[Turbo Pig]

Crawling in the “Way Back Machine”, the first 36 hours, or so, are crucial for those that are down wind of the blast area, IIRC. That’s when most of the radioactive particulates are falling out of the air. That’s the stuff that will kill you quickest, beyond the actual blast and immediate effects. You breath it in and it poisons you from the inside out. Staying put, and making your area as airtight, or even better positive pressurized with filtered air, increases short term survival rates dramatically. Once the initial danger has passed, you evacuate the area perpendicular to the fall out path, so you are not in the danger zone any longer than need be.

Hmm, paying attention in all those NBC classes may payoff, after all :-)

[piytar]

Hmmm, you talked to us like adults and explained far more than the “nuanced” LSM and obastard ever could...

[Pecos]

Well stated. Just like I learned in the Navy. The reality of physics trumps random opinions every time.

[TexasRepublic]

You breath it in and it poisons you from the inside out. Staying put, and making your area as airtight, or even better positive pressurized with filtered air, increases short term survival rates dramatically.

I don't imagine any homeowner has the knowledge or resources to pressurize their home with filtered air. It seems to me that a face mask would be the most practical protection. What is the smallest particle size of radioactive fallout? Is there any public information regarding approved masks and where to buy them?

[Calvin Locke]

Along that line, another thing to take from the Hiroshima/Nagasaki
bombings is that you do not drink water (apparently, being
irradiated dehydrates the body, causing a great thirst) from
sources that could collect the fallout particles, for at least the first
36 hours.

[Waverunner]

Just pull out your radiac and see if you will be OK
Hate it when I'm in the red.

[Psalm 73]

Every home should have two basic plans:
1) Shelter-in-place.
2) Evacuate
You should be able to do either with minimal notice, and should already know what is essential to pack onto the truck (leave your DVD collection behind....)