Los Angeles suburb creates video urging residents to prepare for nuclear attack

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (UPI) — The local government of Ventura County, located about 60 miles outside of Los Angeles, has released a video urging its residents to be prepared for a nuclear attack. The video begins with Dr. Robert Levin, the chief public health officer for Ventura County, urging residents to be aware of what they should do in the event of a nuclear attack by visiting a website for more information. The video segues to a frightened young girl pleading for her mother to be prepared in the event of a nuclear attack. “Mom, I know you care about me,” she says. “When I was five, you taught me how to stop, drop, and roll…But what if terrorists set off a nuclear explosion?” In an interview with NPR, Levin said he doesn’t believe county’s effort will result in extra anxiety about an unlikely threat. “I’ve learned over the years, over the decades as a health officer that when the public comes to you, whether it’s about Zika or HIV or tuberculosis or a contaminated restaurant — that what they want is information that they can use to protect themselves and the ones they love,” Levin said. As for what to know, Levin said that once news of a nuclear detonation nearby is announced, one should “get inside, stay inside, stay tuned.” “Get inside the biggest structure they can find as centrally located as they can. They should stay inside,” he said. “And the moment they get inside, they should stay tuned to a reputable station. Like, an emergency broadcasting system will tell them if it’s a false alarm, will tell them if they should stay inside because, indeed, there is a threat from fallout.”

Written by UPI writer Ray Downs