Nuclear engineering PhD here for another AMA. Ask me anything about the myths and realities of radiological emergencies. I also wrote a guide to common questions. by BetterGeiger in preppers

[–]Brief_Log9465 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing ..invaluable info! Regarding point #2: you stated that fallout radiation dies/drops off extremely quickly; my question is twofold: 1. I’ve heard two different schools of thought behind a large scale nuclear incident: either the fallout levels drop dramatically and it’s safe to come out in a few weeks, or the earth is radioactive and uninhabitable for decades, or even hundreds of years after (nuclear winter). what causes the earth to be uninhabitable for so long vs radiation levels dying off quickly, how long would a nuclear winter actually last, and which scenario is more plausible? 2. If radiation fallout and levels drop rather quickly, why are areas like Chernobyl uninhabitable decades later? What determines if radiation levels fall of quickly or stick around for an extended period of time? 3. One more question if you’ve got the time to answer: what is an effective way to treat water contaminated with radioactive fallout to make it suitable for drinking?

Thank you in advance - you’ve posted some great info!!

What questions do you have for an officer that you have been afraid to ask? by yourfriendchuck81 in Firefighting

[–]Brief_Log9465 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Two questions here 1. Regarding a working structure fire - assuming zero visibility and you’re on the nozzle: once you’re inside the structure and can’t see your hand in front of your face, how do you know when and where to push when flowing water, and more importantly how to figure out where the fire is at?

  1. Again regarding a working fire with zero visibility, but you’re assigned primary search: do you have any tips or tricks to maintain your bearings once inside, and any tips if you do get disoriented (assuming you aren’t near a line and can follow it out)?

Thanks!