What to Do If There’s a Nuclear Strike and How You Should Prepare for One

What to Do If There’s a Nuclear Strike and How You Should Prepare for One

In the next 75 years or so, the probability of a nuclear war happening is anywhere between 50-60%. This number is probably much higher than you thought.

Just by reading that stat alone, you’re probably already panicking. But not to worry; so long as you’re prepared for the event and know what to do to survive it, you and your loved ones will fare just fine.

In this article, we’ll discuss how you should prepare for a nuclear strike and what to do if there’s an attack.

How to Prepare

Taking a multifaceted approach to nuclear strike preparation will give you the best chances of getting through one. Here are some key steps you need to take to prepare for a nuclear attack.

Find out Where Nearby Shelters Are

One of the first things you should do is find out where nearby shelters are to you. Don’t just look at shelters near your home; consider looking ones up close by your children’s school, your work, and other places you frequent.

The more shelters you and your family know about, the better. That way, if disaster strikes at any given moment (whether it’s a nuclear strike or a natural disaster), you know where you can go for a roof over your head.

While you’re on your way to work or your children’s school, take a look around while you’re driving around. Make note of areas that’d be suitable as makeshift shelters, such as buildings with basements.

Create an Emergency Plan

Even if you spend lots of time together, you’re bound to be separated from your family members at certain times of the day. Because of this, you should have a clear-cut emergency plan laid out of where to go and meet up.

You may think you’ll be able to just send a quick text or make a phone call to find out where everyone is. But you have to be prepared for the worse; that is, phone lines going down permanently.

Cut down on the confusion and chaos by having all your family members understand where they should go in case of an emergency. Have a backup to your emergency plan in case the first shelter or meetup point doesn’t work out.

Have Emergency Supply Kits

In the aftermath of a nuclear strike, it may be challenging or even impossible to restock your household with essentials like food and water. This is why it’s important that you have several emergency supply kits in the places you frequent, such as your home and car.

In these kits, you should have basic medications, non-perishable foods, bottled water, flashlight, radio, and some batteries. If you’re concerned about your electronic devices suffering from radiation damage, then consider getting a Faraday bag for them.

For your emergency kits, try to have a supply that’ll last you more than a day, since the worst of emergencies can take a while to resolve.

What to Do During a Nuclear Strike

Now that you know how to prepare for a nuclear strike, here’s what to do should one actually happen.

Get Inside Immediately

Whatever you’re doing, drop it and go inside if you’re outdoors.

If you’re not able to get indoors, try to take cover wherever you can. Lie down with your face down so it’s protected. If you’re currently driving, then stop the vehicle and duck down while still inside it.

Wait out the shock wave and immediately get yourself inside any building. It may look like it’s all safe after the nuclear blast, but after 10 minutes or so, there may be radioactive fallout.

Should you be able to get indoors, make sure to stay away from the windows. The nuclear strike will cause a huge blast, which will shatter the glass and also cause wafts of heat to go through. Not to mention, there will be radiation coming through as well.

Do not go outside for any reason. As we’ve mentioned above, radioactive fallout will most likely happen, so you want to be safely inside away from the harmful debris.

If there’s a radio handy or if TV broadcasts are still working, keep listening to see what the next steps are.

What to Do After a Nuclear Strike

If you were fortunate enough to be indoors when the nuclear strike happened, there’s nothing you really need to do besides be alert for further instructions from emergency response officials.

However, if you were outside and arrive indoors at a shelter, there are steps you need to take to keep you and others safe:

  • Take off the outer layer of your clothing; it may have fallout and radiation.
  • Take a thorough shower with soap and water to wash out any leftover fallout from your hair and skin.
  • If showers aren’t an option, then use either a wet wipe or wet cloth to clean your hair and skin.
  • For those of you with pets, do the same with them. First, comb their coat to remove fallout and then wash with soap and warm water if they’re available.
  • Avoid eating foods that were outside and uncovered, as they may have been contaminated.
  • If you’re sick or injured, get advice from the authorities as to where and when to get medical assistance.

Be Prepared for a Nuclear Strike

A nuclear strike is likely to happen in your lifetime; it’s pretty much a coin toss. While this may be frightening to think about, you don’t have to be helpless.

By being prepared and knowing what to do, you can ensure you and your loved ones stay safe in this type of emergency.

Need some Faraday EMP bags to keep your electronics safe in case of an emergency? Then take a look at our selection now.