English subtitles for clip: File:About Fallout (1963).webm

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These are particles of
radioactive fallout.

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And this is how a single particle looks
magnified several hundred times over

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radioactive piece of matter
from a nuclear explosion

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these few particles can't do
us any significant harm

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but should there be a nuclear attack many
billions of them would fall from the sky

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Releasing radiation that
could cause sickness

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or death in the area where they fall.

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This is that the.

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To begin with. It may
be surprising to know

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that radiation is something
we live with every day.

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Far back in time back before there
was an earth there were flaming

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fireballs in space we call them stars

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and there are millions upon millions
of stars like our own sun

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is a raging nuclear furnace that shoots
out showers of particles too tiny to be

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matter as we can see that
along with invisible forces

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that we call radiation this radiation

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and these particles travel through space
at fantastic speeds until they strike some

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other matter which may make new flavors
of radioactivity they strike wandering

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asteroids moons

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and planets such as our own everything
in space earth included receives

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this radiation

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background radiation is all
around us in tiny quantities.

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Later even planted unstable adults
deep inside the Earth itself.

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They decay one by one here and there
in a barrage of inconceivably small

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and silent explosion.

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Each explosion is another spark of radiation
all life on earth has reached its

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present form in company with radiation from
this naturally occurring radioactivity

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extremely thin with extremely low level
intensity. It has always been with us.

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It is nothing new.

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We don't worry about the small amounts
of natural background radiation.

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But the safely handle larger
We must keep our distance

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and shield ourselves for as the amounts

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increase so to the dangers
the amount of energy

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generated by a look we're
explosion is enormous.

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Here the crater area there was almost total
destruction from the blast in the now

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large amounts of power arise debris

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and molten dirt pulled up
into the mushroom cloud.

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This is where radioactive
fallout is for the radioactive

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Adams produced in the explosion
joined with the particles of earth

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and debris the mushroom shaped cloud forms

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climbs higher it now contains
billions of highly radioactive

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particles of matter that we call fallout.

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The strong winds of the upper altitudes go
to work on the cloud blowing off in one

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or more directions gravity
tugs on the part of the larger

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and heavier ones sink toward the ground
while the lighter particles continue to

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drift with the with some of the lightest
particles remain suspended in the upper

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atmosphere as time passes their
radioactivity grows weaker so

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that the longer they remain a lot.

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The less dangerous they are but the
heavier particles spread by high altitude

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when fall to the ground within twenty four
hours several miles from the explosion

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they are about the size of table salt are
fine say these are the most dangerous.

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Because they carry the greatest
number of radioactive atoms

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and so emit the largest amount of nuclear
radiation which brings us to an all

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important fact deadly as radiation can be.

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And this gives us an
invaluable ally. Time.

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So close a nuclear explosion takes
place at twelve noon. By one o'clock.

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The total force of the residual radiation
is at a high level. By seven o'clock.

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It's down to one tenth. In two
days although still dangerous.

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It's only one one hundred.
But in two weeks.

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It's only one one one thousand with this

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decay rate in mind consider radioactive
fallout conditions which might confront us

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after a massive attack within an hour
fallout would be a serious problem in the

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vicinity of explosions which occur on

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or near the ground by seven hours after
the attack the fallout area covers more.

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More of the country as the prevailing
winds expand the fallout in a downwind

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pattern twenty four hours
forty eight hours without

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shelter millions would face death.

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A few days later those who have taken shelter
will survive in many areas people can

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even leave shelter for brief periods of
time to carry out important tasks within

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two weeks.

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Most people can leave their shelters for
longer periods as the radioactivity decays

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to lower levels. The lesson is obvious.

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We must feel ourselves from radiation
through the dangerous period.

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To do this we need more than time.

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Fortunately we have another ally distance

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the greater our distance from the fallout
particularly the less radiation we

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receive you would receive less radiation
in the middle of a tall building then you

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would receive on the top or bottom floors
because there would be more distance

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and partitions between you and
the source of the radiation.

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The fallout of particles which would
cover the roof on the ground around the

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building. Only an insignificant
amount would get inside.

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And finally along with the cane rate
and distance we have still another

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and very important ally mass.

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When highly radioactive fallout covers our
immediate area we can shield ourselves

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to the most dangerous period by using
the here weight of any material

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like the protecting the tiller.

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Must be heavy to shield out some ninety
nine percent of the radiation you would

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need about five and a half feet of wood

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or two feet of earth or one
a third feet of concrete

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or I have put a steel even though the
thickness of these materials varies.

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They all weigh the same taking a house

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as an example. It offers a small amount
of mass and distance from radiation

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but not enough protection
in an area of heavy fall.

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The solution is play fallout shelters
are the best defense against nuclear

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radiation whether in a
home for a single family

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or a large community type in an apartment
building they offer the kind of

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protection from radiation you would
probably need in case of a nuclear attack

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but the best shelter would be worthless
unless it was used most people find it hard

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to understand how silent invisible rays
which cannot even be felt could be so

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damaging.

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Let's see what happens when radiation
penetrates the body and attacks the cells.

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What is a cell and what
happens when it is attacked.

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It's a simple organism which reproduces
itself by dividing our bodies are made up

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of millions of cells there the
building blocks of our blood

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and tissues now powerful radiation strikes

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and cells are injured or
destroyed if radiation stuff.

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Ops before the accumulated
dose is too great.

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Almost all of the damage eventually will
be repaired. If radiation continues.

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There are some cells less able to function
the top officials should the body fall

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behind in its recovery severe illness

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or death could result.

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The key then is the amount the total
dose of radiation received we

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measure radiation in the same way.

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Speed is measured by a speedometer only
instead of a speedometer we have a rate

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meter and instead of miles per hour.

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We measure the rate in rent can
spur our we need another device

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called a dosimeter to record how much
radiation a person has accumulated over a

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period of time in the same way we
recorded accumulated distance in miles.

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The dosimeter records
accumulated dose in Rankin's.

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With this in mind let's return
to background radiation

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in an average lifetime a person might expect
to accumulate about ten Rankin's from

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his natural environment not
enough to affect his health.

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The same healthy person would need medical
care if he received more than two

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hundred rand kins within a few days three
hundred Rankin's in the same period would

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cause severe radiation
sickness or possibly death

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and as we go beyond three hundred Rankin's
the danger of death increases rapidly.

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So now we see why shelter is vital.

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The difference between accumulating
a large dose because of little

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or no shielding

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and a small dose because of adequate
shielding is the difference between death

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and life.

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No clothing of course could
possibly provide enough shielding.

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However if you were to be in the open during
fallout conditions clothing would keep

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the particles from touching your skin.

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There is no such thing as a fallout suit

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but ordinary clothing would help until
you could reach the safety of a shelter.

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Then the fallout particles
can be brushed off

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and outer clothing removed if fallout
settles on your food the food itself

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is not harmed.

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Since radiation damages only living tissue

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and you can easily decontaminated using
almost the same method you use in everyday

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food preparation actually even if you
accidentally swallowed some fallout particles.

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It wouldn't kill you. The effect of any
probably wouldn't show up for years.

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Still since there is a possibility of long
term effects such as shortened lifespan

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cancer or hereditary damage.

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It's wise to remove the radioactive
particles by simply washing wiping

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or peeling

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but it's vital to remember
this neither water

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nor chemicals can destroy
radioactivity the fallout particles

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can only be moved or washed away.

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Only time can reduce their
potency and a lot of water.

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Well here again the same rules apply if
necessary you could drink water containing

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fallout particles without worry

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or immediate harm the chances are you
wouldn't have to for a long water helps to.

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Wash itself through the natural processes
of sedimentation and filtration

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and swiftly moving rivers like this would
carry most fallout particles downstream

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in still waters most particles would
settle quickly to the bottom.

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Others might remain suspended in the water
for a long time while a small percent of

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the radioactivity would dissolve

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the normal processing of a water treatment
plant would make it safe to drink

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and water coming from a covered well would
be safe from radioactive contamination.

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There is no problem with breathing for air
is not contaminated once the fallout is

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on the ground fallout is not a poison
gas if ventilation is needed in a

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shelter a simple inverted you fitting on
a ventilator a pipe would keep all of

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particles from entering the
pipe and getting inside.

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Of course surviving a nuclear attack means
more than just waiting in a shelter for

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radioactivity to decay to safe
levels survival reconstruction

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and recovery would involve decontamination
in many areas it's a very difficult job.

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You know they need it all on Mars.

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Those right fifteen reckons per hour

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fall out would have to be removed from
important areas by street sweepers

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and the remaining particles
to be flushed out of the way.

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The the food would be a
problem after a locally

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or attack. We would first use existing
food supplies from shelters markets

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and surplus food storage

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when fallout educated safe levels people
could begin to work in the fields for a

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limited period of time
in a few areas the land

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would not be suitable for food

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but such crops is cut could be grown crops

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for human consumption
would be grown in areas

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that had received the least for the

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reason we would be able to grow

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and planted in this land is the transfer
of radioactivity from soil the plant is

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extremely low.

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And so if nuclear attack should ever come
in spite of every effort to avoid We must

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be able to survive and
rebuild for the future

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but survival can only
come through knowledge.

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The basic facts we must all
know are relatively simple.

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First there is nothing new about
radiation. It has always been with us.

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What is new is the vast amount we will
be exposed to as a result of nuclear

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explosion.

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Much of this danger would come
to us in the form of dollars

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but we are not without
personal weapons or defense.

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One of these is time radiation decays
so we would not have to take maximum

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precautions indefinitely.

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Another defense is distance radiating
particles fifty feet away for instance would

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not affect us as much as
particles a few feet away

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and our third defense is mass any
material with enough weight will keep the

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penetrating rays from hurting the greater
the weight of the material between us

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and the particles the safer we would
be the best way we can use all three

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weapons of Defense is with an adequate
shelter thick enough to shield off a good

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part of the radiation until
it has decay do safer levels.

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When radiation attacks the
cells of our body are damaged.

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Most of them can repair themselves if the
total blows over a period of time is not

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too high.

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Even though the Rays penetrate our bodies
causing damage they do not infect us

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and make us or anything else radioactive.

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That's why food remains good no matter how
much radiation has passed through the

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fallout accidentally swallowed with water
or food will do you no immediate harm

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but for a long term safety.

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It's best to wash white or peel the food

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and filter the water even if you were
caught outside under fallout conditions

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ordinary clothing would keep the radioactive
particles from touching your skin

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but you would still need to find shelter
quickly if we remember these back.

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If we act on them intelligently we can
increase our chances of surviving nuclear

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attack and the key to
survival is that it will jump

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and

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that is why the federal government has
a nationwide fallout shelter program.

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The goal is adequate fallout
shelter space for every man woman

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and child

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and this goal can be reached for with
knowledge of radiation we can face the facts

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about fallout take action
to protect ourselves.

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And learn how to live in the nuclear age.