How dangerous are nuclear bombs? -
The number of casualties depends on the size of the weapon, where it’s detonated, and how many people are upwind of the blast, but a single nuclear weapon could potentially result in hundreds of thousands of immediate deaths in a major city. Russia's nuclear arsenal, by the way, is reportedly capable of striking almost anywhere on the planet.
I found this helpful guide published by someone to help prepare the population for a possible Nuclear attack. I think it has some practical suggestions, but it is obviously written in a manner designed to reduce the fear aspect.
I will add some commentary following each of the comments to provide some perspective, and information. I can say I was trained in this area in the military.
What is a nuclear explosion? -
The US Disaster and Emergency website describe a nuclear explosion as being caused by a device that uses a nuclear reaction to create an explosion. Ranging from small portable devices to a weapon carried by a huge missile, nuclear devices can cause significant damage in more ways than one.
Several types of dangers -
The blinding brightness, the force of the blast wave, the radiation damaging cells, the fire and heat that can cause injury and destruction, the electromagnetic pulse that can knock out electronics, and the radioactive dirt and debris raining down—called fallout—are all dangers a nuclear blast poses.
How much time after announcement? -
If a nuclear bomb were headed toward the US from Russia, and if residents were immediately warned of the attack, it’s estimated they would have about 30 minutes or less to shelter. That means that in a worst-case scenario there is no time to plan in the moment.
Where announcements would be -
Irwin Redlener, a public health expert at Columbia University who specializes in disaster preparedness, told Insider that the best way to learn of an impending nuclear attack would likely be TV or radio. You might also hear loud sirens ringing out.
What it looks like -
When a nuclear bomb strikes, it sets off an immense flash of light and a giant orange fireball.
It may or it may not. Some specialized nuclear weapons are designed to explode beneath the surface. A sub-surface detonation will cause a huge black cloud of debris to be ejected straight upward probably to 10,000 feet or more. The enemy well knows our government goes into hiding in underground bunkers, inside of mountains, and in tunnels. More so, our hundreds of strategic nuclear-tipped missiles are housed mostly in hardened underground silos. The enemy will attack each and every one of those silos. An initial nuclear attack on the United States will very likely start with around 150 detonations. That, sadly, alone could destroy us and kill off 90% of the population. Little to no infrastructure will remain intact, the electricity will be out for a very long time, and the drinkable water will be exhausted very quickly as well. Lethal radiation will spread eastward since the bulk of the detonations will be west of the Mississippi river.
First 30-45 minutes: protect your body -
You should immediately cover your eyes to make sure you aren’t temporarily blinded by the light. According to Insider, a 1-megaton bomb could temporarily blind people up to 13 miles (21 km) away on a clear day and up to 53 miles (85 km) away on a clear night.
Well documented. Don’t look at anything. Just get inside something and wait it out. If you see the blast you will almost certainly be blinded to some degree. The light is much greater than looking directly into the sun.
Lie face down -
In addition to taking cover behind anything that might offer protection, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends dropping to the ground with your face down and tucking your hands under your body to protect from flying debris and burning heat. If you have a scarf, cover your nose and mouth with it. You’ll also want to keep your mouth open to help ensure that your eardrums don’t burst from the pressure.
Being mouth open is important. So the good news is that you will keep your eardrums. The bad news is everything within 30 feet is now going to be inside your mouth. Nothing in your mouth will be radioactive, so that’s good. If you are close to the blast, it won’t matter anyway as you’ll likely be incinerated or struck by high-velocity projectiles. If you are far away, you will survive. If you are close enough to be tossed around, sadly you probably won’t be alive for very long.
If you’re in a vehicle -
If you are in a vehicle when a blast goes off, come to a safe stop and duck down within the vehicle. It’s important that you don’t stay there for too long, however.
Yea get your head down. Get below everything. Probably better to get down prior to even stopping. The shock wave is coming at you at the speed of sound. You’ll only have seconds before a titanic force strikes your vehicle if you are within a few miles of the blast. If not, the car has steel all around you and that is good. Following the blast, unless you’re driving a 65 mustang the car will never start again. For that reason, it is a pretty good idea to keep a bug-out bag in your car. In it have a med kit, water, a rain jacket, some walking shoes and maybe some energy bars. Put a gun in there too if you can.
About 15 minutes before nuclear fallout lands -
Survivors of a nuclear attack reportedly have about 15 minutes before the grains of nuclear fallout reach the ground. Exposure to these particles can result in radiation poisoning, which can damage the body's cells and potentially be fatal.
Remember if the dust is settling you will probably have a low chance of survival, and the way in which you die will be more horrible than you can imagine. Break into a house and get into the basement. Your chances of getting shot by the owner are better than remaining outside for 10-15 minutes. The debris will be heaviest downwind a mile or two from ground zero. If you’re in that, be prayed up, in all honesty, you will not be alive in a week.
Radiation exposure -
The potential for radiation exposure decreases 55% an hour after an explosion and 80% after 24 hours, according to the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, which is why it’s essential to find shelter as soon as possible.
Those numbers depend on the type of weapon and the concentration of fission byproducts. Some isotopes will remain dangerous enough to be lethal for decades and even centuries. Strontium and cesium will decay rapidly, but polonium, uranium, plutonium and others will never be safe in a hundred lifetimes.
Find shelter -
Redlener advises looking for shelter in the opposite direction of fallen buildings and in the direction away from the wind. If you aren’t near any known shelters, try to get as far away from the blast as you can within 10-15 minutes, then immediately take shelter to avoid the descending radiation cloud.
Good advice, but. If that shelter is on the other side of town, you may make it, but you will have absorbed a lethal dose of radiation from gamma and a-rays. You may even have breathed in nuclear material. So the best advice is probably to get underground as quickly as you can. Get into basements, into subways, into sewers. The earth, i.e. dirt will shield you from the most lethal radiation.
Ideal shelters -
Outdoor areas, vehicles, and mobile homes are not adequate shelter, the US government stresses. Instead, go to brick or concrete buildings like schools or offices with few to no windows, and ideally a basement for camping out. If there aren’t sturdy buildings around, still try to get indoors and away from windows.
Multistory building precautions -
If you take cover in a multistory building, try to stay in the center of it, especially if it has windows, and steer clear of the top and bottom floors. Shock waves can shatter windows up to 10 miles (16 km) away from an explosion, which is why it’s important to stay away from windows.
Not so sure I agree here. The windows will be blown out. The building will be filled with blast casualties, many of whom will die over the following days. Water runs downhill and everything in a tall building is up. There won’t be any pumps running to get water up, so you’ll be out of that PDQ. High rises are nowhere near ideal. But, big buildings have basements, which are great places to shelter.
First 24 hours: shower and stay inside -
Where you are in the first 24 hours after a blast is critical for reducing radiation exposure and thus critical for your health. While some levels of radiation damage are treatable, there comes a point where nothing can be done, Kathryn Higley, a professor of nuclear science at Oregon State University, told Insider.
Wishful thinking. Showering will become something we just dream about. There isn’t going to be any water. No pumps and the towers everywhere will empty relatively soon. Here’s a better idea. Fill all your bathtubs and toilets and sinks and pots and pans. You will be boiling and drinking that water in the weeks to come. DO NOT use rainwater or anything that is open to the atmosphere. If you must then filter it through socks or clothing or something, then throw that filter media away. It’s a risk but dying from dehydration is certain to kill you if you don’t drink anything. Oh, and water can come from strange places. Like the tanks on the back of your toilet. Maybe from old bottles or even from a radiator of a vehicle or car if it cooled itself with water. Think old stuff here.
Remove contaminated clothes -
If you were outside during the blast or after the fallout arrived, remove all your contaminated clothing as soon as possible. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, and wipe the exposed skin clean, but do not use disinfectant wipes on your skin.
Dispose of outer clothing and dirty cloths -
The CDC recommends sealing contaminated layers of clothing in a plastic bag, along with any tissues or cloths used to wipe your body or face.
Stupid advice. Keep plastic bags to cover wounds and collect water from toilets and other things like that. Toss the clothing out the window and keep that plastic bag. A big plastic bag can be a raincoat. Rain will be radioactive. Put the bag over you in rain to move to another building then toss it immediately when you get safe.
Shower as soon as possible -
People who were outside during an explosion should shower as soon as possible. Use warm water and apply soap gently, as scrubbing too hard could break your skin, which is your natural protective barrier. Cover any cuts or abrasions while rinsing, and if washing isn’t possible, use a clean wet cloth to wipe any skin or hair that was exposed.
Well if you were exposed and not burned half to death and you walked in the ash, you might as well shower. If you had radioactive material on you, water might remove it, but if you were outside very long, you already have bigger problems.
Don’t use any products -
Using things like conditioner, body lotion, or face cream after exposure to a nuclear blast can reportedly bind the products to radioactive particles and trap them in your skin and hair.
Don’t forget any spots -
Make sure you blow your nose, and wipe your ears, eyelids, and any spots where debris might get stuck. Don’t forget to clean any pets that were outside after the fallout arrived by gently brushing their coat and washing them with soap and water.
Eat only sealed food -
It's safe to eat from sealed containers like packages, bottles, or cans, as well as things that were in sealed places like your pantry or refrigerator, but the CDC recommends wiping off containers, cookware, counters, and utensils first. You certainly shouldn’t eat anything left uncovered, such as fruits or veggies from a garden, because of their exposure to fallout.
Stay inside for 24 hours -
Until you’re told to go outside, you should stay in your shelter for at least 24 hours so that the risk of contamination can sufficiently decrease.
Laughable, really. The time for most fissile materials to decay to safe levels is closer to 14 days. Do not go outside for two weeks. Sooner possibly if you can measure the radiation. Or if you planned and have a radio you stored in a metal can that didn’t get fried, and the person in the speaker says it is safe then go. You may have to go outside during the 13 days you are sheltering. You may need to grab the case of water in the barn, or and this is very likely, you may need to drag a dead body out of your shelter. If this happens you must limit your time outside to seconds if possible. If you walk and create any dust. Then shed your boots and pants before reentering your living area and then try and keep your distance from others. Like it or not, you have been contaminated and irradiated.
Here's another sobering thought. Someone may have to journey outside. Whoever that is has a greatly reduced survival prospect. So maybe that person is one who already has a life-threatening disease or is older. It is going to be a tough job just to survive following a nuclear war. It will take our strongest. If we sacrifice them early on, who will be left to rebuild, replant, and defend against lawless mobs that almost certainly will form?
Practice social distancing -
If you’re in a shared shelter, keep a distance of at least six feet between yourself and people who are not part of your household. If possible, wear a mask if you're sheltering with people who are not a part of your household.
Tough call here. Who gets to share your shelter? On the one hand every additional person will need water and food which will create waste. What is their mental state? Will they become a threat? On the other hand, they may make you safer, serving as soldiers and guards and they may bring some critical skills.
Have an order of priority established -
Though you might want to reunite with your loved ones immediately, the priority is that everyone stays safe and uncontaminated in the first 24 hours following a blast. After that period, you can reunite and avoid exposure to dangerous radiation.
Loved ones being people. Unfortunately, your pets are casualties of war. They will eat and drink what you will need to survive. They cannot be saved and should a dog, for example, venture outside, his coat of hair will become a magnet for radioactive particles.
Keep the space clean -
Keep your living area in the shelter clean and disinfect frequently-touched items such as toys, cell phones, and other surfaces. Avoid touching high-touch surfaces, such as doorknobs, as much as possible, and wash your hands frequently.
Stay tuned in -
Though cell phones, television, and internet may be disrupted, it’s important to stay tuned in for official information, such as when it is safe to exit and where you should go. Battery-operated and hand-crank radios are a safe bet in an emergency nuclear situation.
Did you prep at all? Did you set aside cans of food or bottles of water? You can buy radios which can be tuned to high-frequency channels that are powered by a hand crank. If you had one of those in a grounded metal can like a trash can, it may very well have survived the EMP and suddenly become your most prized possession. Remember no fragile electronic anything will ever work again. The EMP is tens of thousands of volts and it will melt the circuit boards of any electronic device.
How to prepare -
Though we can’t live our lives preparing for impending doom, there are small things we can do to be prepared for the worst-case scenario like identifying shelter locations in the areas you frequent. You can also prepare an Emergency Supply Kit with things like bottled water, packaged foods, medications, a battery-powered radio, a flashlight, and a change of clothes
These are crazy times, and the prospect of a nuclear war is actually on the table once again. So you can look at in two very different ways. One idea, and maybe it is not so bad is to do absolutely nothing. Just live and enjoy your life. Don’t give in to fear and the doom-sayers. Just know that when the sirens go off, well, find a high place, stand there with your arms outstretched, and just embrace what’s coming.
If you are a door number two person, then set some cots and blankets in the basement in a corner. Fill up some 30- and 50-gallon plastic jugs with water. Fill one with rice and oatmeal, toss in some desiccant pouches along with some salt, and seal them up. Get that radio, buy a gun, and get a lot of ammo, a 12 gage if nothing else. Then practice every once in a while. Tell everyone what to do and teach them enough to know whether or not getting home is practical.
Then pray a lot that somehow this world maintains some balance that keeps us all out of this scary prospect.
Managing stress -
During these stressful times, try to stay connected with loved ones to help manage the stress and trauma. Even without a nuclear blast going off, it’s essential to take care of our mental health under so many looming threats to our safety. And remember: you’re not alone in this!
Oh and put a bible in your shelter and your bug-out bag. The best stress reducer of all is prayer.
