Hopefully this never happens. While discussing steps to take during a nuclear war is important, it is crucial to note that nuclear war is a catastrophic event and the safest approach is to prevent it entirely. However, here are some general suggestions that could prove valuable in the event of such a crisis:
In Advance
1. Have a Plan: Have a plan to protect yourself and your family during radiation and nuclear emergencies. Make a list of potential shelters near your home, workplace, and school. Potential shelters can be places such as basements, subways, tunnels, or the windowless center area of middle floors in a high-rise building.
2. Prepare an emergency kit: Have essential supplies readily available, including non-perishable food, water, batteries, flashlights, first aid supplies, and any necessary prescription medications. Verify regularly that your emergency preparedness kit includes bottled water, packaged foods, emergency medicines, a hand-crank or battery-powered radio to get information in case power is out, a spare change of clothes for each family member, a trash bag for contaminated clothing, and sealed food, water, and medicine.
At The time
1. Protect Eyesight: Avoid looking directly at the blast or fireball.
2. Protect Lungs, Skin – Minimize exposure: If you must venture outside, cover your skin as much as possible and wear a mask or respirator to reduce inhalation of radioactive dust and particles.
3. Seek shelter: Find the nearest underground shelter or basement, the more reinforced and shielded, the better. Distance and barriers provide shielding against radiation. If you have warning of an impending nuclear attack, take cover from the blast behind anything that might offer protection. If you are outside, lie face down to protect exposed skin from the heat and flying debris. After the shockwave passes, go inside the nearest building as quickly as possible.
4. Stay Indoors: When you get inside remove contaminated clothing and wipe off or take a shower or wash with soap and water to remove fallout and radiation from your body. Stay indoors for the first week while the majority of nuclear fallout settles. Avoid any food that’s directly exposed to open air like fresh produce or open water supplies. Keep your pets inside.
5. Create a safe space: Reinforce and seal off one room within your shelter with plastic sheeting, duct tape, or other materials to minimize the infiltration of radioactive particles.
6. Seal windows and doors: This helps in preventing radioactive material from entering the shelter. Use duct tape, towels, or any available materials to create seals.
7. Stay tuned for emergency alerts: Listen to the radio, watch for emergency text messages, or follow credible news sources for updates and instructions from authorities. Obey instructions provided by civil defense authorities or emergency services, such as evacuation orders or routes. Stay tuned for updated instructions from emergency response officials. If advised to evacuate, listen for information about routes, shelters, and procedures.
8. Stay updated on radiation levels: Have a portable, battery-powered radiation detector if possible to monitor radiation levels and know when it is safe to leave the shelter. Have several ways to receive emergency alerts. Download the FEMA App and receive real-time alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five. Sign up for community alerts in your area from your local emergency management agency to receive.
9. Limit communication and conserve resources: Minimize phone calls, texts, and internet usage to preserve battery life and network capacity for emergency services.
10. Remain calm and support others: Staying calm helps you make rational decisions and encourages those around you. Offer support to friends and family members and help maintain a positive mindset even during difficult times.
Note: These suggestions are provided for informational purposes only and do not guarantee safety during a nuclear war event. The immediate pursuit should be towards peace and global nuclear disarmament.
It is important to note that nuclear war is a catastrophic event that should be avoided at all costs. However, in the unlikely event that nuclear war breaks out, there are steps that can be taken to increase the chances of survival. The following are some of the top things to do when nuclear war breaks out:
Citations:
[1] https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2020-11/ready_nuclear-explosion_fact-sheet_0.pdf
[2] https://www.businessinsider.com/guide-to-protect-yourself-nuclear-attack-before-after-bomb-2022-3
[3] https://www.ready.gov/radiation
[4] https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/nuclear-explosion-radiation-emergencies.html
[5] https://www.wikihow.com/Survive-a-Nuclear-Attack
