Chapter 19
Additional Considerations When
Responding to a Nuclear Attack
Conventional explosions—even huge explosions such as the 2020 blast in Beirut
[7]—pale in comparison to the magnitude of a nuclear explosion. In fact, the relatively
primitive and low-yield bomb used to attack Hiroshima was larger than the ten
largest man-made non-nuclear explosions combined. Or to look at the matter another
way, while a large number of people have a huge amount of personal experience
responding to attacks using chemical explosives, there are few—if any—people alive
with comparable experience in responding to nuclear attacks. Because of this it seems
reasonable to devote some attention to factors that make a nuclear attack so much
more devastating than attacks using chemical explosives.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency [6] the practical goals of
an emergency response are to:
1. Regain control of the situation;
2. Prevent or mitigate consequences at the scene;
3. Prevent the occurrence of deterministic health effects in workers and the public;
4. Render first aid and manage the treatment of radiation injuries;
5. Prevent, to the extent practicable, the occurrence of stochastic health effects in
the population;
6. Prevent, to the extent practicable, the occurrence of adverse non-radiological
effects on individuals and among the population;
7. Protect, to the extent practicable, the environment and property; and
8. Prepare, to the extent practicable, for the resumption of normal social and
economic activity.
The first four of these goals will be accomplished in the first few days after the
attack and will most likely be accomplished by the city itself, before the national
government can provide substantial resources. The next three goals will likely be
accomplished in collaboration with the national and (if appropriate) regional govern© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
P. A. Karam, Radiological and Nuclear Terrorism,
Advanced Sciences and Technologies for Security Applications,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69162-2_19
233
Additional Considerations When
Responding to a Nuclear Attack
Conventional explosions—even huge explosions such as the 2020 blast in Beirut
[7]—pale in comparison to the magnitude of a nuclear explosion. In fact, the relatively
primitive and low-yield bomb used to attack Hiroshima was larger than the ten
largest man-made non-nuclear explosions combined. Or to look at the matter another
way, while a large number of people have a huge amount of personal experience
responding to attacks using chemical explosives, there are few—if any—people alive
with comparable experience in responding to nuclear attacks. Because of this it seems
reasonable to devote some attention to factors that make a nuclear attack so much
more devastating than attacks using chemical explosives.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency [6] the practical goals of
an emergency response are to:
1. Regain control of the situation;
2. Prevent or mitigate consequences at the scene;
3. Prevent the occurrence of deterministic health effects in workers and the public;
4. Render first aid and manage the treatment of radiation injuries;
5. Prevent, to the extent practicable, the occurrence of stochastic health effects in
the population;
6. Prevent, to the extent practicable, the occurrence of adverse non-radiological
effects on individuals and among the population;
7. Protect, to the extent practicable, the environment and property; and
8. Prepare, to the extent practicable, for the resumption of normal social and
economic activity.
The first four of these goals will be accomplished in the first few days after the
attack and will most likely be accomplished by the city itself, before the national
government can provide substantial resources. The next three goals will likely be
accomplished in collaboration with the national and (if appropriate) regional govern© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
P. A. Karam, Radiological and Nuclear Terrorism,
Advanced Sciences and Technologies for Security Applications,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69162-2_19
233