New York nuclear attack PSA: what is it, why were survival tips announced, what has NYC mayor Eric Adams said?

New York City residents received an alarming public service announcement (PSA) on Tuesday (12 July) detailing what to do if the city faced a nuclear attack.

The 90-second video from New York Emergency Management, included survival tips and encouraged citizens to stay inside, shower if they were outside during the attack and to keep up with news so they know when it is safe to go back outside.

There have been growing concerns about nuclear attack due to the strained relationship with the US and Russia after the war in Ukraine, but this is the first PSA on the topic since 1962.

New York City’s Democrat Mayor Eric Adams has defended the video, saying that “these are just smart things to do.”

Here’s everything you need to know about the New York Nuclear attack video and what Mayor Adams has said.

What is the New York nuclear attack PSA?

The New York nuclear attack PSA is a 90-second video that gives citizens clear and concise information on how to stay safe during a nuclear attack.

The video begins with a voiceover saying: “So there’s been a nuclear attack. Don’t ask me how or why, just know that the big one has hit.”

It follows with three pieces of key advice for residents: get inside, stay inside and stay tuned for information.

People are told to stay away from windows, get to a basement if they can and remove outer clothing to “keep radioactive dust or ash away from your body.”

The video ends with encouragement from the host, telling residents, “you got this.”

Residents have understandably been shocked to see the video.

The head of public information for New York City Emergency Management has reassured the public that it was just for educational purposes.

Allison Pennisi said: “There is no direct threat to the city but we felt it was important that we addressed this topic.”

There have been growing concerns the PSA video has been released in relation to heightened tension between the US and Russia over the war in Ukraine.

Where can I watch the video?

The video is available to watch on the New York City Emergency Management website and has gone viral on social media.

You can watch the PSA video below here.

What has Mayor Eric Adams said?

In the wake of the video Mayor Adams was asked if he thought it was alarming, to which he replied: “these are just smart things to do.”

He added that the city’s Emergency Management Department had “took a very proactive step”.

Adams confirmed that there are “no imminent threats to the city that we know about” but that New York is “still one of the top terrorist threats.”

Adding: “We always have to be prepared as New Yorkers.”

What is a nuclear attack?

A nuclear attack is when a nuclear weapon such as a bomb is dropped on a country with the purpose of causing harm and mass destruction.

Nuclear bombs are created by the joining or splitting of atoms, which is called fusion and fission. They produce an intense wave of heat, light, air pressure and radiation and have a devastating impact.

When a nuclear bomb explodes this causes a fireball that evaporates anything in its path, causing a mushroom cloud.

The radioactive material becomes condensed and forms dust particles, which then fall back to the earth, which is known as radioactive fallout.

Nuclear bombs have only ever been used once, during the Second World War, when the US dropped them on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan.

Nearly 200,000 people were killed in the blasts.

Could there be a nuclear attack on New York City?

The release of the video is reminiscent of the now infamous duck and cover drills children were taught to protect themselves from nuclear attacks during the Cold War.

Relations between the US and Russia have been particularly icy after America offered their support to Ukraine after the Russian invasion in February 2022.

In March 2022, President Biden called Putin’s invasion “unacceptable” and stated that he “cannot remain in power.”

The Kremlin cited the comments as “personal insults.”

The situation has become even more strained after the US provided Ukraine with an advanced M142 missile system.

Russia responded to this stating that it viewed it “extremely negatively” adding that the move increased the risk of direct confrontation with the US.

The two superpowers are both nuclear powers and there have been growing concerns about whether nuclear war might be a possibility as tensions between Russia and the US soar.

Other nuclear-armed countries include the United Kingdom, France, China, Pakistan, India and Israel.