You Can Survive a Nuclear Blast

On ted.com, disaster-medicine expert Irwin Redlener talks about the implications of a nuclear detonation in a post-Cold War era and how to survive it. While an all-out nuclear war is not survivable, it is much less likely than before. Nuclear terrorism, however, is a real threat, as the global nuclear weapons stockpile is not uniformly secure and fissionable material is relatively available, particularly in Russia. From 1993 to 2006, the IAEA documented 175 cases of nuclear theft, 18 of which involved highly enriched uranium or plutonium. Nuclear know-how8212;instructions on how to assemble a weapon, floor plans for a 8220;terror farm8221;8212;is just as accessible to anyone with a basic understanding of physics.

In the arms race era 1949-1991, response planning was largely delusional as a detonation would have triggered simultaneous counter-action, creating a globally destructive nuclear holocaust. But survival in case of a nuclear detonation now is not a moot point. Efforts at mitigation, involving planning and the engagement of citizens, can help minimise the number of casualties. Incredibly, if you are two miles away from the site of detonation, you have a 50-per-cent chance of survival, which goes up to 80-90 per cent if you are within a radius of up to eight miles.

How can you save yourself from the heat, radiation and blast effects of a nuclear bomb going off? Redlener offers a survival plan:
a Don8217;t stare at the light flash and keep your mouth open so your eardrums don8217;t burst
b If very close, stick to the standard advice: duck and cover
c You have 10-20 minutes to get away from the initial fallout from the mushroom cloud, or find shelter in a basement or a tall building, above the ninth floor
dnbsp;Move crosswind for 1.2 miles, away from damaged buildings
enbsp;Try to keep your skin, mouth and nose covered
fnbsp;Decontaminate at the earliest and seek medical attention