Milford chronicle., 1954-12-17
Radioactive "FGLLOHf'
Can EHdGnger State
Population
(eontInned from fIrst 80

Continued from first page)
could be killed or seriously injured.
he stressed.
He cited the case Of the Japan
ese fishermen shOWered by atomic
ash during the Pacific H-bOmb test
in 1852. They were between 100
and 300 miles from the explosion,
Mr.. Lee said.
However, there will be no need
for alarm if proper preparations
are made. In the first place, COM
munities far removed from a bomb
blast can be warned in advance to
eYacuate if the deadly winds are
blowing their way. If there is no
time to eYacuate, civilians should
take shelter. Almost any shelter
will reduce the danger Of radia-
ton Mr. Lee said. "An ordinary
frame house will afford some pro-
lection. A basement shelter will
provide even more. A simple un-
dergrOund shelter with three feet
Of earth covering it will give vfr-
tually complete protection from le-
thai radiation.
"But once in a shelter during a
fall-out," he emphasized, "it would
not be wise to leave it at once.
Though radiation strength dies rap
idly, it may be a couple Of days or
even longer before it is safe to
leave the shelter.
As a result, Civil Defense is urg-
ing every whether in su-
burban, rural or city areas-tO
have a home shelter stocked with
emergency supplies such as blank
cts, first-aid kits, plus food and
water enough for at least three
days. A battery operated radio
should also be available to receive
Instructions over the emergency
Conelrad frequencies-64O and 1910.
To check on contamination fol-
lowing fall-Out, Civil Defense is
now training Pathological monitor
ing teams. These volunteer spe-
cialists, using geiger counters and
other detection instruments, will
plot out radioactive areas and warn
the public Of danger spots.
However, not enough teams have
been trained at the county levels.
Mr.. Lee urged local communities,
especially in Kent and Sussex, to
contact the State Department Of
Civil Defense, which stands ready
to help train Pathological crews.
Training courses have been held
for several years, and a number Of
teams are ready for the field, espe-
cially in New Castle County. A
training course now is underway
at Brown Vocational.
Explaining the nature Of faII-out
Mr.. Lee said: "If a bomb explOdes
close to the ground, hundreds Of
tons Of atOmized earth, stone and
other particles are sucked up into
the mushroom cloud, 40 or $4,000
feet. These particles becomes
highly radioactive. Some of this
material spills on the ground at
the point of explosion, but much
of it is carried along by winds"
These are not surface Winds"
Mr.. Lee continued, but high up
25 to so thousand feet-above the
earth. They may carry' the radio
active particles for many miles,
then drop them out of a clear sky.
There does not need to be an atomic
cloud-Or any clouds at alI-over-
head in a fall-Out area"
Communities downwind from an
explosion may be hit by fall-out
The weather bureau may be able to
plot the course of the winds, and
areas in their path can be warned
to evacuate. The further dOwnwind1
one is, the more time there will be
to clear out. IF there is no time
at all, " warned Mr.. Lee, "then shell
ters will be the only protection"
Mr., Lee urged Delawareans to
take first-aid training, prepare
home shelters and to cooperate with |
the local Civil Defense Directors.