One of the prime set of principles in life safety for radiological incidents is Time, Distance, and Shielding (EPA, 2022). Limit the time exposed to the threat, increase the distance from the threat, and use shielding against the threat. Sounds simple when viewed from outside of the incident itself, but the reality is that performing all three of these tasks is much harder when the incident is actually happening. See the Chernobyl Disaster and the Fukushima Accident for two critical incidents, as examples when people were harmed when they were unable to limit their time, increase their distance and/or use shielding.
For emergency managers, this can be sage advice for evacuations on an all-hazards perspective. And for both the public and the emergency responders themselves. Not only is this applicable to actual CBRNE incidents (especially the explosive ones), but it is also pertinent for suspected CBRNE threats, too. See a suspicious package? Quickly (limit time) move away (increase distance) from the package and put a solid wall or even another building between everyone and the package (use shielding).
What About Natural Threats?
Earthquake? Tornado? Both are no-notice incidents which require shelter-in-place responses from both the public and emergency responders (until the threat is over). On the other hand, hurricanes and wildfires are (generally) both notice incidents and require evacuation responses. The public needs to evacuate in a timely manner (the sooner one departs from where the threat will be impacting, the better) and utilize the shielding of evacuation shelters or other safer places to stay. This is also true of emergency response entities and other governmental organizations. Sometimes that shielding can be staging of emergency equipment and vehicles in safer locations – so it can be better utilized in the disaster-impacted areas once the imminent threat has passed.
Typhoons? Mudslides? Tidal Waves? All of these no-notice incidents generally have evacuation as their responses. Seeking higher ground is one way of providing shielding – but a better solution is putting as much distance as possible from these (and really any) threats. High-rise apartment building residents – and especially those who have mobility concerns which would be impacted if the power went out and the elevators failed – should consider evacuating from a notice threat where they might normally think of sheltering-in-place. This happened to many residents in northern New Jersey and New York City, during Superstorm Sandy in 2012.
Finally, That Threat we all now Think About
Active Assailant attacks should be viewed through these same set of principles. Techniques/tactics such as “Run, Hide, Fight”, “Avoid, Deny, Defend”, etc. all follow these same concepts of time, distance and shielding. Look to Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) elements (longer lobby areas in buildings, locked entry doors, etc.) to help increase the time it takes for an assailant to reach people, which will provide more time to escape or get to farther away safer areas (distance) with more shielding (cover and concealment). Finally, if there is no time to evacuate or shelter-in-place and the active assailant is right there – fight. Fight as if your life depended on it. It really does. Use a chair for distance and shielding, or a fire extinguisher, or whatever else might work. Fight as a team, if you can.
EM: Align Full Cycle POETE for THIRA Using Time, Distance, and Shielding
Emergency Managers should align the problem-solving actions needed in their Plans, Organization, Equipment, Training and Exercises (POETE) for their Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) work - along the full disaster phase cycles of Preparedness/Protection/Prevention, Response, Recovery, and Mitigation – to incorporate Time, Distance, and Shielding principles. That’s saying a mouthful – but it’s pretty easy to remember to limit the time exposed to the threat, increase the distance from the threat, and use shielding against the threat: no matter what that threat is or could be.
