Man-Made Disasters | Disaster Rally

Local Fires: 10 Ways To Stay Safe And Protect Yourself

Local fires can be extremely hazardous events. There is perhaps nothing more frightening than seeing flames inside your home or smelling smoke. Fires may originate within the house accidentally or in your neighborhood. In either case, local fires can cause severe damage to property, burn injuries, explosions, and even loss of life. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), you have only one or two minutes to leave your house after the sound of the smoke or fire alarms. A few simple steps can keep you safe during fires and protect you from life-threatening injuries and destruction of your belongings.

Fire safety policies are generally put into place at the time of construction of the building. The local fire department also has regulations for responding to local fires. However, the first response in case of local fires should come from you. Read on to know more about how to protect yourself and your loved ones when there are local fires.

What Causes Local Fires?

Local fires may be caused due to a variety of reasons. Some local fires occur due to incidents inside your home while wildfires ignite in open areas outside the home. Wildfires are unplanned ignition due to natural reasons or human intervention. Many times, a discarded cigarette, a campfire, or even arson has been reported as the cause of wildfires. Winds stoke these fires, and they can spread across large areas.

Wildland fires are typically classified from type 5 to 1. Type 5 fires are the least severe, while type 1 wildland fires are the most complex. Type 5 fires are generally managed with local resources. Type 1 fires require extensive handling and up to 500 to 1000 personnel may be needed to control the fire situation.

Local fires that initiate at home may be caused due to carelessness, mishandling of electric equipment, accidental events, or sometimes by children who are unaware of fire-related dangers. In general, the types of local fires have been classified into 5 categories based on causes:

Class A fires involve solids such as paper, plastic, cloth, or wood
Class B fires pertain to flammable fluids such as oils or gasoline
Class C fires are related to electrical equipment
Class D fires involve metals such as aluminum
Class K fires occur due to cooking oils

Fire management of each fire is different. Some fires may need a special kind of extinguisher. It helps to know what’s causing the problem when the firefighters arrive and also if you are trying to put out local fires yourself with a fire extinguisher.

10 Ways to Protect Yourself During a Fire

In the case of local fires, you need to know how you can stay safe and prevent burn injuries. It is essential not to panic and to remain calm in the event of local fires. Things will always be easy to manage if you are prepared for a fire crisis.

Self before Stuff

When a fire erupts, you may get anxious about any of your belongings getting damaged. However, you must put aside your worries about any object or article no matter how valuable it is and focus entirely on your safety. You need to ensure your safety and those of your loved ones and pets first and only later concern yourself with any material thing.

Try Extinguishing the Fire

If local fires start at home, you may extinguish them by using a fire extinguisher. However, fire extinguishers are not the same for all types of fires. The types are color-coded as below:

Water – labeled red
Foam – labeled cream
Dry powder – marked blue
Carbon dioxide – labeled black
Wet chemical – tagged yellow

You will need to know about the type of fire extinguisher you have so it is effective against the fire you are trying to put out. Make sure the size of the combustion is manageable with a fire extinguisher. If you think the fire is spreading or becoming too dangerous, focus on protecting yourself and loved ones, rather than extinguishing the fire.

Make the Call

If you are feeling helpless during a fire, grab your phone and call 911 or 999 which is the number for the Fire and Rescue Service. If you cannot remember the resources to contact, place a call to any of your friends or relatives and instruct them to call the emergency public service numbers.

Look for the Nearest Exit

If a fire erupts in your home or surroundings when you are in a building, do not panic. Stay calm and think carefully about the location of the nearest exit such as a door or window. Try to remember any pre-planned escape route that you may have marked out and practiced. Calmly guide your family or friends along the escape route and leave the building. If nothing has been planned previously, locate the nearest exit and leave the building as soon as possible.

Get Low, Stay Low

Smoke released by a fire is always toxic. The flames emanating from a fire are less harmful than the poisonous gases that can suffocate you. It is best to stay low with your head about 12 to 24 inches off the ground. You can remain under the fumes of the fire by staying close to the ground and avoid inhalation of smoke.

Avoid the Elevators

You may feel elevators will take you down to the nearest exit faster than the stairway, but that’s a lousy idea in case of a fire. Why? Because the electrical circuits of a lift may become dysfunctional or ‘short’ during a fire. You will be trapped in a non-functional elevator with no escape route. Further, smoke and gases from the fire may enter the lift and suffocate you. Always use the stairs and stay clear of elevators in the event of a fire in your building.

Check for Fires before Opening Doors

You will look for the nearest door or window to escape from a fire. However, you may need to open a few doors or cross some rooms before you reach the closest exit. Do not open doors blindly. Instead, check to see if there is a fire in the room that you are about to step into. You can check for a possible ignition in the place you are about to enter by following a few steps:

Touch a door before opening to see if it is very warm or hot
Look for flames or smoke emanating from a room through door cracks
Check if the doorknob is hot even if the door is cool

In case there is no smoke coming in from the next room and the door and doorknob of the room are cool, you can carefully open the door and head to the exit. If a fire is there in the next area, quickly shut the door of that room tightly.

Stop, Drop, Roll

Stop, drop and then roll sounds like the catchy lyrics of a song, but this sequence can save your life in case of local fires. In case any part of your clothes catch fire, you need to stop moving, drop on the floor and roll on the ground to put out the flames.

Evacuate Immediately

In the case of wildfires, your regional fire department may give out an evacuation order. It is essential to leave your home as soon as you receive the order. In case of home-based fires too, leave your house as quickly as possible and do not re-enter until you are sure it is safe to do so as per the firefighters’ advice.

Limit Smoke Exposure

With wildfires, the air around the fire contains dust, ash, and fine particles harmful to your breathing. Wear a mask and shut the windows and doors of your home to limit toxic air exposure. It is also best to avoid smoking or lighting gas stoves during a wildfire to reduce air pollution.

Tips to Prevent Local Fires

The critical aspect of fire safety is the prevention of local fires. You can protect yourself from fires by a few simple steps. Read on for a few tips to prevent local fires:

Install smoke detectors in every room of your house
Work out an escape route to use during fires
Plan and practice a fire-safety drill often
Teach children how to use flammable items and electric equipment safely
Turn off electrical goods and switches when not in use
Try to smoke outdoors only
Extinguish campfires completely
Drench outdoor areas with water before starting a planned fire
Learn about fire extinguishers and the use of each type

Conclusion

Local fires are one of the leading causes of injury and death. They can cause devastation to life and property. You can protect yourself and your loved ones by following the points discussed above. Please remember that your life is more precious than any commodity in your house. Stay safe during local fires and once you are safe, try to help others in danger.

How To Stay Safe In The Aftermath Of An Explosion

Explosions, either accidental or intentional, are one of the more frightening potential disasters. Thankfully, they are a rare phenomenon but that rarity can keep people from learning about the best ways to stay safe in the aftermath of an explosion. This article will cover the most common causes of explosions, how to prepare for possible explosions and how to stay safe in the aftermath of an explosion should one happen near you.

What Can Cause an Explosion?

At their most basic, all explosions are caused by an extreme release of energy that expands rapidly and violently. For example, a gas explosion is one of the most common types of household explosion. In a gas explosion, the flammable gas used for heat or cooking leaks within the home. When a spark is applied to that collected gas, it combusts, but since it is contained in a small area, that combustion turns into a fireball that tries to escape its confinement.

The source of the energy involved in an explosion often comes from flammable materials such as petroleum products or other chemicals. That said, explosions can occur because of other chemical reactions, too. The reaction of pure elemental sodium to water creates an explosion. Pressure is another possible cause of explosions. A boiler, such as those used in steam power, can explode if the steam pressure inside becomes too high.

One surprising source for explosions is dust. When flammable airborne dusts are confined, a spark can cause them to combust, creating an explosion. Several historic explosions in coal mines and grain elevators have been caused by flammable dusts.

Explosions tend to have four stages, though due to the speed explosions occur at these four stages can happen in under a single second. The first stage is the fireball. This occurs only in combustion related explosions and is the initial point of the combustion. The fireball creates a concussive wave of air that rapidly expands away from the point of the explosion.

The third stage is fragmentation. Here, the concussive wave comes into contact material in the environment both damaging it and moving it along with the wave. This can reach speeds of 18,000 feet per second.

Once the air has been pushed away in a concussive wave, a temporary vacuum is created and the air that vacated the area of the explosion will return. The return is not as violent as the initial concussive wave as it does not have the explosion’s rapid energy release, but it can create further damage or injury.

How to Prepare for Explosions

Living Nearby

While most explosions are unexpected that does not mean that you cannot prepare for them. Generally, having a well-prepared emergency kit and a family emergency plan will be your best preparation. For those that regularly work or live near potentially explosive material, handling those materials safely will be the best way to prevent an explosion. Regarding potential intentional explosions, situational awareness can prevent tragedy or at least minimize the damage.

Intentional Explosions

Intentional explosions or bombs are some of the rarest types of explosions and are usually hidden inside a package or bag. Take note of unaccompanied bags or packages when you are at public events and alert authorities when they are suspicious. If you receive an unexpected package in the mail be wary if it is from an unfamiliar sender, especially if it has excess postage, odd labeling or other suspicious characteristics.

Suicide bombings are another, even rarer, type of intentional explosion. Most of these bombings use explosive-laden vests that the bomber must hide under clothing. Take note of people who are wearing unexpectedly heavy clothing, such as an overcoat in summer. Many suicide vests are triggered with a hand device, so the bomber would have a switch or button in their hand that leads up their arm to the device. If you see someone carrying something like that, do not approach them and immediately inform the authorities.

Using Dangerous Items

Safety regulations require warning labels and specific safety training for jobs that require the use of potentially explosive material. Following these rules to the letter will be the best way to prevent an explosion. If you use an automobile or have gas appliances in your home, familiarize yourself with the smell of gasoline or the gas used in your home. If you detect that smell in your home or with gasoline in your garage or car, ventilate the area to disperse the gas. This will help to prevent an explosion. Once the area is ventilated, turn off the gas line and try to find the leak, or contact the appropriate authorities.

Emergency Kits and Plans

An emergency kit can be used not only in the aftermath of explosions but also after many other types of disasters. A good emergency kit will have a three day supply of food and water. A gallon of water a day for each person should be sufficient. An emergency radio, flashlight, batteries and a first aid kit are other essentials for an emergency kit. Keep your major emergency kit at the home, but it is also smart to keep a smaller one in the car.

Like an emergency kit, an emergency plan will be of use beyond explosions. An emergency plan spells out how your family will respond to an emergency. This almost always includes where to meet in case of an emergency and even how to get there. For people that require special consideration, such as a disabled family member, the emergency plan can include specifics on helping them reach the meeting place.

How to Stay Safe in the Aftermath of an Explosion

Your first priority after an explosion is your own safety. If possible, try to put a sturdy barrier between you and the explosion. Once the explosion occurs follow the guidelines for earthquakes and move under a sturdy table or desk even if you are outside. Explosions can create structural damage to buildings as well as propel debris into the air that can injure unsuspecting victims.

After the initial explosion, check yourself for injuries. If you are cut and bleeding, apply direct pressure to the wounds to stop the bleeding. If you are bleeding heavily in an extremity, apply a tourniquet to slow the bleeding. This should only be done when absolutely necessary as it can lead to limb damage. Your goal here is not completely treating your wounds, it is to treat the immediate dangers and enable you to evacuate the area of the explosion.

Before evacuating the area, look for any signs of fire or other hazards. Cover your nose and mouth to protect yourself from inhaling anything toxic. Many buildings contain asbestos that can damage the lungs when inhaled

When smoke is present, stay low and under the smoke as you leave the area. Test the handle of any door you try for heat as you evacuate and be wary of damaged floors, walls and ceilings. Explosions cause structural damage and some of that damage might weaken the structure.

Do not take elevators after an explosion and avoid being near windows. The structural damage to the building caused by the explosion can make elevators unsafe to ride in. Fire moves up and elevator shafts provide a convenient way for fire to travel. If a fire is involved in the explosion, elevator shafts will probably be unsafe. Structural damage can place greater pressure on the glass in windows. This puts them at risk of spontaneously shattering after an explosion.

If you are trapped in debris after an explosion, the first thing you need to do is to stay calm. try to assess your injuries and prevent any bleeding if you can. Your initial reaction will be to yell for help but you should avoid using your voice so you do not inhale any dangerous dust. Tapping on pipes or using a flashlight or your phone’s light will help rescuers find you just as well as yelling.

Helping Others in the Aftermath of an Explosion

You should help others as you, but there are some things to bear in mind. Moving an injured person, especially a person with a back or neck injury, can make the injury worse. It is best to avoid moving them unless there is an immediate risk to their life such as a fire. If there is no immediate risk, it is best to let the emergency medical technicians handle them.

Due to the potential structural damage, attempting to free someone who is trapped in debris is not recommended unless there is an immediate risk to their life. Moving debris can worsen the structural integrity of the building and put not only the trapped person, but everyone in the area at risk. As with severe injuries, it is best to leave this to the professionals unless there is imminent danger from fire or some other risk.

Conclusion

Ideally, you will never have to follow through with the above guide on how to stay safe in the aftermath of explosions. Explosions are rare and most people will never be in one, but as the boy scouts say: be prepared. If you are prepared, you will be in a better position to survive should disaster strike.

How to Survive a Nuclear Attack and Improve Your Survival Chances

If you grew up during the Cold War, the thought of a nuclear attack was probably one of your worse nightmares. Even though the conflict ended in the ‘90s increasing tensions with North Korea might have you wondering how to survive a nuclear attack. Likely, for the first time in decades.

Can it even be done? For years, scientists warned us about the impossibility of surviving such an ordeal. Radiation itself has become a favorite boogeyman in science fiction horror movies, turning mild-mannered laboratory assistants into mutated monstrosities.

The effects of radiation are very well known, and even mild radiation from the sun causes skin cancer deaths that measure over 16,000 every year. In light of even the smallest amounts of radiation doing so much damage, would we know how to survive a nuclear attack of any magnitude?

Being prepared for the worst case scenario is always the wise thing to do. Surviving the effects of a nuclear bomb and the resulting radiation may seem impossible, but smart planning can increase your chances of coming out alive on the other side.

Why Nuclear Attacks Are Lethal

Several components of any nuclear attack cause death and radiation poisoning. To make matters worse, the electromagnetic pulse (EMP) puts vital electrical and electronic devices out of order, making it impossible to contact emergency services or find medical care.

During an attack, victims can expect a bright flash that causes temporary blindness. The flash is followed by a blast wave, which will cause damage in a radius of several miles. This blast can topple buildings and trees, and cause death and severe injury to living creatures.

Fire from the explosion causes further damage, and the blast of radiation following will cause cell death in living organisms. After the blast, the fallout rains radioactive particles up to several miles away. This dirt, ash, and other particles are dangerous and cause radiation sickness.

Your distance from the blast improves your chances of survival. After detonation, the nuclear fallout radius is the most significant concern in regards to how to survive a nuclear attack. The plume may extend to a radius of hundreds of miles, depending on the local geography and weather.

How to Prepare for a Nuclear Attack

The best way to avoid a nuclear attack is not to be there when it happens. People who live in vital population hubs are most at risk. That said, there are things you can do to prepare ahead of time should this unlikely scenario play out.

Build emergency supply kits

A family emergency kit should have the basics, ranging from water and sealed, non-perishable food to a first aid kit. Add both a hand-crank and a battery-powered radio, along with extra batteries. You should also pack a can opener, flashlight, and fresh clothes.

You should also keep an emergency kit in your car. Along with natural disasters and travel emergencies that can hit while you’re on the road, if you receive warning of an imminent attack while commuting, you’ll only have seconds to respond.

Your emergency car supply kit will help if you need to seek shelter at your workplace or along your route. Include bottled water, energy bars, a hand-crank battery, and a flashlight. You may also want to have a spare set of comfortable clothing, as well as baby wipes on hand.

disaster preparedness kit, — Image CC by 2.0, by Global X, via Flickr

Prepare a family emergency plan

Developing a family emergency plan means identifying evacuation routes, nearby shelters, and a method for communicating with family members in the event of a nuclear attack.

Identify shelters near your home and commute

Ready.gov, the disaster planning service of the federal government, recommends finding the closest shelter. Identify potential shelters near your home, workplace, schools, and along the route of your usual commute. Note that public buildings with basements or large buildings with many stories as the best places to shelter in case of a blast. Although most public buildings will allow some radiation to penetrate, they can lessen exposure by a factor of 10.

Along with large public buildings, underground transportation platforms and tunnels are also ideal for shelter. The goal is to put as much concrete, brick, and earth between yourself and the air as possible. Underground shelters are your best choice when it comes to how to survive a nuclear attack.

Be sure to see if your community has a designated nuclear fallout shelter ahead of time. Even if it’s not accessible to you immediately after the blast, it will likely be a hub for any medical treatment for radiation poisoning, as well as updates from the authorities.

How to Survive a Nuclear Attack After the Blast

Depending on the missile’s launch site and the efficiency of the warning system, you may have a few moments to a half-hour to prepare for an attack. The following tips will improve your chances of survival.

Shield your eyes

The bright flash from the explosion can temporarily blind you, reducing your ability to survive in the aftermath. Shield your eyes and look away from the blast.

Seek shelter and remain there

The greater the distance between you and the blast, the better. The more dirt and concrete between you and outdoors, the better. If you’re beyond the immediate blast zone, at least 8 miles away, your chances of surviving the explosion are as high as 80 to 90 percent.

If you’re outside during the attack

The most lethal effect of a nuclear attack is the fallout, which is most dangerous in the first few hours afterward. After surviving the explosion, the threat of radiation poisoning is your first concern. If you’re outside and can’t get to a building fast, take cover under anything you can find. Lie on the ground; the lower, the better. Lie beneath anything that could protect you from the heat and blast wave. If you’re driving, pull over and duck down as low as you can go inside your vehicle.

After the blast, you have 10 to 20 minutes to get indoors and underground, as far away from the nuclear fallout radius as possible. If possible, choose brick or concrete buildings to avoid the most radiation.

Once you’ve sheltered

If you’re already inside, stay inside. Seek the depths of whatever building you’re sheltered in. Find the lowest possible level in the middle of the building. Find the basement, if there is one, or go to the center of the building. Avoid windows and exterior walls.

Decontaminate

Once inside the shelter, remove contaminated outer clothing and wash off your skin, if possible. If you brought your emergency kit, you’ll have wipes and fresh clothing. Clean up as soon as you can, as any radioactive particles on your skin or clothing will continue to poison you. If possible, shower and wash off with lots of soap and water. You can use shampoo for your hair but stay away from conditioner; it causes radioactive material to stick to your hair. The Centers for Disease Control recommends you wipe your ears and your eyes, and blow your nose as well.

Discard any contaminated clothing by sealing it up in a plastic bag. Outerwear, like jackets and coats, can carry as much as much as 90 percent of the radioactive material on your body. Be careful when removing your clothing to ensure that no radioactive dust falls off and contaminates other items.

How to Survive a Nuclear Attack in the Aftermath

fire department emergency responders — Image CC0, by Military_Material, via Pixabay

Radiation dissipates rapidly a few days after the explosion, and it won’t be long before you can leave the shelter. However, the first 24 to 48 hours are the most dangerous. Plan to remain in the shelter for at least one day, although the longer you can stay in, the better. By the 15th day, the radiation’s intensity will have dropped to 1 percent of the initial level. This dramatically increases the chances of how to survive a nuclear attack.

Keep calm and stay informed

Although you may worry, never leave your shelter to find family members or pets. That’s why it’s important to make a family plan ahead of time. Your cell phone, TV, and internet services may not work after a nuclear attack because of the EMP. It’s also possible that radio stations will be affected by the blast. Your hand-crank or battery operated radio should work perfectly, though. Use either to stay tuned for official announcements and safety instructions. You may also want to receive notification of open emergency services centers.

Listen to your emergency radio or, if accessible, a local television channel, for updates on the impact, any rescue efforts, and available assistance resources. The better informed you are, the easier it will be to keep calm and stay positive.

Now You Know How to Survive a Nuclear Attack

Preparing for a nuclear attack isn’t something we like to think about. The 20-year gap since the end of the Cold War has made it easy to forget such things were ever possible. However, times again are changing. International tensions may mean that we have to think about how to survive a nuclear attack as seriously as we did 50 years ago.

Also, new technology may redefine how people prepare and change the dangers we face. Along with attack, the threat of other nuclear disasters with nearby power plants and waste sites may require the same vigilance and similar safety measures. A nuclear blast is something none of us would ever want to experience. However, it’s better to know what to do than not knowing at all.

Featured Image: CC0, by lenzius, via Pixabay

Active Shooter Training Is Preparing People for the Unthinkable

Over the last several years, we have seen active shooter alerts flash across our television and computer screens more times than we can count. In fact, it has happened so often that many of us have begun to think it is only a matter of time before we are in one of those situations. Whether that is an overreaction to the 24-hour news cycle and the neverending stream of information on social media or not doesn’t matter. What matters is how we prepare ourselves just in case.

While it is true that you cannot be 100 percent for every situation, you can try to prepare yourself. Hopefully, by the end of this article, you will know what to do to stay safe should you ever face the terrifying reality of an active shooter.

The Devastation of Active Shooter Incidents

Pulse nightclub memorial in the days after an active shooter killed 49 people — Image: CC BY 2.0, by Walter, via Flickr

On February 14, 2018, an active shooter walked into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Florida. Seventeen teachers and students died, and another seventeen had injuries.

November 5, 2017, was a beautiful fall day. Families were sitting down for a church service in Sutherland Springs, Texas when suddenly an active shooter burst through the doors. Twenty-five people and an unborn child died; twenty more churchgoers had injuries from the shooting.

The Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas, Nevada was supposed to be a great time. That all changed on October 1, 2017, when an active shooter holed himself up in a hotel room and fired down on concertgoers. Fifty-eight people lost their lives in the shooting and 851 had injuries.

On June 12, 2016, Eddie Sotomayor, Jr., a man adored by my best friend, was getting ready to leave Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Before Eddie could walk out of the club, an active shooter entered the building killing him and 48 others. The shooting also left fifty more injured.

Sandy Hook Elementary school was full of happy kids excited for Christmas on December 14, 2012. Unfortunately, by the day’s end, twenty of those happy kids and six of their teachers lost their lives.

These are just a few of the mass shootings that have taken place in the last decade. There have also been shootings at airports, political rallies, movie theaters, college campuses, military bases and health clinics. These shootings have left an unconscionable amount of devastation in their wakes. They have also left people wondering how they can protect themselves.

What is Active Shooter Training?

First of all, we don’t want you to get the idea that mass shootings are really common. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Mass shootings are only a tiny fraction of the gun violence incidents in the United States. So, in all likelihood, this is not a disaster that you will ever have to face. However, like natural disasters, preparation is a key part of survival. And one way to be ready for an active shooter situation is by receiving active shooter training.

Police departments, as well as private companies, all over the country, are providing this training to people. Essentially, it is a class where someone pretends to be a shooter and the everyone learns how to respond. Schools do drills that mimic this now. Children learn how to barricade a door and where to hide in their darkened classroom. Employers teach their employees to do the same thing, but they are also teaching them to fight back if need be. If you can’t find a class, there are some simple steps you can take.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends you do the following if confronted by a shooter: Run, hide, or fight.

Obviously, the first thing you should do is get out or run if you see an active shooter. If that is not possible, find a place to hide and silence all of your electronics. Finally, if you have no other choice, fight. Remember though, if you have to fight you are fighting to incapacitate your shooter. Use whatever you have at your disposable, chairs, fire extinguishers, anything, to take them down.

Watch the video below to learn more:

Police communications are key

Active shooter drill Buffalo, NY — Image: Public domain, by Petty Officer 3rd Class Lauren Laughlin, via Wikimedia

Another key aspect of surviving a mass shooting situations is communication with police officers. Once you are safe, it is extremely important that you give the police all the information you have. If you saw the shooter, you want to tell them what the shooter was wearing or any identifying features. Also, it is important to let the police know what kind of gun the active shooter has. Tell the cops where you last saw the shooter, if you saw any injured victims and help the officers with the layout of the building you were in.

Even if you did not see the shooter, you must still speak to the police. You might have information that you don’t even realize you have. If you are stuck in the building with the shooter, but you are hidden, call 911. If you cannot speak, keep the line open so that the operator can hear what is going on. Also, use the location tag on social media so the police know where you are.

Local emergency alerts help protect communities

At many schools and businesses, there is an emergency response system set up to alert people of an active shooter situation. This could come in the form of a text message or social media post. Stay vigilant and turn on notifications on your phone so that you know what is going on.

What to do after a mass shooting

Not only is it important to know what to do during a shooting, but it’s also vital you know what to do after. If there are injured victims around you, help them. This could mean that you have to apply first aid, such as CPR or putting pressure on wounds. If you notice that someone is unconscious, turn them on their side, keep them warm and make sure they are breathing.

When law enforcement enters the area, follow their instructions. Keep your hands visible so that they know you do not have a weapon. Evacuate when they tell you it is time.

Finally, when you are home and the situation is over, seek professional help. Post-traumatic stress disorder is deadly. Your mental health is just as important as your physical well-being. A doctor or mental health professional can teach you coping skills.

Where to find more information

As I mentioned, there are places all across the country that offer active shooter training. You can call your local police department and see if they offer classes. Also, gun ranges often teach people how to respond. The FBI also offers a variety of resources to keep you and your family safe.

Featured image: Public domain, by Staff Sgt. Roger RyDell Daniels, via Wikimedia

The 7 Dangers of Nuclear Waste: How Does It Affect Us?

Nuclear power, also referred to as radioactive power, provides various benefits. This includes powering the heat and electricity in our homes, and it does so with little to no greenhouse gas emissions. However, when nuclear power is mishandled, or if nuclear waste is stored improperly, it can become hazardous to living beings.

As a matter of fact, because the waste can remain active for millions of years, there are many dangers of nuclear waste, including the following seven hazards.

1. It Contaminates the Environment

If improperly sealed, nuclear pollution can easily spread over the area and into different ecosystems as well as the water, air, and ground, which can become contaminated and cause harm to all living organisms.

Radiation is threatening to living beings because it damages the body’s cells, which can ultimately cause cancer, cell death, and other irreversible destruction. In fact, biologists have found a correlation between the leakage of nuclear liquid into the ocean from the 2011 incident in Fukushima and an increase of skin ulcers in walruses and seals in Alaska, which demonstrates the global effect of radioactive contamination.

2. There Is No Guaranteed Safe or Long-Term Storage

It is common practice to store nuclear waste deep in the earth’s structure. There, it should be safeguarded for a long time. For example, our oceans and seas are commonly used as storage places for nuclear waste due to their large volume. They can dilute radiation and store numerous nuclear waste-filled containers.

However, one of the dangers of nuclear waste storage is that no one can guarantee the sustainability of these storage facilities. For instance, shifting tectonic plates or erosion can obstruct these deep storage repositories.

There is also no guarantee that these storages will remain untouched by future generations who may not fully understand their threat. It is also not known how or if it will impact the safety of nearby communities.

3. It Causes Long-Term Health Effects

It is a known fact that nuclear substances cause acute radiation symptoms, such as hair loss and seizures. We also know that these substances cause serious long-term health problems. However, it is extremely difficult to calculate the impact of radiation on the human body because of the underlying way it affects our body’s cells.

In fact, many problems are so unpronounced that doctors cannot determine if they were ultimately caused by radiation or other factors such as genetics or unhealthy living.

Some chronic health issues associated with radiation include cancers, gastrointestinal diseases, diseases of the nervous system, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes.

4. It’s Expensive and Hazardous to Cleanup

It is both costly and hazardous to clean up nuclear waste due to its dangerous nature. For instance, engineers have discovered that some containers located beneath the forest in Germany have shown serious signs of collapse, cracks, and leaking. This means the nuclear waste should be removed.

However, some experts believe that removing the waste can cause more harm than leaving it unmoved. Moreover, the security measures for the investigations alone are estimated at more than $150 million per year. This makes it a very expensive cleanup.

5. Nuclear Waste Processing Is Very Polluting

During nuclear waste processing, plutonium is divided from the used uranium fuel through various chemical reactions. The Plutonium is then used to construct nuclear weapons, or it is used as a new fuel. However, chemical processes used to break down used fuel rods produce even more waste. This presents more dangers of nuclear waste because it also needs to be stored away safely.

Nuclear waste is also an extremely messy process. For instance, studies show that La Hauge in France, one of the largest nuclear-reprocessing facilities in the world, has radioactive discharge similar to that of the Chernobyl incident.

Furthermore, plutonium is one of the most toxic substances ever known to mankind. And since it builds up in the liver and bones of individuals, it is hard to estimate its effects.

6. Plutonium Extraction Increases the Risk of Nuclear Production

Nuclear reprocessing brings with it various reasons to be concerned. For instance, it could be used to end lives. A good example of this is with World War II. It resulted in the death of over 200,000 people after the U.S. released nuclear bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

Additionally, reprocessing used nuclear fuel rods to produce plutonium creates a favorable circumstance in which plutonium could be stolen and used to make nuclear bombs or weapons, such as by terrorists or territories looking to expand their nuclear weapon production.

7. The Release of Radioactivity into the Environment Can Go Unnoticed for Many Years

Politics vary from nation to nation. This means governments do not always share the same regards for environmental protection or safety for their citizens. Therefore, if radioactivity is released into the environment, it can take many years before it is noticed.

For instance, reports show that in 1986 when the Chernobyl reactor exploded, Soviet officials stayed quiet about the occurrence. They possibly exposed other regions to high levels of radiation. In fact, just a few days following the occurrence, the nuclear mass reached Sweden where radiation levels reached well over 30% above normal.

The Bottom Line

Though nuclear power is one of the most efficient, reliable, and affordable ways to generate power around the world, it also carries with it many risks. This raises the question Is it worth it?

As a matter of fact, due to the various dangers of nuclear waste, there are efforts to fund cleaner, renewable forms of energy, and it is also affordable and safer for the environment. In the meantime, the dangers of nuclear waste impact all of us.

If you have experienced the dangers of nuclear waste firsthand or simply want to share your own insight into the subject, feel free to leave a comment sharing your involvement with or concerns about the dangers of nuclear waste.

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