My dad spent his career processing nuclear waste as chemical engineer. I called him over the weekend to ask about the prospects of surviving a nuclear strike. We had a good long chat about it, but the summary is that if you can avoid direct exposure to the initial gamma ray burst, and then avoid the fallout for at least a few hours (ideally longer if you can), you actually have a sizable chance of survival.
After that it's a matter of cooperating with the people around you for the basic needs. It would be pretty grim, but people could still rebuild civilization.
Have a battery powered portable radio! I’ve read that the amount of fallout that comes down (and thus the amount of time you’ll want to wait in shelter to avoid the initial fallout) can vary dramatically depending on yield, blast location, wind speed, etc.
A battery powered portable radio will let you access the information you need to know if you should be sheltering for 2 hours, 2 days, or a week.
Also, a battery powered emergency radio will be absolutely useful in a wide variety of other (probably much more likely) disaster scenarios.
I wouldn’t be too worried. The best things you can do to prepare are often the same kinds of other disaster prep you should do. Have a couple of weeks of water stored safely in your house. Have a small emergency supply of food. Have a well stocked first aid kit (watch for expirations). Have a battery powered portable radio.
Such a kit will have the high value things you’ll need for a wide array of emergencies (hurricane, extended power outages, other natural disasters, etc).
(Adding on) If doing stuff helps you with worrying, then assembling the emergency kit is a pretty good thing to do. Chances are, you won't need it for nuclear war, but having it will help you be prepared for other emergencies that are probably more likely, too.
Having been one who grew up during through the cold war in the 80s, it's just something you have to accept. I remember in 4th grade on the playground, the kids (me) were debating with the teacher whether it was better to stand outside and get nuked or go inside and live through the aftermath.
Having said that and having lived through all this before and nothing happened, I wouldn't worry too much. Also read Alas Babylon, it's pretty good and related.
On a side note, we could also get hit by an asteroid at any time with no notice, so there's always something to make you unease if you dwell on it.
If a nuclear war happens, you probably won't know about it for very long. So why bother stressing?
This is like asking whether you should be worried about the fact that you will die someday. If you sweat that sort of thing, you'll never get anything done.
Either we all die or we don't[1], either way there's nothing you can do. I'm sure there's things you can be worried about that you can actually affect.
Don't freak out. I am not at all worried, you should not be either.
We've lived under this threat for, what, 70 years now? You just have to learn to put it out of your mind. Day to day I worry more about someone crashing into my car when I am driving (a much more likely Bad Thing).
I'm no military expert, but it seems like common sense to assume that if the Russian government gets a single nuke off the ground it will be the last thing they ever do.
When nuclear superpowers invade another country in a proxy war, the other superpower is allowed to send military aid without threat of nuclear retaliation.
If that wasn't the tacit agreement then WWIII would have already happened over Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan at least.
Honestly its a good thing we've got Biden in power since he's old and mellow and chill and won't be trying to act tough and make shit worse.
Sounds like it is about to get really horrible for the people in Kyiv and Kharkiv though.
willismichael|4 years ago
After that it's a matter of cooperating with the people around you for the basic needs. It would be pretty grim, but people could still rebuild civilization.
ncallaway|4 years ago
A battery powered portable radio will let you access the information you need to know if you should be sheltering for 2 hours, 2 days, or a week.
Also, a battery powered emergency radio will be absolutely useful in a wide variety of other (probably much more likely) disaster scenarios.
javajosh|4 years ago
ncallaway|4 years ago
Look at ready.gov for a checklist: https://www.ready.gov/kit
Such a kit will have the high value things you’ll need for a wide array of emergencies (hurricane, extended power outages, other natural disasters, etc).
toast0|4 years ago
Clubber|4 years ago
Having said that and having lived through all this before and nothing happened, I wouldn't worry too much. Also read Alas Babylon, it's pretty good and related.
On a side note, we could also get hit by an asteroid at any time with no notice, so there's always something to make you unease if you dwell on it.
stevemk14ebr|4 years ago
rillazawayyy|4 years ago
If a nuclear war happens, you probably won't know about it for very long. So why bother stressing?
This is like asking whether you should be worried about the fact that you will die someday. If you sweat that sort of thing, you'll never get anything done.
bobsmooth|4 years ago
[1]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frAEmhqdLFs
ncallaway|4 years ago
Have an emergency kit (see ready.gov for a good checklist). If you survive, such a kit will help significantly in the immediate aftermath.
It’s also a useful kit for a wide array of (more likely) natural disasters.
After you’ve put together your kit, then I agree. You’ve done your prep, nothing else you can control about it, so don’t stress too much about it.
wanderer_|4 years ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutual_assured_destruction
JKCalhoun|4 years ago
We've lived under this threat for, what, 70 years now? You just have to learn to put it out of your mind. Day to day I worry more about someone crashing into my car when I am driving (a much more likely Bad Thing).
treespace8|4 years ago
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60559574
hunterb123|4 years ago
We were much closer in the 80's, nuclear warfare won't break out over this.
MAD should actually help you sleep at night.
vlunkr|4 years ago
timbit42|4 years ago
lamontcg|4 years ago
When nuclear superpowers invade another country in a proxy war, the other superpower is allowed to send military aid without threat of nuclear retaliation.
If that wasn't the tacit agreement then WWIII would have already happened over Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan at least.
Honestly its a good thing we've got Biden in power since he's old and mellow and chill and won't be trying to act tough and make shit worse.
Sounds like it is about to get really horrible for the people in Kyiv and Kharkiv though.