At a glance
CDC has tools and resources to help journalists understand how radiation affects lives every day and especially during a radiation emergency. Following are some key concepts, messages, and resources that may be helpful to journalists and other media professionals.
Purpose
In the event of a radiation emergency, whether intentional or not, journalists play an important role in making certain the public receives timely and accurate information that will be helpful in saving lives.
Contact Information
NCEH/ATSDR Office of Communication
(770) 488-0700
envhealthmedia@cdc.gov
What's included
Protection in a radiation emergency
Protect yourself, your family, and your pets in a radiation emergency.
- Get inside or take shelter.
- Stay inside to reduce your exposure to radiation.
- Stay tuned for further instructions on what to do.
Because radioactive materials become weaker over time, staying inside for at least 24 hours can protect you and your family until it is safe to leave the area.
If you have loved ones in schools, day cares, hospitals, nursing homes, or other facilities during a radiation emergency, stay where you are! Going outside to get loved ones could expose you and them to dangerous levels of radiation.
Decontamination
Decontaminating yourself if you were outside during a radiation emergency will lower your exposure to harmful radioactive material. Even just removing your outer layer of clothing can remove up to 90% of radioactive material.
- Take off your outer layer of clothing.
- Wash yourself off.
- Put on clean clothes.
Health effects of radiation
Radiation can affect the body in a number of ways.
- The health effects depend on the amount of radiation absorbed by the body (the dose), the type of radiation, how the person was exposed, and length of exposure.
- In large doses, radiation can cause acute illness or skin burns. Radiation can also jeopardize a developing fetus.
- If you are injured or think you are injured, seek medical attention right away.
Preventive measures and medical treatments
There are several preventive measures and treatments available for radiation emergencies, but each type of measure or treatment works only for certain situations.
- In some situations, no treatment is available or appropriate.
- In some cases, treatment involves using certain medications that help expedite the removal of radioactive materials from the body. Such medications include Prussian blue, and Diethylenetriamine pentaacetate (DTPA).
- Potassium iodine (KI) a non-radioactive form of iodine, can be used to prevent radioactive iodine from collecting in the thyroid. KI saturates the thyroid gland with a non-radioactive form of iodine and prevents the radioactive iodine to go into the thyroid gland.
- Medical and other officials will monitor the situation to determine which kinds of treatments are needed. They will also provide information about how to get them.
Resources
Know how to protect yourself and your family in a #radiation emergency.
If a radiation emergency occurs, get inside, stay inside and stay tuned.
In a #radiation emergency, #radiation could affect the body in a number of ways.
In a #radiation emergency, you can take steps to remove #radioactive material from your body.
Food and water safety is important after a #radiation emergency.
Talk with your family and friends about what to do in a #radiation emergency.