Table 7-8.—Recommended Personnel Action Against Table 7-8 summarizes actions personnel should take to reduce injuries from air, surface, and underwater detonations for “warning” and “no warning”  attack  situations. The maneuvers to reduce the vulnerability of topside personnel to both thermal radiation and air blast effects of air and surface bursts are explained in the following paragraphs. Personnel in Open Topside Areas When you see the flash or see the sky light up, close your eyes and immediately raise your hands to cover your face.   Personnel hands-to-face evasion is practical only for topside personnel who are alerted by the flash. The hands-to-face evasion is designed to provide protection against air blast and thermal radiation. Meanwhile, drop to the deck as rapidly as possible. Do not use your hands to break your fall; use your shoulder. Keep your hands over your face, and curl up to present a minimum target. You may feel the heat from the detonation. Two to five seconds after the flash (depending on the weapon yield) or after the heat sensation is over, remove your hands from your face. Then immediately grab hold of a solid ship structure firmly to prevent the air blast winds from blowing you overboard or against the ship’s structure. You may suffer flash blindness for up to 30 minutes. Personnel in Congested Topside Areas You may be in a position in which you cannot quickly drop to the deck (as those on a gun mount). In such a case, when you see the flash or see the sky light up, close your eyes and immediately raise your hands to cover your face as rapidly as possible, while crouching and bending your head down. You may feel the heat from the weapon. At this point, grab hold of a solid ship structure to keep from being blown overboard or against the ship’s structure by the air-blast winds. Underwater shock produces injuries among topside  and  below-deck  personnel  by  the mechanical transmission of the water shock force throughout the ship structure. The shock force results in rapid upward acceleration of the deck. The deck hits personnel and throws them off balance, propelling them into the overhead or into bulkheads. Personnel can reduce the severity of potential injuries if they hold on to solid ship structures, flex their knees, and rest on the balls of their feet. If personnel expect underwater shock, they should not lie prone on the deck because this position subjects more body area to the forces transmitted through the deck. Self-Aid and First Aid If you or your shipmates should sustain injuries or become contaminated with radiological, biological, or chemical agents during an attack, you can increase your chances of survival by immediately administering certain self-aid and first-aid measures, Self-aid consists of those measures that individuals can apply to help themselves. First aid is the assistance given by nonmedical personnel to a casualty until medical help arrives. Treat the blast and heat injuries from a nuclear explosion in the same manner as those resulting from high-explosive bombs, incendiary weapons, and mechanical accidents. Follow standard self-aid and first-aid measures in treating fractures, concussions, lacerations, contusions, hemorrhages, burns, shock, and exposure. Immediate treatment is not needed for nuclear radiation sickness. Remember, you could receive a dose of radiation even though you are NOT contaminated with radioactive particles. If the possibility exists that you have been exposed to nuclear radiation, you will be checked by medical personnel and given appropriate treatment. If directed, proceed to a personnel decon- tamination station, where you will discard your clothing and equipment and take a shower. In washing, use plenty of soap and warm water; pay 7-22 Nuclear Detonations