
                 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
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   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

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                 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.

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 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.

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 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!

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                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.
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                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
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 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.
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 ***************************************************************************
 * 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
 
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 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
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 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.

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