CHICAGO — With President Donald Trump reiterating his threat Thursday to unleash "fire and fury" on North Korea if the country continues to menace the United States with nuclear weapons, the city has some recommendations on what Chicagoans should do in the event of an atomic blast.
The "nuclear threat" section of the emergency preparedness section of the city's website defines a nuclear blast as "an explosion with intense light and heat, a damaging pressure wave and widespread radioactive material that can contaminate the air, water and ground surfaces for miles around."
"While experts predict that a nuclear attack at this time is less likely than other types, terrorism by its nature is unpredictable," the city tells residents. "During a nuclear incident, it is important to avoid radioactive material, if possible."
The nation's intelligence agencies believe North Korea has developed a miniaturized nuclear warhead and missile that could reach the West Coast.
Relying on the World Health Organization, the city offers different advice based on where residents are when an attack occurs.
The federal government encourages residents to have a set plan and communication system in place, and be ready to shelter in place in a room without windows.
All families should have an emergency plan in place and appropriate supplies ready to go, according to the city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications.
Despite the city's planning, experts say it would be impossible to fully shield yourself or your family from an attack.
"The survivors would envy the dead," Jeffrey Lewis, a nuclear weapons analyst with the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey told the San Francisco Chronicle. "The best thing to do would be to not make it. It's gruesome."
