The New York City Emergency Management has stepped forward to explain themselves over a video they released earlier this week that advises the city’s residents on what to do in the event of a nuclear attack.
The brief, 90-second YouTube video titled “Nuclear Preparedness PSA” essentially tells people that if a nuclear strike occurs, they should move indoors as fast as they can and remain there until further notice, following media for new updates.
Those who were outside during the blast should remove and bag their clothing in order to avoid getting radioactive dust and ash on their bodies, the advisory states.
According to Reuters, a spokesperson for the agency told them that the goal of the campaign was to advise the public on how to stay safe in the event nuclear weapons are pointed at the city.
"There is no direct threat to the city but we felt it was important that we addressed this topic," NYC Emergency Management’s head of public information Allison Pennisi said as quoted by the media outlet.
As the media outlet points out, NYC residents’ reaction to the video appeared to be somewhat mixed, with some describing the message conveyed in the video as “a little alarming,” while there were others who regarded it as merely a “precautionary measure more than anything else.”
Meanwhile, New York Mayor Eric Adams denied that the video was “alarmist” and praised the city officials during a press conference on Tuesday.