10 Skills To Help You Survive The Apocalypse

9. After Impact: Nuclear

gas mask
BBC

So, you've survived the initial event, now what?

If your shelter held out in the face of the explosion/impact, the best thing to do for at least a couple of days is sit tight. As long as you have supplies, stay in the place that you know is safe.

Your main threat after a nuclear attack is the radioactive fallout. This will be in the form of dust particles contaminated with radioactive material that will fall from the sky and coat everything - you will want to avoid touching this at all costs. Do not breathe it in, do not get it on your clothes, do not let it touch your skin.

Luckily, due to the unstable nature of radioactive atoms, they have a half-life that will cause them to decay pretty quickly. For example, material emitting gamma radiation at a fatal level of 500 R/hr will have decayed to 1/100th of its original strength within a couple of days (just, you know, don't drink the water or anything).

Once you leave your bunker, you will need to figure out the safest areas. The radioactive fallout will not be spread uniformly and is more likely to form a narrow plume along an air current. Go as far as you can in the opposite direction of this plume to reduce your risk of contamination. You won't be able to avoid this completely (lol, weather systems) but you can do your best.

If you are hit by an meteor you won't have any radioactive nasties floating around, but you will have other problems to contend with.

 
First Posted On: 
Contributor
Contributor

Writer. Raconteur. Gardeners' World Enthusiast.