (i'm hesitant about even posting that word on the internet, but i don't think it can be misconstrued here). one pathetic thing i heard while there was that when 9/11 happened a muslim engineer made a blatantly threatening comment: "they got what they deserved," meaning those killed and wounded during the attacks. he had to be escorted off site by security because enraged employees were about to tear him limb from limb. the kicker is that this same man still works at the plant. how can this be, especially when the two thousand construction workers hired for the shutdown work this spring had to undergo extensive background checks and a 500-question psychological test? i can understand a noble effort to avoid discrimination, but allowing someone who has voiced such beliefs to enter a nuclear power facility is beyond ludicrous.