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New York City’s PSA on surviving nuclear attack accused of being alarmist

Jul 14, 2022

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A nuclear attack has not hit New York, but the city’s emergency management department wants residents to be prepared if one does occur. The department released a 90-second video advising citizens to stay indoors and wash off any radioactive dust or ash.

It opens on a computer-generated street, devoid of life. Damaged skyscrapers can be seen in the background. Looking into the camera, the narrator says: “So there’s been a nuclear attack. Don’t ask me how or why. Just know that the big one has hit.”

The announcement left many in the city and elsewhere confused, wondering if there was an active threat that had been missed. Christina Farrell, the city’s emergency management deputy commissioner, said the video isn’t tied to any specific threats.

“There’s no overarching reason why this is the time we sent this out,” Farrell told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “It’s just one tool in the toolbox to be prepared in the 21st century.”

One user took to Twitter writing, “Come on, y’all. At least wait till there’s an actual threat.”

Officials defended the public service announcement and stressed there was no imminent threat to the city after the animated ad alarmed and baffled the city’s residents.

Mayor Eric Adams has said he doesn’t believe the video was alarmist, telling reporters in a briefing, “I’m a big believer in better safe than sorry.”

MAHMOUD BENNETT:

NEW YORK CITY WANTS YOU TO BE PREPARED FOR A NUCLEAR ATTACK

IN A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT – THE CITY’S DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SHARED A STEP BY STEP VIDEO ON WHAT TO DO IN THE NIGHTMARE SCENARIO WE ALL GET NUKED

NUCLEAR PREPAREDNESS PSA:

SO THERE’S BEEN A NUCLEAR ATTACK – DON’T ASK ME HOW OR WHY JUST KNOW THAT THE BIG ONE HAS HIT OK?

MAHMOUD BENNETT:

THAT WENT VIRAL FOR DIFFERENT REASONS – MANY CALLING IT ALARMIST 

AND IT HAD MAYOR ERIC ADAMS PLAYING DEFENSE CALLING THE PSA PRECAUTIONARY

MAJOR ERIC ADAMS:

“I’M A BIG BELIEVER IN BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY”

MAHMOUD BENNETT:

PSA’s HAVE A LONG HISTORY IN THE U.S.

FROM CARTOON FILMS DURING THE COLD WAR TELLING STUDENTS WHAT TO DO IN A NUCLEAR EXPLOSION 

TO SIGNS LIKE THESE USED DURING WORLD WAR 2 FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT TO GARNER SUPPORT

WHILE SOME PSAs HAVE BEEN BRANDED PROPAGANDA – OTHERS CAN BE VERY EFFECTIVE AT DISSEMINATING USEFUL HEALTH AND SAFETY INFORMATION – AT LEAST WHEN  DELIVERED WITH CLEAR, ACTIONABLE STEPS ACCORDING TO ONE ARTICLE SHARED BY THE HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

RIGHT NOW THE U.S. IS NOT UNDER AN ACTIVE THREAT OF A NUCLEAR ATTACK – BUT CHECK OUT OUR EXPLAINER ON HOW TO WIN A NUCLEAR WAR