Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Hazards

In today’s world, hazards can come in all shapes and sizes—from the crippling blast of a nuclear explosion to the inconspicuous but lethal biological agent. The unknown can be a scary thing, which is why gaining knowledge and understanding about these risks can make the thought of them less harrowing. Explore the links below to learn more about chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear hazards and how to best prepare for them.

Get Inside –

If you are outdoors when an event occurs, quickly move inside a stable building. Cars do not provide good protection from radioactive, chemical or biological material.
Close and lock all doors and windows. Turn off A/C and heater units and close fireplace dampers.
Move to your shelter-in-place room. Ideally this will be in a basement or the middle of a building for radiological and nuclear events to avoid fallout that lands on roofs and walls of buildings, or on the top floor of a building in chemical events to avoid vapors and gases that sink to the ground.
Seal all windows, doors and vents by taping plastic over them.

Stay Inside –

Remove clothing, shoes and accessories before entering your shelter area, and leave them outside.
Shower and wash your body with soap and water.
Bring your pets inside and carefully wash them with soap and water as well.

Stay Informed –

Turn on the radio and keep it tuned to an emergency response network for updates on the situation.
Provided information may include: length of time to shelter-in-place; if, when and where to evacuate; where to go for a contamination screening; mental health assistance; and more.
Try to use text messaging instead of phone calls to communicate, unless it’s an emergency.
Social media websites can also be used to stay informed.