Michigan police say they have a detailed plan to respond to a nuclear attack, as concern grows over North Korea's nuclear threats and following a false alarm of a missile attack in Hawaii recently.
Michigan's response to a nuclear attack is detailed in its lengthy Emergency Management Plan, the Lansing State Journal reported .
Michigan residents would likely have more time to respond to a nuclear attack than those living along the Pacific, said Capt. Chris Kelenske, the Michigan State Police's deputy state director of emergency management and homeland security.
Hawaii residents recently went into a panic following a false alarm that warned of a ballistic missile heading toward the state.
Officials would warn residents through phones, emergency sirens and other mass-communication systems, Kelenske said. Residents should "get inside, stay inside and stay tuned" if there is a nuclear strike, police said.
The ideal shelter would be in a concrete structure, such as a commercial building, or an enclosed parking garage, Kelenske said.
"These are survivable events, but you have to take shelter," he said.
An AM/FM radio would be ideal for receiving updates because nuclear detonations can wipe out other communication channels, Kelenske said.
While Lansing emergency responders are trained in how to respond to nuclear bombs, it's been many years since emergency management have planned for a large scale nuclear event, according to Lansing Police Department spokesman Robert Merritt and Lansing Emergency Management Chief Michael Tobin.
"It is not being ignored in Michigan, it is just a very low possibility at this time," Merritt and Tobin said in a joint statement.
Residents should be more prepared for emergencies they're more likely to encounter, such as floods, blizzards, thunderstorms, extreme temperatures and other natural disasters, Kelenske said.
"We have to keep this in perspective," he said.
