Nuclear fallout from 'safe' tests spurs fight against nuclear weapons
When Rob DeBirk was young, he would go to his aunt’s house for dinner. There he would meet people, downwinders, who had been affected by the fallout of nuclear tests conducted in the Nevada desert. These “safe” tests resulted in radiation poisoning, cancers and other illnesses for those downwind of the test. He started writing letters to the editor about the problem of nuclear testing because of these dinner groups when he was young.
“I could see their health deteriorate in front of me as a boy really,” says DeBirk.
DeBirk was on a camping trip when he found out that his mother died of a disease that he believes is related to the nuclear fallout. He was in his 20s, and on the way home while sitting in the passenger seat because he was too emotionally shaken to drive, DeBirk made a promise to himself and his mother.
“I would do everything I can to fight what I felt caused my mom’s death,” says DeBirk. “Not only for my mom, but for other downwinders – those who died, those who have gotten sick.” He wants to “make sure that nobody else [is] put at risk.”
DeBirk currently works for HEAL Utah as the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) campaigner. He sees his position as an opportunity to fulfill a promise to himself and his mother. The CTBT is “one way we could make sure that those weapon tests that happened in Nevada never happen again,” says DeBirk. The treaty was signed by Clinton in 1996, but Congress failed to ratify it leaving the United States in the company of countries like North Korea and Iran.
DeBirk, 32, has been involved with HEAL Utah since he was 17 when the organization was called FAIR. He is planning on getting his Master’s degree from the University of Utah in Environmental Humanities. His thesis will be on the public health and political effects of nuclear testing.
This article was originally published as part of the America Inspires series on examiner.com. Links have been updated.
“I could see their health deteriorate in front of me as a boy really,” says DeBirk.
DeBirk was on a camping trip when he found out that his mother died of a disease that he believes is related to the nuclear fallout. He was in his 20s, and on the way home while sitting in the passenger seat because he was too emotionally shaken to drive, DeBirk made a promise to himself and his mother.
“I would do everything I can to fight what I felt caused my mom’s death,” says DeBirk. “Not only for my mom, but for other downwinders – those who died, those who have gotten sick.” He wants to “make sure that nobody else [is] put at risk.”
DeBirk currently works for HEAL Utah as the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) campaigner. He sees his position as an opportunity to fulfill a promise to himself and his mother. The CTBT is “one way we could make sure that those weapon tests that happened in Nevada never happen again,” says DeBirk. The treaty was signed by Clinton in 1996, but Congress failed to ratify it leaving the United States in the company of countries like North Korea and Iran.
DeBirk, 32, has been involved with HEAL Utah since he was 17 when the organization was called FAIR. He is planning on getting his Master’s degree from the University of Utah in Environmental Humanities. His thesis will be on the public health and political effects of nuclear testing.
This article was originally published as part of the America Inspires series on examiner.com. Links have been updated.