Miami, Florida – The difference between a well-protected interior space and an exposed room during a nuclear emergency could reduce radiation exposure by up to 90% in the first critical hours.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Florida Division of Emergency Management, residents near nuclear facilities including Turkey Point south of Miami and the St. Lucie plant along the Treasure Coast may be directed to shelter in place immediately if an incident occurs. That makes choosing the right location inside your home critical within minutes.
Unlike northern states, most homes in Florida do not have basements due to high water tables. That means the safest option for many residents is a small, windowless interior room on the lowest level of a building. Bathrooms, closets and central hallways offer the best protection when surrounded by as many walls and dense materials as possible.
In high-rise buildings common in Miami and along the coast, residents should move to interior corridors or lower floors and avoid units with large windows. Upper floors and window-facing rooms increase exposure risk, especially if fallout settles on rooftops.
Adding dense materials like books, water containers or furniture around your shelter space can further reduce exposure by creating additional shielding.
Potassium iodide, or KI tablets, may be recommended to protect the thyroid, but they do not shield the rest of the body. Shelter choice remains the most immediate and effective protection.
Emergency alerts could be issued with little warning. Identifying your safest indoor space now—especially without a basement—could make a critical difference in how long you remain protected.
