The Preparedness and Survival Site

With small electronics like smart phones and tablets becoming more and more popular it is important to look at these devices as tools that can also be utilized in survival or disaster situations. The devices that are currently being produced have the ability to hold massive amounts of text based data (aka. e-books), your typical smart phone can hold the equivalent of hundreds, if not thousands, of books (depending on the on-board memory capacity). But in the end it all comes down to keeping these devices powered when commercial power is not available.

Recently I had the chance to put one of the solar solutions that are currently being marketed to the test, and I can say that the results were quite surprising. The unit that I purchased is the Goal Zero Guide 10 with the Nomad 3.5 solar panel, MSRP of $129.95 but was found for $104.99 at a local big box store. The unit is targeted towards those that are active outdoors and wish to charge smart phones and other devices that can be charged via USB while they are on the move.

The dual solar panels and charge regulator on the Nomad 3.5 are housed in a nylon case with a zipper pocket that folds up neatly and it is easily stowed away when not in use. Also included is the Guide 10 unit that houses four AA Lithium Ion rechargeable batteries. Per the manufacturer it takes approximately 6 hours of direct sunlight to charge the batteries and 8 hours to charge them via USB from your computer or laptop. In my experience the stated charge rate was consistent when the sky was overcast (it is the Pacific Northwest after all) but only around 4-5 hours in direct sunlight (YMMV).

Charging devices from the Guide 10 power pack is as easy as switching it on and plugging the device you want to charge into the USB port on the power pack. I was able to charge two smart phones (iPhone and Blackberry) from the power pack before it needed a recharge from the panel.

For daytime charging I found that the charge rate for connected smart phones was good with the solar panels also plugged in, the lengthened the amount of charging time available for devices considerably while still leaving charging capacity available after the sun has set for the day.

The solar panel itself has two output ports on it, one that is unregulated to charge the Guide 10 power pack and another USB port that is regulated to 5V @ 2.5W. The manufacturer states that the panel is not intended to directly charge smart phones and similar devices, but it can be used to charge other types of batteries such as Lithium Ion CR123A batteries (batteries and USB charging cradles are available on eBay fairly inexpensively).

Overall I would have to give the Goal Zero Guide 10 at least four stars for utility and practical use as it fills its intended role for charging mobile devices whether or not the sun is shining without making your wallet scream. I would recommend buying additional AA Lithium Ion batteries though, with the charge rate being approximately 4 hours per set of batteries this would allow you to charge two sets of batteries per day.

One thing that most people that are storing things away for a rainy day are short on is good airtight/watertight storage containers. Granted there is the usual school of using 5 gallon buckets, while this is all well and good (excellent for the test of time), but what about smaller sizes? Not necessarily food, but other items that are sensitive to moisture like seeds.

There is a myriad of solutions that are available on the shelves of the local big box and there is the good old Mason Jar, but the latter is rather fragile when it comes to being dropped or roughly handled. Ironically enough when I was wandering through the local big box home improvement warehouse I spotted a good alternative that was very easy on the wallet, empty paint cans that come with lids. Their purpose being to store leftover paint or custom colors that you have mixed yourself.

For the low price of $2.97 ea. one can obtain quart sized cans that hold a reasonable amount of dry goods (or non-edible liquids that are not corrosive). The cans are fully lined and while not the perfect solution, they will last for many years while keeping their contents safe and dry (or liquid).

Availble at Lowes and other big box home improvement stores.

As to exactly what you can store, use your imagination

There have been numerous other instances on this site where I have written about the culture of preparedness poking its head into the mainstream media in ways that are painting the practices of those that live a preparedness lifestyle in a positive light, but recently I have been hearing more and more about preparedness from individuals themselves.

Recently I was at a convention that was in no way related to preparedness where the subject came into the conversation from people that I had never met before, and I was not the one that brought it up. The first was a individual employed by a government agency that I will not disclose that questioned me about the bag that I was carrying my notebook and other convention materials in.

Admittedly, a black Condor Compact Modular Assault Bag with a Modular Style Deployment Bag attached is not your typical faire when it comes to convention bags to carry your junk, his questions were directly about the bag in relation to if I was carrying first aid and preparedness items along with my convention materials. He stated that his interest the bag was in relation to his own efforts at refining his bug out bag, and other travel versions that he had assembled to meet various restrictions (TSA, Gov facilities, etc.) while still finding ways to incorporate weapons/tools that would be allowed in given situations. Needless to say, I never really disclosed the entire contents of my bag.

Another conversation of interest was with a gentleman in the livestock business, totally unrelated to the convention that I was attending. The conversation started with the problems with transportation costs, feed costs and general economic woes that were driving down demand in some markets. I was surprised when the conversation easily drifted to the fragility of the just in time delivery structure that literally drives this nation (of which I have picked on before in previous posts), and the fact that the whole system from production, delivery and the consumers finally seeing the food appear on their plates is in a very precarious position that would not take a huge push to make it collapse.

Subsequently the same gentlemen also stated that he had stockpiled food, supplies and a more than adequate supply of weapons and ammunition to protect his family in the collapse that he feels is surely coming.

Keep in mind that the preparedness aspects of both of these conversations were not initiated by myself, they were brought up by the people that I was talking to. To be quite honest the individual in the unnamed government agency that brought it up was the one that really got my attention.

Could just be a coincidence, then again it may not. The media is pushing more and more items to the surface that show the preparedness lifestyle, the most recent example that comes to mind is the new series starting in February on the National Geographic channel called Doomsday Preppers. As to how they actually will end up approaching this and put things in proper context (or not) is yet to be seen, I’ll have to reserve my personal judgment on that one until I have seen the first few episodes. Bad publicity is worse than no publicity when it comes to the preparedness lifestyle.

I would like to think that the good publicity that has been brought forth my mainstream media is responsible for more people deciding to adopt a preparedness lifestyle, granted there will always be those that take it to an extreme, but even incorporating modest preparedness measures into one’s lifestyle can have a tremendous payback if indeed the *hit hits the fan anytime soon.

While I am not normally a great fan of stuffing my phone full of apps that are entertaing but useless at best, here is one that I came across that can actually prove very useful for those that have the older Civil Defense survey meters that have and audio output that lets you hear the clicks as the Geiger tube is detecting hits. This will work with any meter that gives audible clicks for activity that is being detected by the Geiger tube, the app needs the external input through the microphone on the iPad / iPhone or a patch cable made to utilize direct input.

What’s more important about this app is the accuracy that can be attained with it. The CDV-700 that I used to test this was calibrated by a lab in the late 90’s so I have a fairly high confidence that its meter is reading correctly, all the readings that were taken with the application using the audio from the survey meter matched what it was showing on the analog meter.

iPhone version

The application is called Geiger Bot, and it is available on iTunes for free. Yes, you heard me right, free. Now if this app on an iPhone were to be coupled up with the compact Geiger Counter that is offered by GQ Electronics LLC for $95.00 you have a good handheld radiation detector that will even alert you if the background radiation rises above safe levels.

I will not detail out all of the functionality of the application, the author of it has already done a great job on his web site (http://sites.google.com/site/geigerbot/).

So for those that have an old CDV-700 meter and an iPhone or iPad, here is a way to bring it forward into the digital age for a minimum cost.

iPad Version

The mindset of preparedness has once again reared its head in the mainstream media in a positive light, this time in the form of educational television programming geared towards children. Yep, you heard me right, the mainstream media is preaching the positive aspects of preparedness to our children!

Mighty Kids Media’s Danger Rangers® animated edutainment series, which “SuperEmpowers” children ages 4-8 years-old with the knowledge to take on life’s challenges, will teach viewers the importance of emergency preparedness and paying attention to rules in this week’s episode.

It is good that the message of preparedness is being presented to our children, and I would really like to see more programming like this that is aimed at adult audiences as well. There are some public service type announcements that I have seen aired on the subject, but something more substantial is really needed to promote the preparedness lifestyle to the American public.

Incidents like the Fukushima disaster after the tsunami swamped the reactor complex really brought the reality of how one disaster can trigger another into sharp focus for many in the US and brought back the memories of the damage that Katrina did when it blew through the southeast US.

Perhaps you landed here because you are already one that pursues the preparedness lifestyle and are seeking more information, or perhaps you landed here and are reading this because you are curious about ‘that preparedness thing’. If it is the latter, we fully encourage you to learn as much as you can and make an educated decision about what is right for you and your family. I can tell you from our personal experiences in the past that living life with preparedness always in mind is one of the best things that we have ever done. When you are prepared there are not many surprises that you can’t navigate with minimal disruption to your normal routine.

For those that landed here while seeking more information, we will be posting more articles over the coming year to address specific preparedness issues. Be sure to check out the downloads area where there is a lot of additional information and utilities that can help you out.

Happy New Year to you and yours from us here at The Preparedness and Survival Site!

I think that all but the most hardcore outdoorsman will agree that the Off the Shelf (OTS) survival kits have some merits, otherwise they would not still be offering them after so many years. Where the real goodness comes in is when you use one if these kits as a base to build upon.

For the purpose of this article I am going to focus on the Lifeline Ultralight Survival kit as a base. Stock off the shelf, these kits range from $9.99 to $14.99 depending where they are purchased (mine was $9.99), and they are usually stocked at most sporting goods stores or larger big box stores that have a camping/outdoors section.

Stock off the shelf the kit contains the following items in a thick plastic zipper bag, sorry for all caps as the contents list was copied from their site:

1          WEATHERPROOF CARRY CASE
1          SURVIVAL GUIDE
1          10′ EMERGENCY CORD
1          MAP COMPASS
1          EMERGENCY WHISTLE
1          SURVIVAL BLANKET
3          SAFETY PINS
1          36″ ROLL DUCT TAPE
1          18″ X 12″ SHEET ALUMINUM FOIL
1          8′ SNARE WIRE
1          BOX WATERPROOF MATCHES
4          FISHING HOOKS
4          FISHING SINKER WEIGHTS
1          50′ 10LB FISHING LINE
1          SURGICAL BLADE
1          REUSABLE ZIPPER-LOCK BAG
5          WOUND CLOSURE STRIPS

I realize that one of the selling points of their kit is to be “ultralight”, but for my purposes I used it as a base for a kit that fits in a Pelican 1040 waterproof micro series case. I wanted to add durability to the equation and add a little more space for storage in a hard case that is waterproof.

So, let’s look at the list again with the items that I removed from it upon unpacking its contents from the clear plastic zip container.

1          WEATHERPROOF CARRY CASE
1          SURVIVAL GUIDE
1          10′ EMERGENCY CORD
1          MAP COMPASS
1          EMERGENCY WHISTLE
1          SURVIVAL BLANKET
3          SAFETY PINS
1          36″ ROLL DUCT TAPE
1          18″ X 12″ SHEET ALUMINUM FOIL
1          8′ SNARE WIRE
1          BOX WATERPROOF MATCHES
4          FISHING HOOKS
4          FISHING SINKER WEIGHTS
1          50′ 10LB FISHING LINE
1          SURGICAL BLADE
1          REUSABLE ZIPPER-LOCK BAG
5          WOUND CLOSURE STRIPS

Weatherproof Carry Case:
This is the container for the whole kit, while it may have its uses, it was removed for more practical items.

Map Compass:
This was removed due to the fact that the one that came in the kit that I purchased was not functioning properly (not sure if it was originally supposed to be liquid filled or not, but it was in non-working condition out of the package), for a $9.99 kit I was not concerned with that one piece arriving DOA.

36” Roll Duct Tape:
Why settle for only 36” of the wonder tools that is only second to bailing wire?

Box Waterproof Matches:
These are basically your standard wooden match that has only the head coated with a substance to make the ‘resistant’ to water, I have a feeling that if the matches and the box containing them were to get drenched that you would be out of luck (more from a soggy striker than the matches themselves).

Ok, now that we have looked at the items that I removed from the OTS kit, lets have a look at the items that I replaced them with and added to the base kit.

Compass:
The dysfunctional map compass was replaced with a lensatic compass. Decent models that do not have all the bells and whistles, and actually work, can be had for as little as $10 if you shop around a little (metal cased, not plastic).

Duct Tape:
By using an old shopper’s loyalty card, used up gift card, etc. you can store a lot of tape in an area that is much easier to pack in a kit than a miniature roll of tape. In my case I was able to carefully wrap more than 60” of good quality duct tape onto the card off to one side leaving room for another addition.

Electrical Tape:
Using the same card that I used for the duct tape I was also able to add more than 60” of electrical tape. The card thickness with the tape wrapped around it is just over ¼ of an inch, a lot better way to store the tape if you ask me.

Storm Matches:
These were included to replace the matches that came with the kit. These are matches that will light in the pouring rain and burn a full 15 seconds before running out of the fuel that coats the tips.

Now we are moving into the items that were not replaced, but added over and above the original kit contents (technically the electrical tape also qualifies for this category, but I considered it part of the duct tape replacement).

Redundant Fire Starter #1 – Disposable Lighter ($.99 – $1.50):
Simple but effective if it does not get drenched, and even if it does, it will work again when it dries out.

Redundant Fire Starter #2 – Firesteel W/Striker ($5.99 – $15.00):
This is a tool that will produce hot sparks wet or dry, when coupled up with some good tinder it will start a fire under almost any conditions.

Redundant Fire Starter #3 – Magnesium Bar Fire Starter ($2.99 – $5.99):
Yes, it may be overkill, but when you are stuck somewhere fire rates right up there with water for survival. The cold will kill you faster than dehydration in most cases.

Survival Card/Multitool (.99 – $2.00):
This is a stainless steel tool that is the same size as a standard credit card, only thicker. It has various tools incorporated that can be very useful.
-         Can Opener
-         Screwdriver (flat head only)
-         Knife Edge
-         Bottle Opener
-         Ruler (2” I think)
-         Butterfly Screw Wrench
-         Saw Blade
-         Direction Indication
-         4 Position Wrench (Hex)
-         2 position Wrench (Smaller Hex)

Generally it is sold as a 11 function tool, but I fail to understand how the keychain hole counts in the list.

I know that there are many out there that are going to point out that there are things that are still missing from this kit, this is a true statement. There still needs to be the addition of water treatment tablets, para cord and a few other items that can be fit into the case. With all the items that have been added, there is still room to shoehorn in other items without a lot of effort.

The whole point is to prove that the OTS survival kits are not without their merits, they can be used on their own or expanded to construct a kit that is customized to your particular needs.

In the preparedness circles we spend all of out time planning for how to sustain life in adverse conditions that are beyond our control, but what about the opposite?

Yes, this is a subject that nobody really wants to face, let alone talk about. Unfortunately, it is something very important to consider. Whether or not we like the idea, we are all going to die sometime. Granted the idea of preparedness is to ensure that we can forestall that complication as long as possible, but, it is going to happen whether we like it or not.

Unfortunately this was tested when a close family member recently passed, I will not get into the details, but I will say that it was an unexpected death. These are the most difficult to deal with; let’s face it, today’s costs for dealing with one’s remains is not exactly inexpensive, and if you can spare your family the cost and grief trying to arrange the final disposition, it is a investment well made.

There are services out there like the Neptune Society that can make the whole process a whole lot easier in the case of a death that is unexpected, I am not happy to be touting the services of folks like Neptune because I would rather have the loved one still here, but they went out of their way to ensure that the process after death was transparent to the family.

Why is this on a preparedness site you may ask? The answer is simple, you are going to die whether it is before a major incident or after. It is one of the facts of life that you cannot avoid no matter how you try, the important part is dealing with it.

I know that as a prepper, the plans that I have look at much more than just the typical SHTF scenario, they encompass daily life as well. Planning for your retirement is one of the things that we all do on the assumption that we are going to reach that age and use the funds to support the ‘golden years’ that we have all earned the right to when we reach it.

But, one has to ask themselves ‘What if?’. What if you die early, or your spouse dies early? Have you planned for that?

Medical insurance covers exactly that, medical. Life insurance insures that those you leave behind have funds to continue their lives, but it does not cover the costs of a cremation or burial.

We were fortunate in the fact that the family member had thought ahead about this very thing. The death of a family member is a devastating thing in itself, having to claw and scratch to take care of the final arrangements when you are not prepared can be far worse.

No matter your preference for how your remains are to be treated after you depart this world, you need to plan that as well. Services like those from the Neptune Society may seem morbid at first, when they are needed, they are priceless. Unfortunately, I can speak from experience just how well services like this work.

It may sound morbid and all, but you need to plan your end as well as your continuance. Life can end at any moment, this is another thing that we all need to be prepared for, if not for ourselves, its for the family that we leave behind.

In the last installment I pointed out the fundamental flaws of the big box store variety of locks that almost all people use to protect their homes, in this segment I am going to show some solutions to that problem that can help keep your family and your property safer from all but the most determined of thieves.

The first place to start is with the lock itself, which in itself is not always the weakest link in the system, but if it can easily be bypassed, it renders any other security measures that you may have taken pointless. Most commercially sold locksets seem only to be made to keep honest people honest, while more expensive locks that are not readily available on the shelves are made to resist even determined thieves.

In the first photo you can see a run of the mill deadbolt on the left that was purchased at the local home improvement big box store for roughly $20, on the right is a high security deadbolt that was purchased from a locksmith for around $125. The first obvious difference is the keyway, the high security lock takes a key that can only be made by an authorized dealer of the locks.

Click on Picture to Enlarge

Looking at the back of the deadbolt you can see the other obvious differences. The lock on the right is mostly hollow and the lockset itself is constructed cast metal that is not all that thick, this does not lend well to resisting attack by brute force like a hammer. The deadbolt on the right is much more solidly constructed with a solid outer housing that is around a half inch thick in most areas, the lockset itself is also much more robust.

Click on Picture to Enlarge

The next picture shows the locksets removed from their respective housings, the quality differences in the strength of the two locks becomes obvious. The lock on the left offers little protection towards an outright physical attack on the housing and the lockset itself. What is not shown in the pictures is that the lock on the right has a 1/8^th inch thick steel shroud that goes inside the door that surrounds the bolt mechanism itself and interlocks the two locksets and the housings together to further strengthen the whole assembly, the lock on the left does not have any such protection.

Click on Picture to Enlarge

I did not have an extra bolt assembly to show in comparison to the one that came with the high security lock, but the bolt and striker assembly are much more robust than those that are commonly found on the shelves of the local big box home improvement stores. The entire bolt assembly is made mostly of heavy gauge steel that is formed rather than using cast parts for a majority of the construction, and the striker is constructed in the same manner with a solid pocket for the bolt rather than relying on the wood of the door frame to retain the bolt.

Click on Picture to Enlarge

The unique keyway and tumbler system of these locks makes them very resistant to picking and bumping. Notice that I only said ‘resistant’, any lock can be overcome by a determined enough person with the proper skills and time. The whole point is to make it as difficult as possible and encourage a potential thief to move on to an easier target.

Click on Picture to Enlarge

Locks themselves are only a part of the overall strategy that should be used to protect the doors in your home, the other is to strengthen the integrity of the door itself to resist physical attacks. That nice new high security lock is going to do little for you if the door can still be kicked in due to the inherent weakness of the frame that holds it in place. In most common installations the door is only held in the rough opening by nails, or in some cases screws, that secure it to the framing of the house. The hinge mounting points are also another weakness that can be exploited using brute force (kicking in the door).

To address the other inherent weakness in household doors there is a product called Door Armor that is sold by Armor Concepts (http://www.armorconcepts.com). Their product reinforces the known weak points in doors that are relatively easy to exploit when the proper amount of force is applied. In one independent video test of their products a hole was punched in the fiberglass door itself with a battering ram like those used by police, and the jamb and hinge reinforcements still did not fail when they attempted to breach the door.

For doors that have glass panels in them, there are a variety of security films on the market that will keep the glass in the pane even if it is broken. Shatter Guard (http://shatterguard.com) is a good example of this technology that not only keeps glass that has broken in place, but it also significantly increases the resistance of glass to breakage in the first place.

All security precautions that a homeowner may take are only as strong as the weakest link in the system. It is important that you take a good critical look at all aspects of your home’s security. Start with strengthening the weakest points first, sometimes they will not always be apparent, but can be found if you look hard enough. The best way to do this is to put on the hat of a thief and look for ways that you would break into your own home if you had to, when you find the vulnerabilities you can address them effectively.

In past I had seen some of the articles on the art of lock bumping in the media and on the net, until recently I really never paid them much attention. That was until I had the chance to actually use these things for myself, I can tell you it is not an ‘art’ by any means. Having never done it in my life, and never been formally instructed in how to do it, I was able to open a standard Schlage deadbolt on the third try (less than a minute) using a bump key and a bump hammer. Trying other various locks that were available, the technique worked on all of them with relative ease.

All it takes is a specially crafted key blank that just about anybody with some time and the most rudimentary tools can make, and something to smack it into the lock with (screwdriver, piece of wood or anything with enough mass). Even worse these special blanks are readily available on line already cut to the needed configuration for about $2 each.

Most, if not all, of the locks that you purchase for your doors at the local home improvement store are vulnerable to being bumped, as well as most padlocks. If the lock takes a traditional key, chances are that it can be opened using this method. It is also important to note that inexpensive combination padlocks are also vulnerable to shimming.

There are locks coming onto the market that are resistant to this method of opening, but that does not change the fact that 90% plus of the locks currently installed in residential settings are vulnerable to being bumped.

This is especially important for those that have rural properties that do not have someone living there all the time, I have read postings in several forums where folks have visited their remote properties only to find that all their tools and other goodies have been stolen and nobody around saw or heard a thing.

The good news is that there are many new high security residential locksets that are entering the market, the downside is the cost. Typically a good high security double cylinder deadbolt is going to run right around $200 per door on average. While no lock is invulnerable to being violated, using higher quality locksets that are resistant to picking and bumping can cause a thief to move on to a more attractive target.

This now brings me to lock selection, you may buy a really nice high security lockset but it can be easily bypassed if it is installed in a manner that it can be easily circumvented.

Entry doors with windows, or windows next to the door
If a standard single cylinder deadbolt is chosen for locations like these it can be as simple as the thief breaking the glass, reaching in and unlocking the door from the inside. Double cylinder deadbolts should always be used for locations like this. Another consideration is to add a security film to the windows that are in proximity to the doors that will keep the glass in place even when broken.

Solid entry doors with no windows and no windows near the door
Single cylinder deadbolts can be used in these applications and generally cannot be violated from the outside without the use of brute force (kicking in the door or hammering the lock), but they can easily be opened from the inside.

I am aware that for safety sake it is generally recommended that these types of locks are installed for egress purposes in the event of a fire or other emergency that requires you to vacate your residence quickly. While that is a good point, I still chose to install double cylinder locks on all exterior doors, the safety factor is put back in place by leaving the key in the inside lock at night or in an easy to reach location. The reason that I chose to go this route is that if someone does break in and does not get eaten by the dogs, I am not going to make it easy for them to open the doors and remove items from my home.

Bump Proof Lockset and Padlock Manufacturers:
Medeco
BiLock
Mul-T-Lock
Master BumpStop

With the current state of Japan taking the triple blow of a major quake, the resulting tsunami and finally the woes from the damage to the cooling systems of several of its reactors at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi power station, there is a raised awareness of the effects of radiation exposure.

The most basic place to start is what is the normal amount of radiation that we are exposed to on a daily basis from natural background sources is versus abnormal exposure levels that one may experience as the result of exposure to artificial sources of radiation. But before that, a short primer on the measurements that are used for radioactive exposure will be touched on.

There are several different measurement units that are used in regards to exposure of humans to radiation. In past the standard in the US were rads for dose equivalent, and rems for absorbed dose equivalent. The measurement of rads has been replaced by ‘Grays’ (Gy) and rems have been replaced with ‘Sieverts’ (Sv). This information is important as most modern meters read in Sieverts (Sv) or Micro Sieverts (µSv).

1 rad is equal to the following equivalent measurements
-       1,000 mrad
-       .01 Gy
-       10 mGy
-       10,000 µGy

1 rem is equal to the following equivalent measurements
-       1,000 mrem
-       .01 Sv
-       10 mSv
-       10,000 µSv

With that said, the average dosage of radiation that a person absorbs in a given year is approximately 300 mrem[1], putting the tables above to use this equals the following:
-       .0062 Sv
-       6.2 mSv
-       6,200 µSv
Note: This figure excludes and exposure due to nuclear medical exposures (x-ray, CT Scans or Radiotherapy for cancer).

Radiation Effects on Humans[2]
This is the part that you are probably most interested in with the current situation in Japan.

5-20 REM (.05 – .2 Sv)
No directly observable physical symptoms. US annual Federal Limit for workers to radiation exposure is 5 REM (.05 Sv).

20-50 REM (.2-.5 Sv)
No noticeable symptoms by the exposed person. Red blood cell count decreases temporarily.

50-100 REM (.5-1 Sv)
Light radiation poisoning, 10% fatality after 30 days (LD 10/30). Typical symptoms include mild to moderate nausea (50% probability at 2 Sv), with occasional vomiting, beginning 3 to 6 hours after irradiation and lasting for up to one day. This is followed by a 10 to 14 day latent phase, after which light symptoms like general illness and fatigue appear (50% probability at 2 Sv). The immune system is depressed, with convalescence extended and increased risk of infection. Temporary male sterility is common. Spontaneous abortion or stillbirth will occur in pregnant women.

200-300 REM (2-3 Sv)
Moderate radiation poisoning, 35% fatality after 30 days (LD 35/30). Nausea is common (100% at 3 Sv), with 50% risk of vomiting at 2.8 Sv. Symptoms onset at 1 to 6 hours after irradiation and last for 1 to 2 days. After that, there is a 7 to 14 day latent phase, after which the following symptoms appear: loss of hair all over the body (50% probability at 3 Sv), fatigue and general illness. There is a massive loss of leukocytes (white blood cells), greatly increasing the risk of infection. Permanent female sterility is possible. Convalescence takes one to several months.

300-400 REM (3-4 Sv)
Severe radiation poisoning, 50% fatality after 30 days (LD 50/30). Other symptoms are similar to the 2–3 Sv dose, with uncontrollable bleeding in the mouth, under the skin and in the kidneys (50% probability at 4 Sv) after the latent phase.

400-600 REM (4-6 Sv)
Acute radiation poisoning, 60% fatality after 30 days (LD 60/30). Fatality increases from 60% at 4.5 Sv to 90% at 6 Sv (unless there is intense medical care). Symptoms start half an hour to two hours after irradiation and last for up to 2 days. After that, there is a 7 to 14 day latent phase, after which generally the same symptoms appear as with 3-4 Sv irradiation, with increased intensity. Female sterility is common at this point. Convalescence takes several months to a year. The primary causes of death (in general 2 to 12 weeks after irradiation) are infections and internal bleeding.

600-1,000 REM (6-10 Sv)
Acute radiation poisoning, near 100% fatality after 14 days (LD 100/14). Survival depends on intense medical care. Bone marrow is nearly or completely destroyed, so a bone marrow transplant is required. Gastric and intestinal tissue is severely damaged. Symptoms start 15 to 30 minutes after irradiation and last for up to 2 days. Subsequently, there is a 5 to 10 day latent phase, after which the person dies of infection or internal bleeding. Recovery would take several years and probably would never be complete.

1,000-5,000 REM (10-50 Sv)
Acute radiation poisoning, 100% fatality after 7 days (LD 100/7). An exposure this high leads to spontaneous symptoms after 5 to 30 minutes. After powerful fatigue and immediate nausea caused by direct activation of chemical receptors in the brain by the irradiation, there is a period of several days of comparative well-being, called the latent (or “walking ghost”) phase. After that, cell death in the gastric and intestinal tissue, causing massive diarrhea, intestinal bleeding and loss of water, leads to water-electrolyte imbalance. Death sets in with delirium and coma due to breakdown of circulation. Death is currently inevitable; the only treatment that can be offered is pain therapy.

>5,000 REM (>50 Sv)
100% Fatality. Death, typically within 48 hours.

What can be done to protect yourself?
Ultimately the best thing that we can hope for is that the Japanese are able to get the ailing reactors under control and safely disabled. If the worst happens, and the reactors go into a full meltdown there can be a significant release of radiation into the atmosphere.

While some of the maps that are floating around on the internet are alarmist at best, there is a very real possibility of radioactive materials reaching American shores. The major thing to remember is that if it all goes bad, it will not be the same type of release that resulted from the Chernobyl disaster. The reactor types that are employed by the Japanese are boiling water reactors that also use water as the neutron moderator whereas Chernobyl used graphite as a moderator. The vaporized graphite was responsible for carrying the contamination to such a wide area.

There are really only a few ways that you can protect yourself from hazardous exposure to manmade radiation. The first is shelter, even if the worst were to occur with the Japanese reactors it is not likely that radiation levels that would reach the US will be high enough to require shelter of residents on the west coast.

As with Chernobyl, the main risk factor is ingestion of foods that are tainted with radioactive materials from the fallout. During the Chernobyl disaster thousands of gallons of tainted milk were disposed of in the US to prevent exposure of the population to elevated radiation levels.

If you are going to be exposed to radioactive materials that result from a meltdown, potassium iodide is the only prophylactic measure that can be taken. This basically prevents your thyroid from taking up radioactive iodine by flooding it with good iodine.

Bottom Line
There are several different directions that the ongoing incident may take, and there is even more speculation out there. All that we can do is hope for the best, and prepare for the worst. Even if the plants in Japan do enter a full on meltdown mode, the release of radiation will not be able to be accurately measured unless it happens.

As with all things posted here, take your time, do the research, and make an informed decision on what is right for you and your family.