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Surviving a nuclear attack: Is Hampton Roads a target?

If a nuclear attack on the East Coast were to take place, there's a chance Hampton Roads would be affected even if it wasn't the primary target.

NORFOLK, Va. (WVEC) – Is Hampton Roads prepared for a nuclear attack?

Retired Navy Captain Joe Bouchard said the threat to our nation is real, and we should be ready, but we're not, at least, not on the federal level.

“No, we are not prepared, not like during the Cold War,” Bouchard told 13News Now. “[A nuclear attack] is still a threat, and it is foolish to not be prepared for it.”

Bouchard has dedicated years to research on nuclear warfare and wrote a book about crisis management. He said Hampton Roads is not a direct target for a nuclear attack.

“North Korea, probably not," Bouchard said. "They undoubtedly only have a handful of weapons, and probably can’t even reach the Hampton Roads area.”

However, we could still feel the effects of an attack on an area with a higher threat level , including Washington, D.C.

“Our concern would be fallout. If the wind is from the North or Northeast or Northwest, I guess. We would be extremely vulnerable to the fallout,” Bouchard stated. “If everyone sheltered, the casualties from that fallout would be greatly reduced.”

In the event of a nuclear threat, everyone would receive an alert via phone, initiated on the federal level.

“It would be up to the local emergency responders to supplement the alert system,” Bouchard explained.

Virginia Beach Emergency Management Director Erin Sutton said the measures are in place and would be similar to those used during hurricanes and other natural disasters, which remain more dominant threats.

“Our community of Emergency Management always, when we’re together, we discuss various threats and we have to talk about the low frequency,” she said.

Sutton said in the case of a nuclear attack in the nation's capital, the primary concern in Hampton Roads area would be air quality and drinking water contamination.

“Especially to the farming, agricultural community to cease operations if we feel it would be a threat to the food service,” Sutton said. “We do have a radiological plan because we are required by law. So, especially in Hampton Roads, we have 17 jurisdictions that work around Surry Nuclear Power Plant.”

Even with Hampton Roads having the largest Navy base in the world, Bouchard said it doesn’t increase our chances as a threat.

“We have missile defense ships in the Western Pacific that have the capability of shooting down those weapons to prevent them from reaching their targets,” he said.

FEMA has put together resources for residents to prepare for a nuclear attack. To read more about it, click HERE.

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