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Terrorist use of an RDD—often called “dirty
nuke” or “dirty bomb”—is
considered far more likely than use of
a nuclear explosive device. An RDD combines
a conventional explosive device—such
as a bomb—with radioactive material.
It is designed to scatter dangerous and
sub-lethal amounts of radioactive material
over a general area. Such RDDs appeal to
terrorists because they require limited
technical knowledge to build and deploy
compared to a nuclear device. Also, the
radioactive materials in RDDs are widely
used in medicine, agriculture, industry,
and research, and are easier to obtain
than weapons grade uranium or plutonium.
The primary purpose of terrorist use of
an RDD is to cause psychological fear and
economic disruption. Some devices could
cause fatalities from exposure to radioactive
materials. Depending on the speed at which
the area of the RDD detonation was evacuated
or how successful people were at sheltering-in-place,
the number of deaths and injuries from
an RDD might not be substantially greater
than from a conventional bomb explosion.
The
size of the affected area and the level
of destruction caused by an RDD would
depend on the sophistication and size of
the conventional bomb, the type of radioactive
material used, the quality and quantity
of the radioactive material, and the local
meteorological conditions—primarily
wind and precipitation. The area affected
could be placed off-limits to the public
for several months during cleanup efforts.
Before an RDD Event
There is no way of knowing how much warning
time there will be before an attack by
terrorists using an RDD, so being prepared
in advance and knowing what
to do and when is important. Take the same
protective measures you would for
fallout resulting from a nuclear blast.
During
an RDD Event
While the explosive blast will be immediately
obvious, the presence of radiation
will not be known until trained personnel
with specialized equipment are on the
scene. Whether you are indoors or outdoors,
home or at work, be extra cautious. It would
be safer to assume radiological contamination
has occurred—particularly
in an urban setting or near other likely
terrorist targets—and take the proper
precautions.
As with any radiation, you want to avoid
or limit exposure. This is particularly
true of inhaling radioactive dust that
results from the explosion. As you seek
shelter from any location (indoors or outdoors)
and there is visual dust or other contaminants
in the air, breathe though the cloth of
your shirt or coat to limit your exposure.
If you manage to avoid breathing radioactive
dust, your proximity to the radioactive
particles may still result in some radiation
exposure.
If the explosion or radiological release
occurs inside, get out immediately and
seek
safe shelter.
If
you are Outdoors:
- Seek shelter indoors immediately
in the nearest undamaged building.
- If appropriate shelter is not available,
move as rapidly as is safe upwind
and away from the location of the explosive blast.
Then, seek appropriate shelter as
soon as possible.
- Listen for official instructions
and follow directions.
If you are Indoors:
- If you have time, turn off ventilation
and heating systems, close windows,
vents, fireplace dampers, exhaust fans, and clothes
dryer vents. Retrieve your disaster
supplies kit and a battery-powered radio and take
them to your shelter room.
- Seek shelter immediately, preferably
underground or in an interior room
of a building, placing as much distance and
dense shielding as possible between
you and the outdoors where the radioactive
material may be.
- Seal windows and external doors
that do not fit snugly with duct
tape to reduce infiltration of radioactive particles.
Plastic sheeting will not provide
shielding from radioactivity nor from blast effects
of a nearby explosion.
- Listen for official instructions
and follow directions.
After an RDD Event
After finding safe shelter, those who may
have been exposed to radioactive material
should decontaminate themselves. To do
this, remove and bag your clothing (and
isolate the bag away from you and others),
and shower thoroughly with soap and
water. Seek medical attention after officials
indicate it is safe to leave shelter.
Contamination
from an RDD event could affect a wide area,
depending on the amount of conventional
explosives used, the quantity and type
of radioactive material released, and meteorological
conditions. Thus, radiation dissipation
rates vary, but radiation from an RDD will
likely take longer to dissipate due to
a potentially larger localized concentration
of radioactive material.
Follow these additional guidelines after
an RDD event:
- Continue listening to your radio
or watch the television for instructions
from local officials, whether you have
evacuated or sheltered-in-place.
- Do not return to or visit an RDD incident
location for any reason.
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