How to Prepare for a Nuclear Attack
Nuclear Attack Preparedness
One nuclear weapon is enough to cause a major problem. More than 10,000 exist. Will humans ever use them again? It’s impossible to say, but being prepared can lower your family’s risk of injury or death if anyone makes that choice.
Nuclear Bomb Facts
There are currently 13,410 nuclear weapons in the world, and the vast majority of those are on a hair-trigger alert. Russia has the most.
Oxford University’s Global Catastrophic Risks Survey reported in 2008 that molecular nanotech weapons and superintelligent AI are both much more likely to cause total human extinction (5% chance) than nuclear war (1% chance).
The Doomsday Clock was inspired by the nuclear bombs the US dropped during WWII, and it’s currently 90 seconds to midnight. Continuing to manufacture nuclear weapons has kept us moving closer to midnight, which is when the world ends.
How to Prepare for a Nuclear Attack
- Create a nuclear attack preparedness kit or purchase a prepackaged kit. Either way, make sure to maintain it.
- Invest in an underground nuclear bunker, if you have the funds. If not, choose a safe place in your home to shelter (windowless, underground, or internal room) and store your Stay Bag there.
- Locate safe shelters near school, work, etc. Look for brick/concrete buildings with basements and few windows, or underground subway stations.
- Install thick, heavy curtains to reduce radiation exposure and protect you from shattering windows.
- Assuming alerts work as planned, you’d have 10-20 minutes after an alert is issued to get to safety.
- Get inside immediately and grab your Go Bag if your Stay Bag isn’t fully contained in your shelter room.
- Turn off HVAC ASAP.
- Quickly cover vents and gaps with tape if you have time, especially if your shelter room has windows. Then stay as far away from the windows as possible. Cover your face and protect your organs.
- To protect your thyroid from radiation that could cause cancer, take your Potassium Iodide tablets exactly as directed on the package if your doctor has cleared you to use them and authorities have confirmed it’s time to take them.
- Do not leave your shelter for at least 24 hours after the attack. Stay inside as long as your supplies allow beyond 24 hours.
- Hold regular nuclear attack drills involving the whole family, including your pets.
What Happens During a Nuclear Attack?
Most people at the epicenter won’t survive, but what about the rest of us?
Six Steps to Armageddon
- Flash: The blast can easily blind you.
- Blast Wave: Destroys buildings for miles and is loud enough to rupture eardrums.
- Radiation: Neutrons and gamma radiation damage your bod in big ways.
- Fire and Heat: Fission creates insane amounts of heat, which means fires. The radiant heat from a fire can burn you even if you’re far away.
- Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP): Knocks out electrical systems for miles around.
- Fallout: Airborne radioactive dirt and debris that is poison to anything it touches.
Who’s in Danger?
- Fallout can travel for hundreds of miles on the wind, so the entire state or region where a nuclear bomb is dropped should shelter to avoid that radiation exposure.
Don’t Waste Time
After an alert is issued, getting indoors as quickly as possible is the best move. Don’t try to make it home; go to the nearest safe shelter.
Don’t Ignore Exposure
If you were possibly exposed to radiation, remove your clothes and wash yourself ASAP. Seal the clothes in a bag and place it away from your group.
Don’t Leave the Shelter
Things may seem okay, but do not leave your shelter unless you absolutely have to. Stay put as long as you can to avoid radiation exposure.