Even 5–7 minutes of warning before the blast will provide enough time for you to take steps that will save your life.

If you’re planning for a nuclear war weeks or months in advance, make a plan regarding how you’ll get yourself to a large, secure building within 5 minutes of a bomb warning.

Locating yourself away from exterior windows and walls will decrease the amount of radiation you receive.

If you step out within the first few minutes after the blast, the radiation wave is likely to kill you.

Once you’re in a safe, sturdy building, stay there for up to 24 hours.

If you don’t have a radio or phone with you, try to find a public building that would have a phone or TV.

Having these items already assembled and in a bag will save you time if you need to evacuate your home or workplace quickly.

Unfortunately, if you have to leave your home during a nuclear war, small pets like fish or larger pets like horses will be impossible to bring with you.

If you live in a chilly northern climate, plan to bring more than 1 sleeping bag or blanket for each person in your family.

If you live in a cold climate, pack accordingly. For example, plan to bring 2 sweaters and a heavy parka.

For example, if there’s a nuclear strike while you’re at work, you won’t have to travel back to your house to get the survival kit.

Depending on how much water you and your family members use for showering and cleaning purposes, this amount should last about 250 days.

Cans of tuna, soup, and chili Canned vegetables Sealed packages of frozen meat Sealed bags of chips, pretzels, and other snacks

Taping up plastic will also provide some limited protection from fallout after a nuclear blast.

You can also tape a plastic bag over indoor air vents to prevent outside air from leaking in.

For example, you could all agree to meet at a large public building like a courthouse or library. Cell phones may be unreliable after a nuclear blast. Instead, you could give each member of your family a battery-powered walkie-talkie to use for communicating.

Necessary prescription meds could include any for mental illness (e. g. , depression or bipolar disorder) or meds for chronic pain or diabetes.

Make sure that the lockbox you use is waterproof. If you happen to forget and leave the box in your house, a sturdy lockbox should survive the war and be accessible when you return home.