Radiation Hazards Control in Survival Operations in the Event of a Nuclear War

The concepts of radiation protection in survival operations are explained, and procedures devised to control radiation hazards for the protection of the population and maintenance of the operating efficiency of survival operations personnel are presented.

Radiation protection is a command function. The medical responsibility is to provide advice on the probable effects of radiation exposure in the light of existing knowledge of these effects in man.

The major hazard is that of external exposure to penetrating gamma radiation. Radiation exposure guides indicate that persons may be exposed to not more than 100 r whole body radiation in a six-week period, or 200 r whole body radiation in a period in excess of six weeks, without loss of operational efficiency. Beta radiation from fallout deposited on skin or clothing may produce burns, but these injuries will not be incapacitating and can be controlled by simple procedures.

The internal hazard is mainly from ingestion of food or water contaminated with radioactive material. For protection, only canned or packaged foods and water from covered or deep wells are consumed during the early days after a nuclear attack.