Page:Survival Under Atomic Attack.djvu/13



If your house is close to the explosion, there is little you can do to protect it from the bomb's blast, or pressure wave. Within one-half mile of the surface point directly beneath the explosion, the shock wave from an atomic bomb is sure to flatten most houses. Out to a distance of about 1 mile, steel, brick, and wooden structures are likely to be damaged beyond repair. Farther out, there is less destruction, but serious damage may be expected to extend as far as 2 miles.

It is only wise to figure that the upper floors of most buildings near the explosion will be pushed in. This means the basement is probably the safest place to be. If you have a basement and time to

get down to it, lie flat along the outer wall or near the base of some heavy supporting column. You would be even safer under a cellar work bench or heavy table. Stay away from the middle of the floor where falling beams and other objects are most likely to strike you.

Naturally, you run a risk of being trapped in the wreckage, but your over-all chances of escape from the bomb in most cases are many times greater than they would be upstairs. If your basement has two exits, you will be in less danger of being trapped.

Besides protecting you from blast and heat, basements also provide shielding from explosive Rh