the external contamination, the patient must be first managed for the con-
dition before decontamination is carried out. Burns and wounds that are
not contaminated should be first covered and then decontamination of the
other affected areas carried out.
Protective Measures in Case of Explosion of
a Dirty Bomb
According to the advisory of the NRC and the Center for Disease Control
(available at http://www.nrc.gov and http://www.bt.cdc.gov),,) the following steps should
be taken in case of a dirty bomb explosion.
- If you are outside and close to the explosion of a dirty bomb, cover
the nose and mouth with a mask or cloth to reduce the risk of breathing in
radioactive dust or smoke. If possible, immediately go inside the building
that is not affected by the explosion and remove the outer layer of cloth-
ing and shoes and seal them in a plastic bag, if available. Store the plastic
bag in a safe place for decay of the radioactivity. Next, take a shower to
remove any dust that remains on the body. - If you are inside and close to the incident that has occurred outside,
close all the doors and windows and do not leave the building. Turn off heat
and air conditioner to stop air circulation from outside. - Listen to the local news for further appropriate instructions.
- Food and water are unlikely to be contaminated. If contaminated, do
not consume these items. Local or federal authorities are likely to monitor
the food and water in the area of explosion and inform the public of their
suitability for consumption. - If it is definitely known that there is radioiodine contamination, KI
should be orally administered within a short time according to the regimen
described earlier. - Monitoring is essential and critical to estimate the level of contami-
nation or decontamination using a GM counter and is performed by hos-
pital personnel, police, and firefighters who are specially trained for this
purpose.
Verification Card for Radioactive Patients
After the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center in New
York, numerous security measures have been adopted by the U.S. Federal
Government. Congress has passed laws to establish the Department of
Homeland Security to implement and monitor different aspects of these
security measures. Security checks of airline passengers, background
scrutiny of many visitors and suspected terrorist groups, and implementa-
tion of the Patriot Act are some of the examples of these security actions
262 15. Radiation Biology