Are You Prepared For a Nuclear Attack?

Would it surprise you to find out we as a nation are less prepared now for nuclear war than we were 30 years ago?

During the Cold War, the danger of a nuclear attack was front and center in everyone's mind. We were well-versed as a nation as to how we were supposed to react in the event of an attack.

The reality is we're in every bit as much danger now as we were then.

Maybe more so.

Nations known to harbor hostilities toward the Western world are constantly striving to develop nuclear weapons capable of mass destruction. Even more concerning is the capability of terrorists to get their hands on the materials needed to create "dirty bombs" that could contaminate our water supply or render large sections of the cities we live in uninhabitable.

The first item you should take into consideration is how close you live to a target terrorists may view as desirable. If you live in Washington DC, you're going to need to prepare differently than if you live in Smalltown, USA.

High priority targets are those most likely to be attacked by terrorists looking to wreak maximum havoc. These areas include population centers, places where government is prevalent and food and water supplies.

The best advice I can give you is to get out of the big city.

Moving to a smaller town in the suburbs will give you the best chance of surviving the initial attack. If you're at the point of impact, your chances of survival are slim to none. Everyone in the general area will either be killed immediately or be irradiated to the point where they'll either die within days of the attack.

Your average run of the mill nuclear warhead will completely destroy everything within a mile of where it hits. There will be moderate to severe damage to buildings up to 4 miles from the point of impact. Buildings (and people) within 10 to 15 miles of the point of impact will sustain damage from falling debris.

The moral of the story? Try to live—and work—at least 20 miles away from any big city. You don't know where the point of impact will be, so try to stay 20 miles out from the edges of city limits.

I'm fully aware this isn't always possible. You can do the following things to up your odds of survival if caught in a big city during a nuclear attack:

         Be prepared to bug out quickly. Being able to grab your bug out bags and go will let you get the jump on those who have to gather supplies before leaving. Traffic is going to get bad fast, so the quicker you're able to get out, the better.
         Have motorcycles, dirt bikes or quads for each member of your family. When a nuke is on its way, all bets are off. Use them to get out of town when traffic is at a standstill. You'll be able to get around high traffic areas and many types of roadblock. In a dire situation, you can even drive this sort of vehicle on the sidewalk or on the shoulder.
         Keep your eyes and ears open. If you hear another city has been attacked, you may want to leave the city you're in for a while. Chances are if one city is attacked, it won't be the only one. Get out of the city to give yourself the best chance of survival.
         Keep bug out supplies in your vehicle. If you're caught at work, you can get away without having to go home first. Your family can gather their bags and meet you at a predetermined spot—preferably one far out of town.
         Arm yourself. Be ready to defend yourself. People who see you driving a dirt bike or quad down the shoulder may decide they want your vehicle. Be ready and able to defend yourself if you have to.

Surviving the blast itself is only half the battle.

Once you make it past the initial blast, you need to avoid the radiation fallout until it's dissipated enough to safely venture out. You're going to need to stay in a radiation-safe shelter and avoid venturing out for at least a month. You do have a fallout shelter stocked with a month's worth of supplies, don't you?