The world’s nine nuclear powers each have dozens of warheads and could use them in minutes. They are positioned to destroy the lives of millions, perhaps billions, with a single strike. Despite their horrific power, such weapons remain the ultimate deterrents to other countries pursuing their own military ambitions.
In the event of a nuclear attack, air-raid sirens or government announcements should be followed by immediate action to get into buildings with few or no windows. The best shelters are schools and offices that are ideally on a lower level. Avoid rooms with windows, as shock waves can shatter glass and injure people nearby. The first hours after a nuclear attack are the most dangerous, as radiation levels are highest. Get inside, close doors and vents, and stay there until officials say it is safe to leave.
While a nuclear attack is unlikely, it is important to be prepared. Whether by terrorists or an enemy state, a nuclear detonation anywhere in Hawaii would be catastrophic. Long before recent threats from North Korea, the State of Hawaii made nuclear threat readiness part of its all-hazards preparedness plans.
Only the US has ever used a nuclear bomb against a civilian population, in Hiroshima and Nagas in 1945. However, since then international relations have deteriorated to the point that the potential for nuclear war remains real. Multiple treaties and decades of dialogue and cooperation helped reduce the number of nuclear weapons from a high of 64,000 warheads to today’s total of about 8,000. But there are still concerns about the proliferation of nuclear technologies and the increasing tensions between states.
