Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Protecting Yourself from Airborne Contaminants

Experts say that we in the US are safe from radiation leaking out of the reactors undergoing meltdown in Japan. I take everything the government says with a grain of salt.

Fukushima reactors 2011The best way to survive an emergency

is to prepare before it happens.

  • Identify outdoor items that should be brought inside an those which should be secured outdoors.
  • Ensure that all dead, diseased or damaged branches are removed from trees. Cut all branches reaching over your house, whether healthy or diseased.
  • Purchase 5/8″ plywood, have it cut to size to cover your windows and doors (see step 3). Starting from your front door and counting clockwise, number your windows. Mark each piece of plywood with number. Have some pieces cut to brace your garage door (see step 4) and cover roof vent holes (see page 6).
  • Purchase nail gun, nails (for plywood) and enough duct tape for securing plastic (below).
  • Purchase 2-4 mil. thick plastic sheeting. Cut plastic to cover windows and doors from the inside (see step 8). Use waterproof marker to mark each piece of plastic with number or room name. See diagram above for proper placement. Save enough plastic for securing your air conditioning unit (see step 7).

cover your windows with plastic and duct tape

When You are Warned that Contaminants are Imminent

  1. Secure outdoor items identified above or move them inside.
  2. Remove window and door screens and store them inside.
  3. Secure windows and doors by closing and locking each one. Cover windows and doors from the outside with 5/8″ plywood.
  4. Strengthen/brace garage doors from the inside with 5/8″ plywood.
  5. Remove outside antennas.
  6. Remove roof turbines and install 5/8″ plywood over the hole. Or cover the turbine with plastic and tie down. Leave plumbing vents uncovered..
  7. If you think its necessary, you may want to seal your windows and doors from the inside with plastic (see picture above). This WILL NOT keep water out. It is to be used if you need to keep dust, ash or contamination out.
This is a reprint/rewrite from one of the Texas RV Travel Blog series on Preparing for Disaster. Wood and plastic will stop everything but the gamma rays. Concrete will stop gamma rays, so if you have a concrete block building, you may want to secure that building and stay there until danger is over.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

This blog is very informative protecting oneself from Airborne contaminants is very important because it can cause harmful diseases.

Unknown said...

All the safety precautions are quite important for everyone to remember and they must be followed by those who are leaving in Japan and even in neighboring countries because no one knows that where these radiations has been spread by the wind which flows from continent to continents. I hope and pray that may God protect all human being from getting those harmful radiations. Thanks for making such a useful post.

Dr Kingsley Modozie said...

Thanks for alerting me. I will take actions immediately to prevent my household from radiation.

Pratik Joshi said...

this blog is very informative and i wanna thank for the admin for this great sharing