DECONTAMINATION

DECONTAMINATION Self-Aid If you suspect that you are contaminated, or if detection equipment indicates you are, report to a personnel decontamination station. Outer clothing will serve as a trap for most radioactive contamination. By taking off your clothes, you may remove most of the contamination. The usual procedure at the personnel decontamination station is as follows: discard clothing and equipment as directed. Enter the shower; then bathe, using plenty of soap and warm water. In scrubbing the entire body, give particular attention to the hair, fingernails, body creases, and ears. After the shower, you will be directed to a monitor who will check you with a radiation detector. If any contamination remains, you must shower again. If no contamination is detected, you may proceed to the dressing room for a new issue of clothing and equipment. Since food and water are especially subject to contamination, avoid consuming uncovered food and water if they are in a radioactive area. Canned foods and covered water supplies may be consumed with safety, even after the outside of the containers are decontaminated. If the situation does not permit you to go to a decontamination station, you must be able to remove most of the radioactive material with whatever you have on hand. If you become heavily contaminated, the following measures are recommended: 1. Remove your outer garments. Shake them vigorously or brush them off. Be sure that the clothing is held downwind. This will remove most of the radioactive material, unless it is wet and muddy 2. If it is too cold or wet to remove your clothing, brush or scrape them carefully. 3. The same procedure should be used to decontaminate your equipment. Treatment of Casualties In the case of an air burst explosion, you may administer first aid to those casualties who received injuries from nuclear explosions, without fear of becoming contaminated by the casualties. If the weapon has been detonated close to the ground, both you and the casualties may have some radioactive fallout on your skin and clothing. You must treat for hemorrhage, shock, wounds, fractures, burns, and other injuries. 13-39