How to Survive When a Nuke Is Dropped

Good Day, ReadyNutrition Reader, and welcome to a field first aid installment of a different kind.  We have not really addressed the issue of a nuclear war and we’re going to break this one down into two parts.  This first part is going to cover the basics of nuclear weapons preparedness and your initial steps to follow when a nuclear device has been detonated near to you.  Obviously if you are at ground zero or within a mile or two you may not be able to do these things, as you’re probably a casualty.

The second part is going to tell you about some sites and reference materials, as well as some equipment to use to prepare you for a potential nuclear war or nuclear exchange.  There is no guarantee when something of this magnitude occurs; however, perhaps some of these tips and instructions may help to give you a fighting chance where without them you may be in trouble.

Advanced Tactical Gas Mask – Are You Ready for a Biological, Nuclear or Chemical Attack?

The first thing that you would probably notice is a brilliant flash of light with the intensity of the sun.  Chances are if you see this and the sun is already up, you are witnessing a nuclear warhead detonating in your area.  In the event that this happens with no warning, here are your initial actions:

React to Nuke With No Warning 

1. Close your eyes as quickly as possible and avert your face from it.

2. Go to the ground and assume the prone position with your body, facing the direction of the blast.

3. Keep your head and face down (pressing it to the ground/earth).

4. Remain in the prone position until the blast wave from the detonation passes over you and all debris has stopped falling around you.

5. When all is clear, check for any other members of your family who may be hurt and assess the overall damages, preparing to leave the area for a sheltered position.

React to Nuke With Limited/Short Warning

1. Find the best possible shelter available in the short space of time allotted to you. This can take the form of a ditch, culvert, or any building (abandoned or otherwise):  Reinforced concrete/masonry (brick, stone) are optimal.  Try to steer clear of any structure that has a large amount of combustible materials nearby (such as a gas station, or a propane refilling station).
2. Take protective actions (as outlined above) when you are in the shelter
3. If you are in a vehicle, relocate to a building or structure if possible as soon as you can
4. Protect your eyes (as outlined above)

You will want to stay within the shelter (if there is no way out of the immediate area).  Should you have viable transportation that works, then get out of there if you can move to an area even farther away from the nuclear blast.  These are your immediate actions to take in the event of an attack with no warning or an attack where there is very limited warning and almost no time to take such measures.

If you are unable to leave the immediate area for a better, safer, and more distant location, you must batten down the hatches and be ready to remain in place for a minimum of two weeks!  A ground burst detonation will suck all the dust and debris up into the mushroom cloud and then begin “depositing” it within the first 24 hours in the form of Alpha particles.  These particles (the debris they attach to) are highly visible and will kill you more dead than the dinosaurs…if you make direct contact with it or inhale it.

The really bad stuff will then follow it in succession.  It will be deadly to leave your shelter for any period of time until about two weeks later, when the Rads will have dropped to less than 1-2 an hour.  The next installment we will cover the radiation dosages that you need to be aware of, as well as protective measures (preventative, and post-attack) you can take to safeguard yourselves from the insidious threat of radiation.

There are also drills that you can execute, either individually or as a family to plan for such a thing.  As the leader of your group, you can find an area nearby to where you live with areas such as ditches, culverts, gullies, and possibly an abandoned building or a cave.  Take your group (wife and kids) there and then call a drill.  Use a flash bulb on a camera and simulate the drill.  Tell the family there will be a nuclear detonation within 2 minutes and have them react.

This is good training, provided it is “snap” and they are unprepared for it.  Do this fairly regularly.  These drills will train them to use their eyes and senses to find shelter, and help them to discern between what is and what is not adequate cover and protection.  Such activities will enable them to better “think on their feet” and off the cusp.  This will add elements of realism and help them to develop their deliberate decision-making processes.

We all hope that something such as this will never occur.  Keep in mind, however, that we live in a very precarious and unstable time where governments will stop at nothing to preserve themselves (or rather, their leaders will stop at nothing to ensure their positions of wealth and power).  Do not leave anything to chance.  Have a set protocol for you and your family to follow in the event that the world goes mad.  Stay tuned for the next article to follow that will provide you with resources and information to help with your plans.

JJ