If you scroll down in this article far enough, you’ll see American citizens lowering their children into storm sewers to try to protect them from a perceived nuclear attack as a result of yesterday’s false alarm. This, in the richest country in the world. For a moment, a few Americans had the opportunity to reflect on our total lack of civil defense shelters, and what the consequences would be. Invariably, when we talk to groups about nuclear preparedness, someone will say, “I don’t want to survive. I’ll just go stand under the bomb”. When it came right down to it, people REALLY DID try to survive a nuclear attack, and did not try to stand directly under the bomb. Not a single interview so far, of people running outside to try to reach the ‘target area’. The press, however, totally missed the point, which is, WHERE were these people supposed to take shelter?
In 2004 we (Paul and Sharon), visited the FEMA headquarters building in Kauai. It was a massive concrete structure on high ground. After a bit of casual chatter about hurricane readiness, we asked what their planning included for nuclear attack (after all, a huge phased array radar, for missile defense is located on their island). The smiley official said, “Well, we just hope that doesn’t happen.” And that, is all Americans have.
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