just in case (nuke)

http://www.epa.gov/radiation/docs/er/planning-guidance-for-response-to-nuclear-detonation-2-edition-final.pdf

INTRODUCTION

One of the most catastrophic incidents that could befall the United States (US), causing enormous loss of life and property and severely damaging economic viability, is a nuclear detonation in a US city. It is incumbent upon all levels of government, as well as public and private parties within the US, to prepare for this incident through focused nuclear attack response planning. Nuclear explosions present substantial and immediate radiological threats to life and a severely damaged response infrastructure. Local and State community preparedness to respond to a nuclear detonation could result in life-saving on the order of tens of thousands of lives.

The purpose of this guidance is to provide emergency planners with nuclear detonation- specific response recommendations to maximize the preservation of life in the event of an urban nuclear detonation. This guidance addresses the unique effects and impacts of a nuclear detonation such as scale of destruction, shelter and evacuation strategies, unparalleled medical demands, management of nuclear casualties, and radiation dose management concepts. The guidance is aimed at response activities in an environment with a severely compromised infrastructure for the first few days (i.e., 24 – 72 hours) when it is likely that many Federal resources will still be en route to the incident.

The target audiences for the guidance are response planners and their leadership.

Emergency responders should also benefit in understanding and applying this guidance. The target audiences include, but are not limited to, the following at the city, county, State, and Federal levels:

• Emergency managers

• Law enforcement authority planners

• Fire response planners

• Emergency medical service planners

• Hazardous material (Hazmat) response planners

• Utility services and public works emergency planners

• Transportation planners

• Medical receiver planners (e.g., hospitals)

• Mass care providers (e.g., American Red Cross)

• Other metropolitan emergency planners, planning organizations, and professional

  organizations that represent the multiple disciplines that conduct emergency response activities

  The planning guidance recommendations are focused on providing express consideration of the following topics relevant to emergency planners within the first few days of a nuclear detonation: 1) shelter and evacuation, 2) medical care, 3) population monitoring and decontamination, and 4) public preparedness – emergency public information.