Sanderson final research.docx - Preparedness and Medical...

Preparedness and Medical Response to Nuclear Events
Aaron Sanderson
American Military University
PBHE 413
22 March 2020

Hollywood has spent many years and millions of dollars to show the shear destructive
power of the nuclear reaction. The images of towns being ripped apart or people slowly melting
have instilled horror for many decades. While all these images do have a factual basis, the truth
is that nuclear energy is rather safe compared to most forms of energy production. The scariest
part of the entire process is the unknown; the misunderstanding of a scientific process. The fear
of a viable source of energy can be reduced and accepted in large by the global community with
a little knowledge and understanding. Following the acceptance of the use of nuclear energy
there must be a planning and preparation phase of what to expect in the case of an incident. The
finest plans always have a contingency plan due to unforeseen mistakes and mishaps. These
plans should be part of a local, state, and, national plan with nuclear generating plants within
their limits and boundaries. Proper training and equipment should be essential parts of the
planning aspect. A basic identification of the nuclear process and the hazards associated will
bring into perspective what medical professionals can expect to see after a nuclear event.
The first information to understand is the different variations of particles that are emitted
during a reaction and the effects that they have on the human body. All radiation can have
prolonged effects on the body, but simple measures may be put in place to mitigate those effects.
The largest and most electrically charged particle is the alpha particle. This slow-moving
particle does not travel fast enough to penetrate dense objects, failing to pass through a single
sheet of paper or human skin, but causes the most targeted and direct damage to an area. The
easiest transfer into the human body is through ingestion, inhalation, and direct access through
cuts in the skin. After entering the body, the energy associated with alpha particles can be
transferred to living cells in the body; killing or modifying the cell to have cancerous properties
(Radiation Basics, 2019). This sounds scary, but the use of personnel protective equipment and a

respirator can reduce or eliminate this hazard. The second radiation is beta particles. Beta
particles travel faster and can penetrate deeper than alpha particles. Penetration can be prevented
by a light material, but inhalation and ingestion hazards are still concerns. The ionizing radiation
given off by beta particles is more distributed and poses less of a hazard to the human body.
Beta particles are used in medical procedures to help with internal imaging procedures. The
body can process and repair any damage made by beta particles in an efficient manner. The third
form of radiation are gamma and x-ray particles. These contain the most energy and can
penetrate the most, making them extremely useful for medical purposes. Gamma particles have
the most penetration value and can pass through the human body with ease.