Japan tv just told residents: Avoid having the outside air come inside the houses.

[dixiegrrrrl]

meaning residents of the area around the reactors.

this is assuming people have power to hear the tv announcements.

Guess duct tape and plastic IS a plan????

[hedgehog]

1. Not so different from the advice given when ozone levels are high -

as an asthmatic, I'm supposed to stay inside and avoid physical activity on those days. I wonder how the ozone stays outside while fresh oxygen comes in.

This situation is just part of an entire package of damage we're doing top ourselves and the environment.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Yeah, that is my point.

How do you keep outside air from coming into a building and still be able to breathe?
Not possible.

Plus, people who have no power are dependent on hearing info. from loudspeakers, but closing windows and doors stops that ability.

Hell of a mess.

[rocktivity]

3. Here's a oldie but goodie

from DU-er Symbolman -- and a retrospective.

:headbang:
rocktivity

[lonestarnot]

6. Remember dat!

:yourock: Thanks for that memory.

[jwirr]

4. My daughter and family were stationed in Germany when Chernobyl

happened and the wind was in their direction. They were all told to stay indoors with the windows closed. They were of course further away than these people.

[highplainsdem]

5. NHK's also warning people not to hang laundry outside. If it's already outside, don't bring it in.

[Dappleganger]

7. Duck and cover, right?

Any living creature which is small is going to be seriously fucked.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. What they are recomeding is gross decon procedures

as I said earlier when they officially did (Nagano read that) I went HOLY SHIT.... and I don't do that often.

The only missing thing is washing with soap and water mostly they don't have it, I am betting.

[Igel]

9. Yes. Duct tape and plastic sheeting can be a plan.

Whether it's a good plan depends on what the challenge is.

Keeping out most dust? Sure. Meaning that it's a decent first line of defense against dirty bombs and poorly airborne bacteriological weapons. O2 can still get in--the walls and roof leak. But very few particulates get in that way. It's cracks around windows and doors, chimneys and vents that pose the greatest problems.

It's even okay against chemical weapons that aren't too deadly and which will blow through the area quickly enough. Sure, some get in. If I know a cloud of phosgene is heading my way and I can't clear out, duct tape and plastic it is. Phosgene's nasty, but not lethal in really small doses. Some neurotoxins, on the other hand, would foil the duct tape and there's no point making it any harder for the EMS folk to clean up the corpses than necessary.

It's like using a tarp as an improvised tent when camping. For a weekend in the spring? Sure. During a hurricane or when the temperature's 40 degrees below zero? No thanks.