Unfortunately, although it is remote, the possibility of a nuclear attack is once again a real threat.

If that happens, what will you do? Here is some general advice.

Unless the radiation emergency is a pinpoint source, or unless you’re told to evacuate during a radiation emergency, you will likely be asked to shelter in place.

In that case, the mantra for people and their pets is get inside, stay inside, and stay tuned, according to ready.gov.

So, this means having an emergency kit. In addition to the basic supplies every emergency kit should contain: food, water, a radio, flashlight, copies of important papers and medical supplies, add things like plastic sheeting, duct tape and scissors. These are useful to seal up doors, windows and all other places in a home where air comes in from outside. Also consider having Iosat

Tablets in your kit to help block absorption of radiation in your body.

The radio is especially important because you’ll be able to get directions and information.

In the U.S., nuclear power plant officials use two emergency planning zones. The first, within a 10 mile radius, is an area where people can receive direct exposure to radiation. The second, within up to a 50 mile radius, is an area in which radioactive material from the plant can contaminate food, water, and animals. If you live within 10 miles of a nuclear power plant, you might want to consider keeping a portable emergency kit for your car, suggests ready.gov.

In case of blackout, make sure you’ve got a way to charge your electronic devices and backup power systems for any vital battery-powered devices, like medical ones.

There are many other things you can do to survive a nuclear attack or even an accident.

One is to have an evacuation plan so that if needed, you can get to safety quickly. Another is to not expend a ton of cash on a shelter – more than likely any attack will be from a “dirty-bomb” rather than a full-scale ICBM delivered detonation.

To learn more about making it through a nuclear attack or accident, please visit Be Prepared.