ABC WARFARE DEFENSE ASHORE

this hasn't happened to us yet in any large-scale future war however some attacks will reach the united states these may be with atom bombs less likely but possibly the enemy may resort to biological and chemical warfare using germs and gases such an attack will be almost invisible to convey some understanding of what to expect and what to do about it is the aim of this film others in the series treat in more detail aspects of atomic biological and chemical warfare defense which are considered only broadly in this film the atomic explosion may be in the air at the surface or under the surface of land or water within an area around ground zero the point above which the bomb explodes a combination of blast heat and prompt nuclear radiation will cause practically total destruction the possibility of survival increases steadily outward from ground zero the distance depends on the size of the bomb the nature of the terrain and the type of explosion but all three of these effects blast heat and nuclear radiation decrease rapidly beyond the area of total destruction primary damage is all done within the first minute after the burst from an air burst there will be no residual radioactive contamination because the radioactive dust from the bomb is carried high in the air and dispersed over hundreds or thousands of miles in fact it is safe so far as radiation is concerned to go into the completely destroyed area under an air burst within a few minutes a surface burst however or a subsurface burst below ground will leave an area highly contaminated by some of the material remaining from the bomb plus earth and debris which has become radioactive from an underwater burst there will be an area of extreme destruction from blast nuclear radiation and falling water but in addition an underwater burst will convert thousands of tons of water into a radioactive spray which can be carried by surface winds this spray is similar to fog except the droplets are heavier and will fall out in dangerous amounts over an area of several miles the limits of this area should be marked decontamination from the radioactive spray is then a matter of washing down the outside of buildings and paved areas with ordinary water from fire hoses to dilute and wash away the radioactive particles biological and chemical warfare agents are something else again quieter and more insidious they are far from all or nothing weapons chemical agents that is war gases may cause casualties but only among unprotected personnel casualties from biological that is germ warfare can be held to a minimum if proper defense and protective measures are taken it is to be expected that both germs and gases will be released in the form of fine sprays or mists called aerosols aerosols may be created by bombs shells or rockets they may be generated from offshore vessels or submarines or they may be sprayed from low-flying aircraft there's a possibility of sabotage of water supplies but the regular purification and chlorination methods of water systems reduce this danger anticipated war gases can be classified roughly as either vesicance that is blister gases or g agents which are nerve gases these nerve gases act quickly causing casualties in seconds they do not however remain concentrated and are usually quickly dissipated by wind not so the blister gases these are highly persistent and unless neutralized may contaminate an area for days or even weeks gases act more quickly and can be detected more quickly than germs proof that there has been a germ attack may take hours or weeks of laboratory work instead of the minutes required for gas detection disease and sickness caused by germs may occur long after the attack just as ordinary sickness develops only after a period of incubation following exposure while both germs and gas are distinct threats they usually contaminate only relatively small areas these areas can be detected marked and cleaned up protective masks and shelter will provide maximum protection against aerosols in event of attack put on your mask when the warning signal sounds and head for shelter immediately your mass protects you in two ways by filtering the air you breathe and by covering your face particularly your eyes it is estimated that approximately ninety percent of biological warfare casualties will result from inhaling germs into the lungs and nine percent from swallowing them with only one percent from germs entering through cuts and abrasions in the skin so a mask protects against ninety nine percent of germ warfare danger the mask will protect your lungs and your eyes from both blister gases and nerve gases if you get your mask on in time this means practically complete protection against nerve gases blister gases can still get to you through the rest of your clothes if you're exposed to a heavy concentration but the mask will keep them from your eyes lungs and face without plans well worked out in advance and ready to be put into immediate operation casualties and damage will probably be heavy to prevent this a program of passive defense should have a high priority on every station the major elements in such a program are shelter equipment and training we'll consider each in general terms only details are covered in other films and in technical publications in planning shelters the objective is to provide as much protection as possible for all personnel four basic types may be planned class 1 shelters class 2 shelters single purpose type and hasty type shelters class 1 shelters are areas in existing buildings which are prepared to protect facilities and personnel vital to station operation preferred locations for class 1 shelters are in basements and lower floors buildings of reinforced concrete or heavy steel frame construction offer the most protection personnel must be able to work without masks in class 1 shelters so these shelters are sealed and supplied with pure air under pressure by means of collective protectors another requirement is that class one shelters must be equipped with portable air locks containing at least one shower this is to prevent the shelter area from being contaminated by outside air as personnel enter and leave and also to provide decontamination facilities how a class one shelter is equipped depends on the station activity it houses such as command or communication class one shelters provide protection against atomic radiation and against german gas aerosols their protection against blast depends on their location and the structural strength of the building in which they are located the great majority of station personnel will have no working duties under attack conditions they will only have to wait it out most shelters will be those prepared especially for large groups class 2 shelters these also are areas in existing buildings selected on the same suitability and protection basis as class 1 shelters class 2 shelters do not have to be sealed pressurized with air or equipped with air locks because personnel in them will wear masks because of the mask protection to the individual is the same as that provided by class one shelters single purpose shelters are permanent structures built specifically for shelter purposes they resemble class 1 shelters in that therefore the protection of personnel and facilities vital to station operation single purpose shelters offer greater protection this is one kind the precast gable arch type it is made of prefabricated concrete sections this is another kind the modified ammunition magazine type most single purpose shelters probably will be of this type is made of available materials and may accommodate 60 or 70 people single purpose shelters have their own personal decontamination facilities as an integral part of the structure this one is a decontamination center but it could easily serve as a command post communication center first aid station or any other vital station activity single purpose shelters such as this afford substantially complete protection they are designed to resist the very high pressures resulting from an atomic explosion there's one more type of shelter which can be planned for construction in isolated station areas hasty type shelters these are for personnel caught in the open with no time to reach shelters in buildings this is one kind a slit trench planked over and covered with earth this is another the foxhole both types can help hasty type shelters offer protection against atomic radiation heat and blast unless the explosion is nearby masks must always be worn since the attack may be biological or chemical desirable shelter features should be incorporated in new permanent buildings at the design stage for example basements can be included good shelter areas can and should be located in new buildings before construction alternate power and water systems can be incorporated shelter equipment and fixtures can be specified in addition to shelter a passive defense program also must provide for equipment of the proper kind in adequate amounts only masks will be needed for personnel assigned to class 2 shelters but protective gear is necessary for decontamination squads and others who must work outside also needed will be other specialized equipment and supplies to do all the jobs which must be done kits to detect the presence of radiation gas and germs warning signs decontamination trucks hand sprayers fog generators decontamination solutions and preparations and cranes bulldozers ambulances trucks firefighting equipment and other vehicles to be used as needed in rescue cleanup and damage control developing coordinating and perfecting a passive defense program is a matter of thorough planning and training the first step is a station plan which sets forth the responsibilities of all activities in event of attack it outlines the added missions of department heads who prepare supplementary plans in detail conditions vary from station to station but some items should always be included one the names of men making up the various crews decontamination sampling transportation evacuation and others required two the duty station where each crew will report an event of attack three the operating area for each crew and four the location of equipment and supplies required once the plan is set up and personnel are organized all crews should be thoroughly trained in their duties this must be a continuing process if efficiency is to be kept at peak level regularly scheduled drills classroom work and practice alerts are recommended as effective ways to build competent smoothly working crews some training must be on a station-wide basis for example all personnel newcomers an old hands service and civilian must be able to identify attack warning signals these are standard everywhere if the station has sirens they will sound off for a three minute period in an up and down warbling fashion like this if whistles are used a three-minute period of staccato blasts means the same thing take shelter trouble's on the way the siren all clear is a steady blast for one minute followed by two minutes of silence this is repeated three times and the whistle all clear is the same steady blast training in the proper use and care of protective masks is another all-station activity it is so vital in holding down casualties that every person should know the drill go into the mask chin first don't waste precious time trying to pull it down over your face from the back of the head check the head straps to make sure that the mask is properly positioned and adjusted to make a tight seal around your face next hold a hand over the outlet valve and exhale to clear the mask of gas or germs which may have collected while you were putting it on finally take a breath with hand held over the canister opening if face piece collapses the fit is good an important point to remember about your mask is to take care of it inspect it regularly and keep it in good condition when you need it is too late for repairs we know that in any future war we may be on the receiving end of atomic biological or chemical warfare attacks a well-organized advance program is necessary to hold damage and casualties to a minimum it will be too late after the warning siren sounds shelter equipment training these are the three musts in developing a passive defense program a scene like this today may become this in the future how well we prepare now to defend ourselves we'll determine how well protected we will be if and when an attack occurs in the future you