BE PREPARED FOR A NUCLEAR EXPLOSION

BE PREPARED FOR A

NUCLEAR

EXPLOSION

FEMA P-2149/March 2018

Nuclear explosions can cause

signiﬁcant damage and casualties

from blast, heat, and radiation

but you can keep your family safe

by knowing what to do and being

prepared if it occurs.

A nuclear weapon is a device that uses a

nuclear reaction to create an explosion.

Nuclear devices range from a small

portable device carried by an individual

to a weapon carried by a missile.

A nuclear explosion may occur with a

few minutes warning or without warning.

BRIGHT

FLASH

can cause

temporary

blindness for

less than a

minute.

BLAST

WAVE

can cause

death, injury,

and damage

to structures

several miles

out from the

blast.

RADIATION

can damage

cells of the

body. Large

exposures

can cause

radiation

sickness.

FIRE AND

HEAT

can cause

death, burn

injuries, and

damage to

structures

several miles

out.

ELECTROMAGNETIC

PULSE (EMP)

can damage

electronics several

miles out from the

detonation and

cause temporary

disruptions

further out.

FALLOUT

is radioactive,

visible dirt and

debris raining

down that can

cause

sickness to

those who are

outside.

Fallout is most dangerous in the ﬁrst few hours after the detonation when it is giving off the highest levels of radiation. It takes

time for fallout to arrive back to ground level, often more than 15 minutes for areas outside of the immediate blast damage

zones. This is enough time for you to be able to prevent signiﬁcant radiation exposure by following these simple steps:

GET INSIDE

Get inside the nearest building

to avoid radiation. Brick or

concrete are best.

Remove contaminated

clothing and wipe off or wash

unprotected skin if you were

outside after the fallout arrived.

Go to the basement or middle

of the building. Stay away from

the outer walls and roof.

STAY INSIDE

Stay inside for 24 hours unless

local authorities provide other

instructions.

Family should stay where

they are inside. Reunite later

to avoid exposure to dangerous

radiation.

Keep your pets inside.

STAY TUNED

Tune into any media available

for ofﬁcial information such

as when it is safe to exit and

where you should go.

Battery operated and hand

crank radios will function after

a nuclear detonation.

Cell phone, text messaging,

television, and internet

services may be disrupted or

unavailable.

HOW TO STAY SAFE

IN THE EVENT OF A NUCLEAR EXPLOSION

Prepare

NOW

Identify shelter locations. Identify the best

shelter location near where you spend a lot

of time, such as home, work, and school. The

best locations are underground and in the

middle of larger buildings.

While commuting, identify appropriate

shelters to seek in the event of a

detonation.

Outdoor areas, vehicles and mobile homes

do NOT provide adequate shelter. Look for

basements or the center of large multi-story

buildings.

Make sure you have an Emergency Supply

Kit for places you frequent and might

have to stay for 24 hours. It should include

bottled water, packaged foods, emergency

medicines, a hand-crank or battery-

powered radio to get information in case

power is out, a ashlight, and extra batteries

for essential items. If possible, store supplies

for several days.

Survive

DURING

If warned of an imminent attack,

immediately get inside the nearest

building and move away from windows.

This will help provide protection from

the blast, heat, and radiation of the

detonation.

If you are outdoors when a detonation

occurs take cover from the blast behind

anything that might offer protection. Lie

face down to protect exposed skin from

the heat and ying debris. If you are in a

vehicle, stop safely, and duck down within

the vehicle.

After the shock wave passes, get inside the

nearest, best shelter location for protection

from potential fallout. You will have 10

minutes or more to nd an adequate shelter.

Be inside before the fallout arrives. The

highest outdoor radiation levels from

fallout occur immediately after the fallout

arrives and then decrease with time.

Stay tuned for updated instructions from

emergency response ofcials. If advised

to evacuate, listen for information about

routes, shelters, and procedures.

If you have evacuated, do not return until

you are told it is safe to do so by local

ofcials.

Be Safe

AFTER

Immediately after you are inside shelter, if

you may have been outside after the fallout

arrived:

Remove your outer layer of contaminated

clothing to remove fallout and radiation

from your body.

Take a shower or wash with soap and water

to remove fallout from any skin or hair that

was not covered. If you cannot wash or

shower, use a wipe or clean wet cloth to

wipe any skin or hair that was not covered.

Clean any pets that were outside after the

fallout arrived. Gently brush your pet’s coat

to remove any fallout particles and wash

your pet with soap and water, if available.

It is safe to eat or drink packaged food

items or items that were inside a building.

Do not consume food or liquids that

were outdoors uncovered and may be

contaminated by fallout.

If you are sick or injured, listen for

instructions on how and where to get

medical attention when authorities tell you it

is safe to exit.

Where to go in a Radiation

Emergency

Take an Active Role in Your Safety

Download the FEMA app to get more information about

preparing for a nuclear explosion.

Go to Ready.gov: Ready.gov/radiation

Go to the Centers for Disease Control:

https://emergency.cdc.gov/radiation

Go to Health & Human Services:

https://remm.hhs.gov/nuclearexplosion.htm

FEMA P-2149