The fear of a global conflict never seems too far away, and for many people it feels like the world is always one bad day from tipping into complete chaos. That constant tension has led some to think more seriously about how they would cope if the unthinkable happened.
There are entire communities focused on preparing for extreme disasters, from natural catastrophes to large-scale human-made events. These groups often take pride in being ready on a personal level, no matter how unlikely the scenario may seem.
One well-known voice in the preparedness community has now shared his guidance online. He posted a video on TikTok explaining what people can do to survive a nuclear blast.
Derrick, who posts under the name prepperpress on TikTok, laid out what he considers the five most important steps to take if a nuclear weapon were ever used.
Drop and cover
When a nuclear weapon is detonated, there is usually very little warning time.
Most people will not have the chance to properly prepare before the blast occurs.
Because of that, Derrick stressed that people should focus on reducing injury as much as possible in those first moments.
“Make sure to keep your mouth open so your lungs don’t burst from the pressure wave and remember, don’t look at the flash.”
Surviving the shockwave
If you are not directly at ground zero, that does not mean you are safe. The danger can extend far beyond the initial blast area.
Derrick explained that anyone within about a mile of the explosion is still at extreme risk. Death could happen instantly or later due to collapsing structures and widespread destruction.
Even three miles or more away, buildings may still fall and shattered glass can turn into deadly debris. Survival is possible at that distance, but being inside or underground becomes critical.
“10 miles out you are still in danger of fallout and you have got about 10 to 30 minutes before it starts to falling into the ground as radioactive dust.”
Get inside fast
This step may sound obvious, but Derrick emphasized it for a reason. Getting indoors as quickly as possible can greatly reduce your exposure to danger.
Even if the area around you looks calm, radiation exposure may already be increasing based on how close you are to the blast.
Derrick said: “Get inside fast, ideally a basement, subway, fallout shelter.”
“Stay away from windows and stay away from doorways.”
At this stage, being outside and breathing open air poses a serious risk to your health.
Shelter for a few days
If you manage to survive the blast and reach a safe shelter, the danger is still not over. What you do next remains very important.
Derrick said the first 24 hours are especially critical. Even after that, conditions outside may remain unsafe for an extended period.
He added: “If you have made it this far it is time to shelter in place, ideally for 72 hours.”
“Hopefully you can have a radio so you can hear the government tell you when it is safe to go outside, hopefully there is still an intact government.”
What to do if you must go outside
Staying sheltered is the best option, but Derrick acknowledged that this may not always be possible in a chaotic situation.
At some point, people may be forced to leave their shelter, and he explained how to reduce risk when that happens.
He said: “Hopefully you don’t have to go outside, but let’s say your shelter is on fire and you have no choice.”
“Travel perpendicular to the wind direction to help avoid radioactive fallout.”
“When you do get back into a shelter, you need to decontaminate, take off your clothes, put them in a bag and throw them outside.”
Derrick ended by expressing hope that any shelter people find has enough food and water. He also stressed that staying calm is important, as panic can quickly make a bad situation worse.
So, in his words, here’s hoping none of this information is ever needed. But if it is, it may help someone get through the worst day imaginable.
