In games, nuclear wars have caused the end of civilization more than once. As a result, the hero had to wander through the disfigured terrain, seeking at least the slightest hope. Fortunately, the top authorities in the modern world are shocked at their adequacy and certainly won’t allow a massacre (or not?), but what if the Fallout or Metro universes do come out? Check out the article and find out!
Remark The editors of VGTimes have successfully survived nuclear attacks and post-apocalyptic hardships in game worlds, but do not understand the real nuclear war well. Therefore, the article should be treated as information to think about, not instructions.
First step: relax
In the days of the Cold War, the doctrine of mutually assured destruction emerged. The fact is that the nuclear forces have enough power to destroy the adversary. At the same time, the country in which the missiles flew would not have enough time to save, but would have time to strike back.
So the country that has unleashed a nuclear war will also be destroyed. Does anyone need it? Hardly. As a result, attacking the enemy with weapons of mass destruction is simply not profitable. This is an impressive deterrent that is hard to underestimate.
Will there be a nuclear war?
Step two: be ready
Does the doctrine of mutual destruction guarantee security? Unfortunately not. It’s not even about the fact that a ruler will fly off the coils and reach for the red button. The reason may be a bit more prosaic.
The world was already on the brink of nuclear war. For example, on September 26, 1983, the Soviet missile strike warning system reported the launch of grenades from a US base. Alarms were activated, the clock started ticking and the soldiers said goodbye to life and prepared to strike back.
Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Petrov saved everyone from mutual destruction. He noted that the Americans fired only part of the missiles, which is illogical. In addition, the characteristic flashes and flares of missiles are not visible and the radar warning does not register attacks.
As a result, he advised not to hit back and after a few minutes the overload signals disappeared. The cause of the signal turned out to be a fault in the warning system.
Serpukhov-15 command post, where the warning system went off in 1983That case teaches that doctrine is not a panacea and that a war of destruction can be unleashed by an absurd accident. So it’s best to relax and not wait for a nuclear massacre, but it’s still worth taking care of.
Step Three: Accept the Bad News
The problem is that the chance of survival from a nuclear attack is extremely slim. Any instructions only slightly increase the chance of rescue.
The ballistic missile is very fast. It will be launched, fly 13 thousand kilometers and explode, and only 40 minutes will pass. But keep in mind that warning systems only detect an approaching missile after a few minutes, and then information about the threat must be communicated to the population in a timely manner. It could take another 20 minutes for authorities to turn on the sirens and voice messages.
It turns out that from the moment the public learns about the attack to the nuclear attack itself, it will take about 18 minutes. Is this enough time to get to the bunker or the subway? Not likely if you’re not around.
Step Four: Get Ready
First, find the location of the nearest bunker. As of 2017, there are 16,270 air raid shelters in Russia, but there are no information sites that would reveal their location. Even if you find the bunker’s address, there’s no guarantee that it will function: many of them have been out of control for a long time.
The only real option is to call the Ministry of Emergency Situations or the administration and find out the address of the nearest bunker there. Better do it in advance. If there is no bunker nearby, the subway can become a rescue place.
Going empty-handed to a bomb shelter or the subway is not a good idea. Prepare in advance a change of clothes, water, a first aid kit for the car, antibiotics, iodine tablets, a multivitamin complex, a flashlight and other important things.
Vitamins and pills should not be treated condescendingly. For example, a lack of sunlight has a bad influence on the body. The sun boosts immunity, improves metabolism, increases efficiency and mood. You can’t completely replace light, but vitamin D will somehow help you survive adversity.
Also buy a gas mask or gas mask. You may not need them in a bunker or subway, but if you catch an explosion at home or on the street, these things could save lives.
When the sirens go off and the messages tell you about the nuclear threat, assess your chances of getting to the bunker or subway. It’s best to survive the attack there, but a nuclear attack in the open is even worse. Experts say it’s better to stay behind concrete walls than stuck on the road.
Fifth step: estimate the distance and direction of the nuclear attack
Whether you survive a nuclear attack or not depends on the distance from the site of the explosions. There are examples of people like Japanese Corporal Yasuo Kuwahara (Kuwahara Yasuo), who survived the explosion, 800 meters from the epicenter. In reality, however, anything within two kilometers of the explosion will be destroyed with maximum probability. If you are two to seven kilometers away, there is a chance of survival. If you find trouble seven kilometers away, you can only get away with a fright.
It is difficult to predict exactly where the blow will be delivered, but most likely we are talking about objects of strategic importance. Consider if there are such places in your city and county. Better to stay away from them.
At the same time, there is no point in running away or leaving the explosion – there is too little time and the shock wave spreads quickly. If the bunker or subway is not nearby, stay home and try to think which way the wave is coming from. It is best to take the farthest corner of the room and protect yourself from fragments flying out of the windows.
There are no guarantees that the house will not be destroyed – it depends on the distance from the epicenter and the strength of the structure. However, if it is difficult to get to the bunker or the subway, there is no safer place than home.
If you find a nuclear explosion on the street, try to find a hole or depression deeper and take cover there. It is good if the clothes you wear are as closed as possible – reduce the number of bare parts of the body to a minimum.
Sixth step: what to do next?
If you find disaster in a bunker or subway, stay there. They say that the authors of games and movies exaggerate the danger of radiation after a nuclear explosion, but it is still not worth climbing to the surface.
If you survived a nuclear attack at home and were not seriously injured, keep calm and act. First of all, you need to wipe your face with a damp cloth and remove nuclear dust. Then quickly put on a gas mask or gas mask. If the equipment is not to hand, cover your mouth and nose with moist wipes or put on some medical masks.
It is not worth sitting at home, because the walls that survived the blast wave do not protect against radiation. It is better to go outside and go to the nearest hospital or main road – this is where rescuers should immediately appear.
If no help is nearby, try to get away from the epicenter of the explosion. Ideally, you will be at a distance of seven kilometers from the epicenter or beyond. At the same time, stay close to the buildings blocking the direction from which the wave came.
Whether you survive a nuclear explosion or not depends on many random factors. No preparation will save you if you are two kilometers from the impact site and there is no bunker nearby. Otherwise, though, a cool head and the right gear can save lives.
It’s still good that we don’t live in the world of Fallout, and politicians don’t discuss the possibility of the outbreak of World War III every day and don’t put the deterrent forces into a special mode.
Are you preparing for a nuclear threat?
Source: VG Times
Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.