The DomiDocs Guide to Radiation Emergency Preparedness

“Get inside, stay inside, and stay tuned.” – Ready.gov

Radiation emergencies pose a serious, albeit rare, threat to American households, potentially leading to both immediate and long-term health consequences. Beyond direct health impacts, a radiation emergency can cause widespread contamination of homes, food, and water, leading to displacement, mental health distress, and significant economic disruption for affected communities.

Are you ready for this?

America has 54 nuclear power plants operating in 28 states, which are home to 94 nuclear reactors. This means that more than half the states across the country are potentially subject to radiation emergencies. This figure doesn’t even account for the additional threats posed by outside forces, including the possibility of dirty bombs or the catastrophic impact of a nuclear detonation.

The 5 main types of radiation emergencies.

Generally, Ready.gov radiation emergency preparedness efforts concentrate on the first three as identified below:

Nuclear Detonation (including Improvised Nuclear Devices (INDs)): A nuclear detonation is the most catastrophic radiation emergency, causing immediate blast, heat, light, and prompt radiation exposure, followed by widespread radioactive fallout.
Radiological Dispersal Devices (RDDs), aka Dirty Bombs: These involve conventional explosives combined with radioactive materials. While they don’t cause a nuclear explosion, the blast disperses radioactive material over a widespread area.
Nuclear Power Plants: Though these facilities are highly regulated and designed with multiple safety features, a severe accident at a nuclear power plant could release radioactive material into the atmosphere.
Transportation Accidents Involving Radioactive Materials: Even though most Americans don’t think about it, radioactive materials are regularly transported across the country for industrial, medical, and research purposes. Again, while transportation regulations are strict, an accident could lead to a localized release of radioactive material.
Occupational or Industrial Accidents: While less common to affect a typical household widely, but possibly in certain circumstances, occupational or industrial accidents involving radioactive materials can occur at facilities like hospitals, industrial radiography sites, and research labs.

Radiation exposures in US homes.

Thankfully, major radiation emergencies directly impacting a significant number of US homes are extremely rare. But just because they haven’t occurred routinely in the past doesn’t mean you don’t need to be prepared for the future, as proactive steps can significantly reduce risks and improve outcomes should an event ever happen.

Nuclear detonations have not occurred since testing in 1945.
The last nuclear power plant incident happened at Three Mile Island in 1979.
No dirty bomb attacks have ever taken place on US soil.

Documenting for Disaster: How DomiDocs can help you navigate through unexpected emergencies.

The keys to helping you weather any disaster are always the same: knowledge and organization. It comes down to homeowner responsibility and doing due diligence to protect your family and home before a disaster strikes. Use the secure, award-winning DomiDocs homeowner platform to:

Upload a detailed home inventory list itemizing your home’s contents, including receipts, photos, and videos of your home’s current condition.
Store and catalog your proprietary household paperwork using the Insurance Document Bundle feature: your insurance policies are listed to show the company, coverage, cost, and start- and end dates, displayed with a calendar timeline for quick reference when needed. Besides for your own use, you can share with your insurance agent at the touch of a button if you need to file an insurance claim.
Work through our comprehensive DomiDocs New Homeowner Guide, offering best-use instructions to help prevent homeowner claims.

How DomiDocs Can Help You Navigate Through a Disaster

The key to weathering any natural disaster is preparation—knowledge and organization are your best tools. As a homeowner, taking proactive steps to protect your family and property before disaster strikes is essential. The secure, award-winning DomiDocs Homeowner Enablement Platform® helps you stay prepared by allowing you to:

Create a detailed home inventory – Upload receipts, photos, and videos documenting your home’s condition and contents to ensure an accurate record for insurance purposes.
Store and manage essential insurance documents – Use the Insurance Bundle feature to securely organize policies, including company details, coverage, cost, and policy start and end dates. A calendar timeline provides quick reference, and with one click, you can share documents with your insurance agent when filing a claim.
Prepare for and recover quickly from any disasters – Ensure quick and easy access to critical homeownership and insurance documents before and after a natural disaster. Use the Disaster Bundle to safely store everything from insurance policies and mortgage information to your home inventory list, photos & videos and emergency vendors—allowing you to recover faster when you need it most.
Stay ready for emergencies – Keep all your most important documents—such as IDs, medical records, financial statements, and emergency contacts—securely stored and instantly accessible. The Digital Go Bundle ensures you have everything you need in one place, whether you’re evacuating or managing post-disaster recovery.
Follow expert homeowner guidance – Access the comprehensive DomiDocs New Homeowner Guide, which offers best practices to help prevent insurance claims and keep your home in top condition.

By leveraging these tools, you’ll have the critical information you need at your fingertips, making it easier to recover and rebuild after a disaster.

The Basics of Radiation Emergency Preparedness.

Ready.gov, the American Red Cross, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend the following:

Before a Radiation Emergency, Take the Time to:
Understand the common risks homeowners face in a radiation emergency.	Nuclear detonation: Households near the blast would suffer devastating destruction and severe exposure, while those farther away would need to shelter from fallout (dangerous, sand-like, radioactive particles produced by a ground explosion). Radiological dispersal devices: The blast leads to contamination of surfaces, people, and potentially food and water. Households in the affected area would need to shelter and then potentially undergo decontamination. Nuclear power plant accidents: Households in the affected ‘emergency planning zone’ around a plant would potentially require sheltering, evacuations, or taking potassium iodide to protect against thyroid issues Transportation accidents: The risk to the general public from such incidents is considered very low, and only those households in the immediate area would likely be affected. Occupational or industrial accidents: While mainly concentrated in facilities that store or use radioactive materials, if such materials were lost, stolen, or mishandled, it could potentially expose individuals or households if brought into a residential area
Understand the 3 basic radiation protection principles.	Time: Limiting your time exposed to radiation will decrease the effects of radiation Distance: Increasing your distance from the radiation source will significantly reduce its effects Shielding: By placing shielding materials, such as concrete, lead, or even thick earth, between yourself and the radiation source, you can help block and absorb radiation before it reaches you and your family
Know the signs and symptoms of radiation exposure.	Short-term dangers of radiation exposure include acute radiation sickness, severe burns, and flash blindness. In the long term, even low doses of radiation can significantly increase the lifetime risk of various cancers, with children and developing fetuses being particularly vulnerable.
Maximize the ways you’ll be able to receive emergency alerts.	As with any emergency, you need reliable information and ways to receive emergency alerts and instructions. Download the FEMA app, where you can set and receive real-time alerts for the National Weather Service for up to 5 locations across the country Sign up for community alerts for your area through your local emergency management agency to receive timely information for your specific area
Make a family communication plan.	Where will your family meet if there’s an emergency and you’re not at home? Establish the specific spot where you will gather. Identify an out-of-state contact whom you and your family members can call to state your location and safety Make plans with friends and family to identify safe places if you need to evacuate.
Review/update your homeowner insurance policy.	It’s estimated that 40% of Americans can’t find an important household document when needed, so the first step is to upload your vital household documents to our user-friendly digital platform, so there’s easy access 24/7/365. Secondly, reassess your homeowner policy to ensure you have the best coverage to fit your needs. Compare the cost and coverage you have in place to what else is available from your current insurer and other companies. If there have been any major additions to your home and/or contents in the last year, it’s time to review your homeowner insurance policy to ensure it’ll cover your new additions.
In general, you should always have disaster supplies on hand for your family members and your pets.	The American Red Cross recommends gathering 2 emergency supply kits: A Go-Kit: with a 3-day supply of items you can carry with you, including chargers for your devices (cell phone, wheelchair, CPAP, etc.), backup batteries and/or a power bank to charge phones and other small electronic devices; as well as non-perishable food, water, and medications. Cash is also important to have on hand, as ATMs may not be working/accessible. Nonperishable food items can include: Canned baked beans/fish/fruit/vegetables/soup/ready-to-eat pasta with sauce Cereal crackers Dried fruits granola /power/protein bars Jerky juice nuts Peanut butter/jelly A Stay-at-Home Kit: with a 2-week supply of the above items. NOAA recommends adding the following to round out your emergency disaster supply kits, where applicable: masks, disinfecting wipes, and hand sanitizer non-prescription medicines such as antacids, anti-diarrhea, and pain relievers contact lens solution/prescription eyeglasses baby bottles, formula, wipes, diapers, and diaper rash cream feminine hygiene supplies sleeping bags/blankets for warmth; foldable paper fans to help relieve heat a change of clothing for each family member, including sensible footwear fire extinguisher matches in a fireproof container mess kit with plates, utensils, cups, and paper towels activities for kids like puzzles, games, or books
Take the time to emergency life-saving skills.	The American Red Cross recommends that adults and kids around nine learn first aid and CPR skills.

During a Radiation Emergency:
Get inside. Stay Inside. Stay Tuned.	Understand the basics of staying inside, sheltering-in-place, and staying tuned. Get inside. After a radiation detonation, you’ll have approximately 10 minutes to find an adequate shelter before fallout arrives. The locations within a home or building include the basement, parking garages, or subways, where brick and concrete walls can help protect from exposure. If you’re outside, lie face down on the ground to protect exposed skin from heat and flying debris. After the shockwave passes, go inside the nearest building immediately. Stay inside: protects you and your family from immediate, short-term outdoor hazards, as in the initial phase of a radiation emergency. Go indoors immediately if you’re outside Closing and locking all windows and doors Turning off all air conditioners, fans, and heating systems that bring in outside air. Close fireplace dampers. Keep your pets and service animals indoors. Going to an interior room, away from windows Staying tuned to official information sources Utilize your stay-at-home kit (below) Ready.gov states that radiation levels decrease rapidly, becoming significantly less dangerous, during the first 24 hours. Stay Tuned. Sheltering in place: protects your family from a more prolonged incident, such as with radioactive fallout. Follow all of the above Seal doors, windows, and vents with plastic sheeting and duct tape to create a barrier against outside air Go to the innermost room of your home, preferably a basement or room with no windows Remain sheltered-in-place until authorities declare it safe to leave Utilize your stay-at-home kit (below) Evacuation: moves your family away from a dangerous area to a safe location when the radiation emergency is too severe or prolonged to shelter from Follow emergency instructions from official authorities immediately Grab your go-kit (below) Follow designated evacuation routes Do not return to your home until authorities declare it safe to do so Inform your out-of-state contact of your whereabouts/destination

After a Radiation Emergency:
If you were outside during a radiation emergency, or think you may have radioactive material on your body: Remove your outer layer of contaminated clothing, which reduces your exposure to radioactive material by 90%. Be very careful when doing so to prevent radioactive dust from shaking loose. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Carefully place the clothing into a plastic bag, or better, by double-bagging it, to help contain any radioactive particles. Seal the bag by tying it securely. Place the sealed bag away from others in an out-of-the-way location, such as a far corner of a room, in a basement, or outside if it won’t get wet. Do not throw them into the trash – wait for official emergency instructions on how to properly dispose of them. Wash yourself with soap and water to remove any radioactive particles from skin or hair that wasn’t covered. If you’re unable to wash, use a wipe or a clean wet cloth to clean any skin or hair that wasn’t covered. Do not use household wipes. Understand that hand sanitizer doesn’t protect against radioactive material. Brush and/or wash your pets that may have been exposed.
Stay fed and hydrated. Any food that was stored inside a building is generally safe to consume, but be sure to wipe off the container with a damp towel or cloth before using. Put these potentially contaminated cloths/towels into a plastic bag, just as with your clothes (above). Do NOT eat food from your garden, or consume liquid/foods that were uncovered.
Take care of yourself and others. If you’re sick or injured, listen for emergency instructions as to where you can seek medical attention. If you’re at a public shelter, let them know immediately if you have medical needs. If you’re experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.

Navigating Insurance Claims: What Every Homeowner Should Know

When you’re facing the aftermath of a natural disaster, working with your insurance company is an inevitable part of the recovery process. DomiDocs® CEO and Founder, William McKenna advises homeowners to carefully review their insurance company’s initial settlement offer, as it may not fully cover all damages. Many experts recommend assessing the offer to ensure it aligns with your policy coverage.

What should you do? Access your personal profile on the DomiDocs® home management platform to easily submit your documented receipts, photos, and videos to your insurance adjuster with just one click. Before accepting a settlement, take the time to consider all potential losses, including missed wages, medical expenses (both current and future), vehicle repairs, and any other damages. Being thorough can help ensure you receive the full coverage you’re entitled to under your policy.

DomiDocs has your back! Whether it’s a hurricane, tornado, flood, or fire, the DomiDocs Resouce Page: How To File An Insurance Claim is here to guide you through the claims and recovery process.

Take Control of Your Homeownership Journey with DomiDocs®

Managing your home shouldn’t be stressful. DomiDocs® empowers homeowners with innovative technology, expert guidance, and unparalleled organization—all within a secure, cloud-based platform. From protecting your property and finances to streamlining essential tasks, our tools help you save time, reduce expenses, mitigate costly risks, and maximize your home’s value.

Explore the DomiDocs suite of solutions:

Homeowner Enablement Platform® – A centralized, digital hub for organizing documents, tracking home value, and managing property details effortlessly.
HomeLock™ – Protects your home from fraud and title theft with 24/7 monitoring and instant alerts.
TrueValueIndex® – Provides real-time insights into your home’s value to help you make informed financial decisions.
propRtax® – Identifies potential property tax savings and ensures you’re not overpaying.
Documenting for Disaster® – Securely stores critical homeownership documents, ensuring quick access before and after a disaster.

Join the home management revolution today and experience the confidence that comes with having everything you need in one place.

Author – Connie Motz

The DomiDocs Guide to Radiation Emergency Preparedness

Categories

Glossary – Terms of the Day