Radiological Terrorism: Alleviating Public Panic
By Shirley Ayers
If a radiological dispersal device, or dirty bomb, were to be detonated, the explosion would carry the radiological material into the atmosphere where it would be dispersed by wind and rain. Such a dirty bomb may well cause wide-spread contamination of the target area; however, the real enemy in this case would be widespread public panic, not the toxic effects of radiation poisoning. It is considered a real possibility that more people would die in the panic that may follow an incident than as a direct result of the dirty bomb itself.
Ironically, it is likely that people who are caught near a radiological explosion – if they survive the accompanying blast – would probably suffer no lasting health effects, especially if they undergo timely decontamination. The current perception is that radiation is a potent carcinogen that can cause illness or death in small doses, this is not a given. However, illness and death may not follow, especially if early steps are taken to inform the population, keep them out of harm's way and clean up the radiation. The situation is not unmanageable with the proper planning and effective communication.
For this reason, it is important that the public be educated about proper procedures to follow in the event of a radiological attack. Local emergency management agencies should be proactive in educating the public about the reality of dirty bombs in an attempt to head off the added problems caused by public panic.
In the event of an attack, emergency responders must be prepared to deal effectively with people who are panicking. The Public Information Officer should work with the media to get the message out fast about the situation and provide initial and continuing guidance. Consistency is crucial. The message should come from someone with authority – i.e., the mayor, police or fire chief, etc. Instructions should be clear and simple: shelter, shower, whether or not to go to the hospital, when more information will be available. If people need to show up for monitoring, they must know where and what will happen. A written guidance plan should be prepared and distributed to anyone who requires monitoring.
In general, if there is a dirty bomb attack, people should be instructed to go inside, close their windows and turn off any external ventilation to keep radioactive dust from getting inside. Masonry buildings provide more protection than wood, and basements provide more protection than upper floors. Anyone who was outside at the time of the explosion should shower and discard their clothes. They should then stay inside until advised to do otherwise by law enforcement officials or emergency personnel. If people attempt to flee the area in vehicles, it will become difficult to contain the contamination and for emergency workers to carry out their jobs effectively.
On their web site at http://www.bt.cdc.gov/radiation/dirtybombs.asp, the Centers for Disease Control publishes the following information about what the public should do following the explosion of a dirty bomb:
“Radiation cannot be seen, smelled, felt, or tasted by humans. Therefore, if people are present at the scene of an explosion, they will not know whether radioactive materials were involved at the time of the explosion. If people are not too severely injured by the initial blast, they should:
* Leave the immediate area on foot. Do not panic. Do not take public or private transportation such as buses, subways, or cars because if radioactive materials were involved, they may contaminate cars or the public transportation system.
* Go inside the nearest building. Staying inside will reduce people’s exposure to any radioactive material that may be on dust at the scene.
* Remove their clothes as soon as possible, place them in a plastic bag, and seal it. Removing clothing will remove most of the contamination caused by external exposure to radioactive materials. Saving the contaminated clothing would allow testing for exposure without invasive sampling.
* Take a shower or wash themselves as best they can. Washing will reduce the amount of radioactive contamination on the body and will effectively reduce total exposure.
* Be on the lookout for information. Once emergency personnel can assess the scene and the damage, they will be able to tell people whether radiation was involved.
Taking Potassium iodide (KI)
Potassium iodide, also called KI, only protects a person’s thyroid gland from exposure to radioactive iodine. KI will not protect a person from other radioactive materials or protect other parts of the body from exposure to radiation. It must be taken prior to exposure (for example, if people hear that a radioactive cloud is coming their way) or immediately after exposure in order to be effective. Taking KI is not recommended unless there is a risk of exposure to radioactive iodine. Since there is no way to know at the time of a [dirty bomb] incident whether radioactive iodine was used in the explosive device, taking KI would probably not be beneficial. Also, KI can be dangerous to some people.
If radioactive materials were involved
Keep televisions or radios tuned to local news networks. If a radioactive material was released, people will be told where to report for radiation monitoring and blood tests to determine whether they were exposed to the radiation as well as what steps to take to protect their health.
Risk of cancer from a dirty bomb
Some cancers can be caused by exposure to radiation. Being at the site where a dirty bomb exploded does not guarantee that people were exposed to the radioactive material. Until doctors are able to check people’s skin with sensitive radiation detection devices, it will not be clear whether they were exposed. Just because people are near a radioactive source for a short time or get a small amount of radioactive material on them does not mean that they will get cancer. Doctors will be able to assess risks after the exposure level has been determined.”
