Public Service Announcement
Luckily I live less than a mile from 2 prime targets, a Submarine Base/Port and a submarine manufacturer.
No worries whatsoever about survival, As If I would want to.
Yes, the ideal is to die immediately and have no awareness of what just happened.
For those of us unfortunate enough to live far from a target, we’ll likely survive days, weeks, months — and possibly even years. Not that we’d want to.
Here’s a little bit more detail for those who care to know more.
Minutes to Hours After a Nuclear Blast Are Critical for Survival
Russia’s nuclear arsenal is capable of striking just about anywhere on the planet. If a single weapon was launched at the U.S., residents would have 30 minutes or less to find shelter, assuming they were immediately warned of the attack. If Russia launched a weapon from international waters just outside New York, East Coast cities like New York, Boston, and Washington, D.C., might have just 10 to 15 minutes to prepare.
You wouldn’t even have time to go get your kids from school.
The minutes to hours after a nuclear blast are a critical window. The potential for radiation exposure decreases 55% one hour after an explosion — and 80% after 24 hours. Immediate actions during those first few hours, like covering your eyes or hunkering down in an indoor shelter, could mitigate your risk of death or serious injury. Here’s how to protect yourself in a worst-case scenario.
FIRST 30 MINUTES:
Avert your eyes and shield your face
The U.S. doesn’t have a sufficient warning system for nuclear threats. The best way to learn of an impending nuclear attack would probably be TV or radio. Those without immediate access to news reports could hear sirens, but the noise might be confusing. By the time you Googled the sirens or called the police, your time would have run out.
The best course of action is simply to avert your eyes. When a nuclear bomb strikes, it sets off a flash of light and a giant orange fireball. A 1-megaton bomb (about 80 times larger than the Little Boy atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima) could temporarily blind people up to 13 miles away on a clear day and up to 53 miles away on a clear night.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommends dropping to the ground with your face down and your hands tucked under your body to protect from flying debris or sweltering heat that could burn your skin. If you have a scarf or handkerchief, cover your nose and mouth.
But make sure to keep your mouth open, so your eardrums don’t burst from pressure.
FIRST 45 MINUTES:
Seek shelter indoors away from windows
Survivors of a nuclear attack would have about 15 minutes before sand-like radioactive particles (known as nuclear fallout) reached the ground. Exposure to fallout can result in radiation poisoning, which can damage the body’s cells and prove fatal.
People should ideally look for shelter in the opposite direction of fallen buildings.
You’d want to go in the direction away from the wind. Get as far away as you can in the next 10 to 15 minutes, and then immediately seek shelter before the radiation cloud descends.
The best shelters are buildings like schools or offices with few to no windows and a basement for camping out. If there aren’t sturdy buildings nearby, it’s still better to be indoors than outside.
If you take cover in multistory building, choose a central location and steer clear of the top and bottom floors. If the building has windows, stand in the center of a room. Shock waves can shatter windows up to 10 miles away from an explosion, resulting in flying glass that could injure people nearby.
FIRST 24 HOURS:
Rinse off in the shower and stay inside until further notice
The hours after a blast are critical for reducing radiation exposure.
Doctors can often treat radiation damage with substances such as potassium iodide, though there are certain dose levels that you can’t do anything about.
People who were outside during an explosion should shower as soon as possible, making sure the water is warm and soap is applied gently. Scrubbing too hard could break your skin, which acts as a natural protective barrier. You should also cover any cuts or abrasions while rinsing off.
Don’t use conditioner, body lotion, or face cream after exposure to a nuclear blast — these products can bind to radioactive particles and trap them in your skin and hair.
Blow your nose and wipe your ears and eyelids, since debris could get stuck in these places. Seal outer layers of clothing in a plastic bag, along with any tissues or cloths used to wipe your body or face.
It’s safe to consume food from sealed containers: packages, bottles, and cans. You can also eat items from your pantry or refrigerator as long as you wipe off containers, cookware, counters, and utensils. Anything left uncovered — such as fruits or veggies from a garden — would be unsafe to eat.
Unless you’re told to go outside, it’s best to stay put until the risk of contamination has gone down. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends staying indoors for at least 24 hours after a nuclear explosion.