For obvious reasons, the dangers of nuclear war in the United States cannot be overstated. A nuclear war in the United States would cause massive destruction and loss of life. The destructive power of nuclear weapons is such that even a single bomb could level an entire city, and multiple bombs would cause devastation on an unimaginable scale.
While the likelihood of such a strike is low, that does not stop experts from trying to prepare for any possibility. A new story by Business Insider lists the following states as the most likely to be at risk in the event of a future nuclear attack on the United States:
1) Montana
2) North Dakota
3) Georgia
4) New Mexico
5) Colorado
6) Washington
7) Maine
8) Virginia
A main reason why many of these areas appear to be likely targets is that they are home to Minuteman III ICBM bases, which are considered high priority. These would include bases in states like Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming. Washington DC would likely be a target as well given it is home to The Pentagon.
One disaster preparedness expert, Irwin Redlender, who is part of the faculty at Columbia University warns that the country is nowhere close to ready for such a possibility noting:
There isn't a single jurisdiction in America that has anything approaching an adequate plan to deal with a nuclear detonation.
The reason why Redlener feels those certain cities would be highly probable first targets is because they are some of the most densely-populated regions in the country. Additionally, all have various infrastructure which are considered critical to United States security. He also notes that each city has not adequately offered meaningful emergency-situation information, which might leave the population vulnerable about best ways to react should such a nightmare unfold. However, as Brooke Buddemeier, a physicist at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory explains:
A little bit of information can save a lot of lives. If we can just get people inside, we can significantly reduce their exposure.
That is why it is critical that people start to educate themselves now when it comes to proactively preparing for disasters that may occur in the future. More info on disaster preparedness can be found at www.safetyhunters.com.
It is also important to understand that although those six cities are the most likely to be targeted, they are not the only places that need to be ready. Redlener further adds:
There is no safe city. In New York City, the detonation of a Hiroshima-sized bomb, or even one a little smaller, could have anywhere between 50,000 to 100,000 fatalities — depending on the time of day and where the action struck — and hundreds of thousands of people injured.
One of the biggest issues he sees is that many major cities no longer offer emergency shelters that would be critical to surviving in nuclear fallout eventualities. The need for large cities to make more affordable housing options available has limited the space needed for emergency facilities. That is why individuals should start making plans now, while there is still time. Because once a disaster starts, it will me much harder to react to, at that point.
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