Chapter I - Overview: (5) General Planning Considerations for CBRN Response: (A) (5) Nuclear Environment, Nuclear Detonations, and Their Effects: Nuclear detonations cause three types of injuries: blast, thermal, and radiation; as well as electromagnetic pulse (EMP) effects. The type and distribution of casualties depends on the weapon (e.g., yield, height of burst), environmental conditions (e.g., weather conditions), physical environment (e.g., structure types), and personnel conditions (e.g., age, health, skin tone, clothing). (a) Blast (pressure) injuries are caused by the overpressure wave traveling outwards from the center of the nuclear detonation. The types of injuries are much the same as occur with conventional explosives. The human body is remarkably resistant to overpressure, particularly when compared with rigid structures such as buildings. Although many would survive the blast overpressure itself, they will not easily survive the crushing injuries incurred during the collapse of buildings from the blast overpressure or the impact of shrapnel (e.g., flying debris and glass). The majority of casualties from blast effects will result from wind generated from the blast overpressure. For a 10 kiloton (KT) yield, the velocity of the wind within 1.0 - 1.6 kilometers of ground zero will lift and throw people, causing serious injuries. It will also turn lighter objects into flying shrapnel, resulting in impalement injuries (probability of injury increases with velocity). Heavier objects may present crushing hazards. (b) Thermal (heat) injuries present as flash burns (burns from direct exposure to the thermal radiation pulse, typically ultraviolet, visible, and infrared waves) or flame burns (burns from materials set afire by the infrared energy wave igniting flammable materials). Close to the fireball, the thermal energy is so intense that infrastructure and humans are incinerated. Immediate lethality would be 100 percent in close proximity. The distance of lethality will vary with nuclear yield, position of the burst relative to the Earth's surface, weather, environment, and how soon casualties can receive medical care. People within line of sight of the burst may be subject to burn injuries up to two miles away for a 10 KT device. The farther away from ground zero a person is, the less severe the burn injury will be. Early treatment can reduce mortality rates among the severely burned victims. (c) Radiation injuries from a nuclear blast occur from two sources: initial and residual. Initial radiation effects occur due to the neutrons and high-energy gamma rays emitted within the first minute after detonation of the weapon. Severity of exposure depends on the weapon's yield, emissions, shielding, and distance from the explosion. Residual radiation effects result from either fallout or neutron-induced activity. The amount of residual radiation will depend on whether the detonation is an air or surface burst (air burst, the fireball does not touch the ground; surface burst, the fireball does). A surface burst will cause a tremendous amount of residual radiation. The hazards from surface bursts are more prevalent due to the presence of emissions (typically alphas, betas, and low-energy gammas) generated when unused-fissile material mixes with vaporized dirt, debris, and other materials, drawn back into the fireball and subsequently deposited downwind. In contrast, neutron-induced activity (when specific materials are bombarded by neutrons and become radioactive themselves) occurs more prevalently as a result of airbursts. Collectively, these sources are called fallout. The extent of fallout depends on the weapon's yield, type, and height of burst, while the area affected depends heavily on the wind. The hazard to personnel depends on the level of radiation present and the duration of exposure. (d) Electromagnetic Pulse: EMP is unlikely to have a direct health threat; however, personnel with pacemakers or other implanted devices may be affected. EMP can also be very damaging to electronic equipment