Guam Advises Residents: Don't Look at Fireball

Government releases fact sheet with nuclear attack tips
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 11, 2017 11:32 AM CDT
Updated Aug 11, 2017 11:52 AM CDT
Guam Advises Residents: Don't Look at Fireball
In this Thursday file photo, a family plays in the sand in Tumon, Guam.   (AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa, File)

The residents of Guam are trying to keep their nerves in check as tensions rise between the White House and Pyongyang. The latest fact sheet to come out of the territory's Homeland Security department may either soothe those nerves or worsen them, as it lists what one should do in case of a nuclear missile attack, the Pacific Daily News reports. "Do not look at the flash or fireball—it can blind you," is one piece of advice from the fact sheet, which was pieced together with info from the national Department of Homeland Security's disaster-preparation site. Other nuggets include lying down on the ground with your head covered (or even better, seeking immediate shelter underground or in a concrete or brick building), staying indoors for at least 24 hours, and not rushing to pick up your kids at school—they're better off inside the building than in a car.

Despite the new guidelines release, Guam Gov. Eddie Calvo said Friday that the threat level to the territory remains the same and that the island is "safe and sound." "Everyone should continue to live their lives," he said. CNN, meanwhile, talks to the people of Guam, and they're continuing to go about their daily business, with varying levels of concern. Most recognize the seriousness of a possible nuclear strike, though they try not to let fear dominate them—CNN takes note of one local coffeehouse that's even working on a mushroom cloud design in its latte foam. But one worker at the Guam Museum reveals the underlying worry. "The reality is we could be here today and gone tomorrow," she says. Check out the fact sheet of do's and don'ts, including how it's advisable to use shampoo (but not conditioner) to wash off radioactive material. (More North Korea stories.)

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