The war between Russia and Ukraine is lasting longer than Putin had originally envisioned. The series of sanctions imposed on Russia has all but crippled the nation, and isolated them from the rest of the world, placing Vladimir Putin into a smaller and smaller corner. The concern is what may happen when Putin's back is pushed too firmly against the wall, when Russia is the second leading nation in nuclear armaments. The concern of nuclear war is at the highest it's been since the Cold War. As such, American citizens have begun searching for information on how to best protect themselves, & their families should the worst scenario of war become a reality. In this article, our objective is to provide you that information, & describe the best ways of being prepared for the worst.

Before the Bomb Hits

The United States is equipped to monitor when a missile, or bomb is launched, and can track its path to the weapons’ intended target. What this means is that American citizens will know of an impending nuclear attack before it happens. That said, the response time will be short in the length, and thus the initial reactions will be that of panic. People will attempt to flee areas that are key targets for nuclear attack, such as Washington D.C, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Dallas, and more. What they will soon discover is that fleeing will be nearly impossible due to the hysteria, where massive traffic jams will occur.

It’s important to note that vehicles provide little to no protection against radiation, rendering all those looking to flee at risk. This doesn’t even include the reality that those in the immediate blast area have little to no chance of escape. Even those who are anywhere from two to five miles away can still be killed, or severely harmed by the blast that sends radiation, fire, & shards of glass/ debris.

For those within two to five miles of the immediate blast, your best chance of survival is to stay indoors, as close to the center of the structure you find yourself in. You want as many barriers between you and the blast as possible, and it’s preferable for the barriers to be structurally strong, & thick such as concrete or brick. Basements are best, if possible, but if no basements are available, find the center most area of the building, or house.

After the Bomb Hits

No matter what happens, if you survive the explosion, do NOT leave the structure you find yourself in for 24 hours MINIMUM. 48 hours is safer, if you can manage it, because despite what pop culture has depicted, the harms of nuclear fallout become inactive relatively quickly. After 24 hours, nuclear fallout loses 80% of its energy. Therefore, we recommend planning on staying within your structure for at least 48 hours if possible. Not everyone’s situation will be the same based on proximity to the blast and dangers in the surrounding area. You can read more about the subject in this article.  

Once the nuclear fallout has dissipated, now is the time for you to assess the situation. If you are safe where you are, stay. Transportation is going to be extremely difficult, so if you can avoid it, do so. If you can’t, you need to plan for multiple routes that you can take to get where you are going, because the likelihood of there being no issues between you and your destination is low. Issues like communication, particularly. Services like cell phones and the Internet are likely to be unavailable for a few days at least, if not weeks. This will make transportation excessively difficult, which you need to account for.

What’s additionally important is finding water, & food, where preferably you have a week's worth of provisions. Stores will likely be looted, leaving very little resources available to you. Which is where our insistence on preparing prior to nuclear attack comes in.

Prepare Now

Nuclear attack may never happen, but the preparations you can make now could mean survival later if the worst happens. The following is a list of preparations that we recommend:

1. Store Food & Water Now: A week’s worth of food & water may be sufficient, though if you’re capable of storing more, then do so. Non-perishable food items such as canned food are easily stored, last for a long time, & the metal canister keeps your food protected. If you are concerned about radiation exposure, consider purchasing Potassium Iodide. Speak to your doctor for proper dosage amounts.
2. Get a Radio: With communications such as cell phone & the internet being out of service, a good old-fashioned radio is the solution to receive information to make better decisions with. It’s important to note that you should look for a portable radio that is operated with batteries, as electricity is likely to be unavailable for a period of time.
3. Have a Med Kit: Whether it’s the blast from the nuclear explosion, or traversing through the damaged areas, injuries are likely to occur. Having a med kit on hand, like Spartan Armor Systems’ AFAK could mean the difference between survival and a fatal injury. See this story of how one of our med kits saved the life of a man who had severed his arm.
4. Get Some Body Armor: When you have to seek supplies, you are likely to meet someone else who is needing those supplies just as much as you are. In a tragedy as severe as a nuclear attack, people will be in a panic, and their main concern is going to be self-preservation. Having a set of armor to help keep you safe is nothing but rational, & wise. Having a versatile, & innovative plate carrier like the Leonidas Legend or Achilles plate carrier would the best options in a bad scenario. However, any armor is better than none, so if you have a limited budget, we highly recommend our Spartan™ Omega™ AR500 and Spartan AR550 Entry Level Packages. Also consider how your body armor kit will compliment any firearms you may be carrying for self-defense.
5. Have a bugout plan: In the event of an emergency, relocating to another area is a big possibility. Do you know what location(s) you would go to? Do you have a bugout bag or means of loading up survival gear at a moments notice? A little forethought and planning could mean the difference between life and death in a survival situation.

Purchasing food, water, a reliable radio, body armor and a med kit can be costly if done all at once (especially during a time of crisis). We recommend beginning your preparation well in advance so you can buy body armor and survival gear at reasonable prices. This also allows you to buy tactical gear while lead times are low. Our main goal is to ensure you have the right info, & the right resources to keep you safe. Spartan Armor Systems was founded to provide life-saving protection to members of law enforcement and concerned citizens alike.