IF THERE IS A NUCLEAR FLASH

It is possible—­but extremely unlikely—­that your first warning of an enemy attack might be the flash of a nuclear explosion in the sky some distance away.  Or there might be a flash after warning had been given, possibly while you were on your way to shelter.

* TAKE COVER INSTANTLY.  If there should be a nuclear flash—­especially if you are outdoors and feel warmth at the same time—­take cover instantly in the best place you can find.  By getting inside or under something within a few seconds, you might avoid being seriously burned by the heat or injured by the blast wave of the nuclear explosion.  If the explosion were some distance away, you might have 5 to 15 seconds before being seriously injured by the heat, and perhaps 30 to 60 seconds before the blast wave arrived.  Getting under cover within these time limits might save your life or avoid serious injury.  Also, to avoid injuring your eyes, never look at the flash of an explosion or the nuclear fireball.

* WHERE TO TAKE COVER.  You could take cover in any kind of a building, a storm cellar or fruit cellar, a subway station or tunnel—­or even in a ditch or culvert alongside the road, a highway underpass, a storm sewer, a cave or outcropping of rock, a pile of heavy materials, a trench or other excavation.  Even getting under a parked automobile, bus or train, or a heavy piece of furniture, would protect you to some extent.  If no cover is available, simply lie down on the ground and curl up.  The important thing is to avoid being burned by the heat, thrown about by the blast, or struck by flying objects.

* BEST POSITION AFTER TAKING COVER.  After taking cover you should lie on your side in a curled-up position, and cover your head with your arms and hands.  This would give you some additional protection.

* MOVE TO A FALLOUT SHELTER LATER.  If you protected yourself against the blast and heat waves by instantly taking cover, you could get protection from the radioactive fallout (which would arrive later) by moving to a fallout shelter.

* * * * *

CHAPTER 4

FALLOUT SHELTERS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE

SUMMARY

BEFORE AN EMERGENCY

1.  Learn the locations of the public fallout shelters that your local government wants you to go to in a time of attack.  If no instructions of this kind have been issued, learn the locations of the public shelters nearest to you when you are at home, work, or school.  Make sure each member of the family knows these locations.

2.  If there is no public fallout shelter near your home, prepare a permanent or preplanned family shelter at home.

DURING AN EMERGENCY