Five gadgets UK households should stockpile now in case of nuclear assault

UK households have been urged to stockpile five essential items as part of a nuclear attack survival kit, following guidance from the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) amid rising nuclear threat concerns.

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UK households have been urged to purchase five crucial items in the event of a nuclear attack. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has disseminated advice on how to remain safe during a detonation.

This follows threats from Russia to bomb four locations in the UK where drones and equipment for Ukraine are being produced – RAF Mildenhall, London, Leicester and Reading. Alongside guidance on what to do before, during and after an attack, the ICRP also recommends identifying potential shelters in your home, workplace, school and along your commute. If your home features a basement, then acquiring five items and storing them there could aid survival.

Firstly, a survival kit is essential, comprising a torch with spare batteries, power banks, a battery-operated AM radio, a whistle, a dust mask, plastic sheeting, scissors, duct tape, wipes, bin bags, plastic ties, a wrench or pliers, a can opener and local maps. You should also put together a first aid kit with vital tools and medications to treat injuries and burns, as well as any necessary daily medications.

Another requirement is a supply of bottled drinking water (two litres per day per person) and water for hygiene and decontamination (two to four litres per day per person) to last one to two weeks. Extra water is needed for pets.

The kit should also contain several days’ worth of long-life food, including pet food, spare clothes and footwear (with name tags for children), family documents, sleeping bags or blankets, a fire extinguisher, mess kits, paper and pencil and activities, such as books and puzzles, reports the Express.

To put together a kit, the US Department of Homeland Security advises storing items in airtight plastic bags and housing your entire disaster supplies kit in one or two easy-to-carry containers, like plastic bins or a duffel bag.

The ICRP also recommends acquiring some basic first aid skills for traumas (bleeding, puncture wounds, head injuries, spine injuries) and burns.

Experts suggest agreeing with your family and friends about your actions in the event of a nuclear detonation. Everyone in your household should also know where your emergency kit is and where to take shelter, they add.

One cheeky Redditor (u/StGuthlac2025) created a map which delineates the exact blast and fallout zones for atomic bombings of major population centres across the country.

Cities which would be virtually erased from the map include Sheffield, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, most of London, Cardiff, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Portsmouth, Plymouth and Swansea, according to the graphic.

It also indicates that areas that would evade this onslaught include St David’s, St Asaph, Truro, Matlock, Bakewell, Chester, Worcester and Canterbury.

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