In a chemical accident it's «in», not «out».
The reflex of every other situation — out, up, home, away — is the mistake here. The deadly actions are restless moves outward: going out «to look», opening the window «for fresh air», leaving the ventilation running (it actively draws the cloud in) and above all fleeing outside on your own, without an authorities' instruction, right through the cloud. Whoever stays inside, seals up and waits for the all-clear comes through cleanly — and the game never reveals it.
The cloud is local and short — but the second trap comes at the end.
A chemical accident is mostly local and lasts hours, not days: a cloud passes through. The strongest lesson lies in the tipping point: as long as the cloud hangs, every opening is wrong — even when it «seems to be over». Only the official all-clear reverses the right action: from then on thorough airing out is right, to get the residual pollutant out. Whoever airs out too early draws a late dose.
What really happens in 72 hours
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~14:00 — The alarm.
A bang from the plant, the siren wails up and down: the general alarm. The first switch is set — in and the radio, or run out and look. Whoever reads the tone goes in and shuts the door.
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~14:20 — Sealing up.
Close windows and doors, turn off ventilation and air conditioning, seal the cracks, into the windowless inner room. The cloud is drawing up. Every leak is a way in.
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~15:00 — The cloud hangs.
Outside the plume lies over the street, inside the air grows dull. Radio/Alertswiss report: area cordoned off, await instructions. The temptation to take a quick look outside grows — and the iodine-tablet trap lurks.
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~16:00 — The peak.
Highest concentration outside. The evacuation temptation without an instruction, the symptom chain (coughing, breathing distress), the emergency-call decision: 118 fire brigade, 144 for breathing distress, 145 for advice — self-protection first.
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~17:30 until the all-clear — Dispersal and tipping point.
The cloud thins, but no all-clear has come yet: residual pollutant. The second trap is opening too early. Only when the radio gives the all-clear is thorough airing out right.
The deadliest mistakes
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Going out to look — or fleeing on your own.
The most dangerous reflex. Whoever goes to «look», opens the window for fresh air or flees outside without an authorities' instruction runs towards the cloud — at the peak, right through the highest concentration. The right thing: seek shelter in the building and stay in until the authorities give the all-clear. Evacuation happens only on instruction.
Protects you: Protection in a chemical accident Hazard: chemical accident
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Leaving the ventilation running and the cracks open.
A running ventilation or air conditioning actively draws the pollutant cloud into the flat. Close windows and doors, turn off ventilation, seal the cracks (wet cloths, tape — a way to delay, not respiratory protection) and into the windowless inner room. The tighter the barrier, the less gets in.
Protects you: Protection in a gas leak Behaviour in a siren alarm
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Taking iodine tablets «to be safe».
Potassium iodide protects only the thyroid against radioactive iodine — in a nuclear power event, not in a chemical one. Against chlorine, ammonia, irritant gases or solvents it is useless and gives only a false sense of security. On suspicion of poisoning: call 145 Tox Info Suisse, don't treat yourself on your own.
Protects you: First aid: poisoning Home medicine cabinet
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Opening too early — before the all-clear.
When the cloud moves off, the outside concentration is not yet zero. Whoever opens up or goes out because «it seems over» draws a late dose. Only after the official all-clear is thorough airing out right. And: tap water can be contaminated — only drink it after clearance, use the emergency supplies until then.
Protects you: Build emergency supplies Family emergency plan
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Feeling «fine» after the cloud and leaving it at that.
Irritant gases like chlorine or phosgene can cause toxic pulmonary oedema that develops only after a symptom-poor interval — you feel fine at first and fall ill hours later. Anyone exposed to the cloud should get in touch even when feeling well: for poisoning questions 145 (Tox Info Suisse) advises around the clock, for breathing distress it is 144.
Protects you: First aid: poisoning Protection in a chemical accident
Radio in the blackout — your fallback
In a chemical accident no communication collapses — here, what matters is that you read the alarm, hear the instructions and, in an emergency, dial the right number. Four channels count in the game as in reality:
- The siren — the general alarm. A rising and falling wail of one minute. It carries not an action but a call: switch on the radio, follow the authorities' instructions, inform the neighbours. Not to be confused with the water alarm (low continuous tones below dams) — which means the opposite: leave the area immediately.
- Radio and Alertswiss — the instruction channel. Via the FM/ICARO radio and the Alertswiss app come the instructions and — crucially — the all-clear. A battery radio receives even when the mobile network gets sluggish or the power fails. It can take hours before you may go outside again.
- 144 and 145 — the emergency call in earnest. For unconsciousness or respiratory arrest, 144 (ambulance). For poisoning questions, 145 (Tox Info Suisse, around the clock). Always self-protection first: never into the gas yourself, caution in enclosed spaces. Bring those affected to fresh indoor air and reassure them.
- 118 — fire brigade and chemical response. For a release or fire, 118 is the number for the fire brigade and chemical response. The authorities cordon off the area and steer the operation. Emergency calls only in a real emergency — keep the networks free for the urgent.
To remember (in the game as in earnest): «in» rather than «out». Seek shelter in the building, close doors and windows, turn off ventilation, take in those at risk, listen to the radio and stay in until the authorities give the all-clear. Tap water only after clearance. At breathing distress 144, for questions 145 — self-protection first. Iodine tablets don't work against chemicals.
More in our radio section: Protection in a chemical accident First aid: poisoning Situation in Switzerland
Frequently asked questions
Why should you stay inside in a chemical accident?
Because a sealed building keeps the pollutant cloud outside. Alertswiss/FOCP officially recommend: seek shelter in a building, close doors and windows, turn off ventilation, take in vulnerable people, get informed via the radio and stay in — it can take hours before you may go outside again. Running out leads towards the cloud, that is the documented wrong move.
Do iodine tablets help in a chemical accident?
No. Potassium iodide (iodine tablets) protects only the thyroid against radioactive iodine in a nuclear power event and is taken only on the authorities' instruction within the vicinity of a nuclear power plant. Against chlorine, ammonia, irritant gases or solvents they don't work. In a chemical accident they only give a false sense of security.
When may you air out again?
Only after the official all-clear. As long as the cloud hangs — and while it is still moving off — every opening is wrong, because residual pollutant comes in. After the all-clear the right action reverses: then thorough airing out is right, to get the residual pollutant out of the flat. This tipping point is precisely the central lesson.
Which emergency number in a chemical accident?
For a release or fire, 118 (fire brigade/chemical response). For breathing distress, unconsciousness or respiratory arrest, 144 (ambulance). For poisoning questions, 145 (Tox Info Suisse, around the clock). Always self-protection first — never into the gas yourself. Emergency calls only in a real emergency, so the networks stay free.
Is the scenario realistic?
The sequence follows the official shelter-in-place recommendation of Alertswiss/FOCP and Switzerland's major-accidents protection system (Major Accidents Ordinance). A chemical accident is mostly local and short (hours), a cloud passes through. Fictional are the concrete flat, the characters and the exact course; the dose and concentration values are a reasoned scaling, not the measurement of a real release.
Does the game store data?
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