Radiation Basics

These three simple concepts are your most powerful defense against radiation exposure. Internalize them.

• Time: Minimize the time you spend near a radiation source. The less time you're exposed, the lower your dose.
• Distance: Maximize your distance from the source. Radiation intensity decreases dramatically with distance (inverse square law). Doubling your distance can cut your exposure by 75%.
• Shielding: Put as much dense material (mass) as possible between you and the source. This is the entire purpose of a fallout shelter.

Not all radiation is the same. In a fallout scenario, you're primarily concerned with one type.

• Alpha Particles: Heavy, slow-moving particles. They are easily stopped by a sheet of paper or the outer layer of your skin. They are only dangerous if inhaled or ingested.
• Beta Particles: Lighter and faster than Alpha. They can penetrate skin but can be stopped by a thin layer of wood, plastic, or aluminum. Like Alpha, they are most dangerous if they get inside your body.
• Gamma Rays: This is the primary danger from fallout. They are high-energy waves, not particles, and can travel long distances, penetrating most materials. It takes thick, dense materials like concrete, earth, or lead to effectively block them. Your shelter is designed to stop Gamma rays.

ARS is caused by a large dose of radiation over a short period. Knowing the symptoms is crucial for assessment, not for self-diagnosis in a panic. The key is to AVOID the dose in the first place by proper sheltering.

• Initial Symptoms (The faster they appear, the higher the dose): Nausea, vomiting, headache, and diarrhea. Vomiting within the first hour is a sign of a very severe, likely lethal, exposure.
• Latent Period: A period where the victim may feel better. This is deceptive; cellular damage is ongoing.
• Manifest Illness: Symptoms return, including hair loss, fatigue, bruising, and severe infections as the immune system collapses.
• Treatment: Without a hospital, ARS cannot be "cured". The only treatment is supportive care: managing symptoms, fighting dehydration, and preventing infection.