Safest place in your home if there is a nuclear attack in the UK
In the event of a nuclear attack on the UK, it's important to know what steps to take and the government have advised on how to do so
With uncertain times looming, and many people feeling apprehensive following the recent attacks on Iran, it's always beneficial to know the best advice for staying safe in your own home here in the UK in the highly unlikely event the worst should occur.
The British Government recommends three steps in the event of a nuclear strike on Britain – go in, stay in, tune in. In the event of a radiation emergency, there are a few straightforward steps you can take to ensure you and your family are as safe as possible.
When they advise you to 'go in', by this they mean if you have been alerted that you're in close proximity to a radiation emergency, you must get indoors as swiftly as possible.
To enhance your safety, you should ensure all windows and doors are shut, and you're staying as far away from the external walls as you're able to.
The safest spot for you to be in is in the middle of the building, away from external doors, windows and walls. This is to "avoid exposure from any radioactive material that has collected on the outside of the building."
According to gov.uk, staying indoors helps to reduce your exposure to radiation. When inside, you should switch off all fans and air conditioning as well as close all exit points and windows and seal up any air vents.
If you have been instructed to remain inside your homes, it may be the case that you need to stay indoors for up to one or two days.
The Government expects you to 'tune in' which means monitoring the news and adhering to official UK Government guidance for what measures to take next. These messages can keep you informed via the television, radio, internet, social media or even the police.
A nuclear strike would trigger an immediate radiation emergency, as it involves the discharge of materials emitting radiation. People can be exposed to this in several ways.
The Government website lists: "Breathing in radioactive materials. Direct exposure to radioactive material carried in the air and deposited on surfaces, clothing or skin. Eating or drinking food or water contaminated with radioactive materials."
While it's important to take precautions, if you're ever caught in the crossfire of a nuclear strike and are in the direct vicinity, chances of survival are virtually non-existent.
The intense heat works to vaporise human tissue, and the radiation for those further away can still cause a slightly more prolonged, more agonising death.
Acute Radiation Syndrome is a consequence of this exposure, and the initial survivors may experience nausea, vomiting, headaches, and severe multi-organ failure. Of course this typically would result in death within a few days or weeks.
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament website states: "If a nuclear bomb were detonated, the heart of the nuclear explosion would reach a temperature of several million degrees centigrade. The resulting heat flash would literally vaporise all human tissue over a wide area.
"At Hiroshima, within a radius of half a mile, the only remains of most of the people caught in the open were their shadows burnt into stone."
It's forecasted that to be safe from radiation and survive a significant nuclear attack, you need to be at least 10 to 20 miles away from the explosion. For instance, if an attack were to occur in central London, locations such as St Albans, Brentwood and Windsor should experience less radiation exposure.
