GENWiki

               UFO INFORMATION SERVICE SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
            ACUTE EXPOSURE AND LEVELS OF RADIATION SICKNESSES

EXPOSURE RANGE TYPE OF INJURY PROBABLE MORTALITY RATE

(ROENTGENS)                             WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF EXPOSURE

—————————————————————————-

 000-050         NONE SEEN              NONE

 050-200         LEVEL I SICKNESS       5 PERCENT OR LESS

 200-450         LEVEL II SICKNESS      50 PERCENT OR LESS

 450-600         LEVEL III SICKNESS     50 PERCENT OR MORE

 600-PLUS        LEVEL IV AND V         100 PERCENT

               EXPLANATIONS OF SICKNESS LEVELS FOR SINGLE DOSE

_ LEVEL I - Less than half the persons exposed will vomit within 24 hours. There are either no subsequent symptoms or, at most, only increased fatigue. Less than 5 percent will require medical care for radiation injury. Others can perform their customary tasks. Deaths that occur are caused by complications such as blast and thermal injuries or infections and disease. LEVEL II - More that half the persons exposed will vomit soon after exposure and will be ill for several days. This will be followed by a period of one to three weeks when there are few or no symptoms. At the end of this latent period loss of hair will be seen in more than half followed by a moderately severe illness due primarily to the damage to the blood forming organs. More than half will survive with the chances of survival being better for those who received the smaller doses. LEVEL III - This is a more serious version of Level II sickness. The initial period of illness is longer, the latent period shorter, and the ensuing illness is characterized by extensive hemorrhages and complicating infections. Less than half will survive. LEVEL IV - This is an accelerated version of Level III sickness. All in the group will begin to vomit soon after exposure and this will continue for several days or until death, which occurs before the end of the second week, and usually before the appearance of hemorrhages or loss of hair. LEVEL V - This is an extremely severe illness in which damage to the brain and nervous system predominates. Symptoms, signs and rapid prostration come on almost as soon as the dose has been received. Death occurs in a few hours or a few days. Illness of this type would involve exposure to gamma radiation in excess of several thousand roentgens. _

               PERSONAL DECONTAMINATION - AFTER THE EXPOSURE

_ PERSONAL DECONTAMINATION SHOULD NOT BE NEEDED IF THE RADIATION SOURCE IS A SAMPLE OF SOIL, OR ANY OTHER OBJECT. MONITOR THE EXPOSURE RATE AND DO NOT EXCEED 5 R/hr. IF THE RADIATION LEVEL IS IN THIS RANGE, LEAVE THE AREA AS IT WILL BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH TO REMAIN IN THE VICINITY. IF YOU HAPPEN TO GET CONTAMINATED, WASH OR WIPE CONTAMINATION OFF YOUR PERSON AS SOON AS YOU CAN. RADIATION IS NOT…CONTAGIOUS! IT CAN HOWEVER BE TRANSMITTED BETWEEN PARTIES THAT DO NOT OBSERVE CAUTION IN HOW THEY ARE HANDLING A RADIOACTIVE SAMPLE. UFO INFORMATION SERVICE MYTHS ABOUT RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL 1. IF YOU ENCOUNTER A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO RADIATION, YOU WILL NOT GET RADIATION SICKNESS FROM THAT INDIVIDUAL UNLESS HE/SHE STILL HAS THE CONTAMINATION ON HIM/HER. _

    TYPES OF RADIATION HAZARDS

ALPHA - IT CAN PENETRATE ONLY THE

       EPIDERMAL LAYER OF SKIN. IT
       IS PRIMARILY ONLY AN
       INTERNAL RADIATION HAZARD.

BETA - IT CAN PENETRATE THE SKIN

       AND MAY CAUSE SEVERE SKIN
       AND TISSUE DAMAGE.  IT IS
       AN INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL
       HAZARD.

GAMMA - IT IS IDENTICAL WITH AN

       X-RAY OF HIGH ENERGY.  IT
       CAN PENETRATE DENSE MATERIAL
       AND IS A SERIOUS HAZARD...

_

             DETERMINING RADIATION LEVELS AT A LANDING SITE

The following equation is used for determining the level of radiation at a source with an estimated distance and a Geiger Counter reading at your location.

DR(s) = D(squared) X DR(x) where DR(s) is the dose rate at the source,

                           where D(squared) is the distance from the
                                 source squared,
                           where DR(x) is the Geiger Counter reading at
                                 your location.  Or in simple terms...

Distance (Squared) times Dose Rate (at your location) = Dose Rate at the Source divided by 1000.

Example: You take a reading with your Geiger Counter (CDV-700 Model) and

         you get 20 mr/hr.

         You then estimate the distance to the Source of the radiation as
         being about 30 feet.  This distance squared is 900.

         20 mr/hr times 900 and get 18000, divide this by 1000 and get
         a dose rate at the source of 18 R/hr.

         NOTE! If you get a reading of over 5 R/hr or more, do not enter
               the area as it will...be hazardous to your health!

              UNDERSTANDING THE READINGS ON THE GEIGER COUNTER

_ For the purpose of explaining the readings you may get on a Geiger Counter, we have chosen to explain the meter on a standard Civil Defense Model CDV-700 which will measure radiation in the 0-50 milliroentgen range. ————————————————————————— The meter on the CDV-700 has incremented readings of: .1 .2 .3 .4 .5 The meter also has a select knob for either (X1), (X10), or (X100). If you had the knob turned to (X10) and received a reading of say, .2 on the meter, you would be getting 2 milliroentgens per hour. If the same reading were received and the knob was set to (X100), then the reading would actually be 20 milliroentgens per hour. ————————————————————————— Note: 1 Roentgen = 1000 milliroentgens. ————————————————————————— Other types of Standard Geiger Counters… CDV-700 Reads 0-050 milliroentgens per hour. CDV-715 Reads 0-500 roentgens per hour. CDV-742 Reads 0-200 roentgens per hour, this is a dosimeter that will fit into your pocket. CDV-750 This is the charging unit for the CDV-742 and other models of dosimeters. ————————————————————————— CALCULATING PERSONAL RADIATION EXPOSURE LEVELS _

There are two easy ways to determine your total exposure to radiation.

  They are #1 - Dosimeter Readings, or
           #2 - Geiger Counter Readings

————————————————————————— Notes: First visible injuries will occur after you have received a dose of

      approximately 280 R/hr.

      The maximum allowable dose that may be received, and still allow
      you to live, is 200 R/hr in a two week period.

————————————————————————— Total Exposure - Personal Calculations: Method #1 - Dosimeter reading:

           If your Dosimeter reads 10 mr/hr after 2 hours of investigating
           the landing sight, then your personal exposure is...10 mr/hr.

Method #2 - Geiger Counter Readings:

           Taken after 1 Hour:  05 R/hr
           Taken after 2 Hours: 30 R/hr
           Taken after 3 Hours: 31 R/hr

           Your Total Exposure would be 66 R/hr.  You will at this point
           have entered the first danger zone and may experience Level I
           Sickness.  See (S2) for explanations of sickness levels.

—————————————————————————–

* * THE COMPUFON NETWORK - DETERMINING DECAY RATE FOR RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS * *

There are many complicated methods for determining the decay rate for Radioactive materials. We have used only one here as it is about as safe and simple as we can get without getting too complicated and technical. If you desire to have some of the other methods explained, please send me your name / address and your interests, and I'll help you out. Thanks! Mike Hart - State of Washington - Radiological Defense Officer

—————————————————————————

Method #1 - The 7-10 Rule:

Time: Decay: R/hr:

First Hour (H1) Not applicable 1000

Seventh Hour (H7) 1 tenth of H1 100

Fourty-ninth Hour 1 tenth of H7 10

Note: Remember that if the R/hr reading is near or over 5 R/hr, Do Not

     enter the area due to the hazards of possible injury.

                                      
                  UFO Reporting and Information Service 
                       Voice Line - (206) 721-5035 
                P.O.Box 832, Mercer Island, WA 98040, USA