New York, New York – From New England to Florida, millions living along the Atlantic Coast could face radiation exposure within hours of a nuclear incident, making one decision inside the home critically important.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and regional emergency management agencies, coastal states host or sit near multiple nuclear facilities including Seabrook in New Hampshire, Millstone in Connecticut, plants across New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Calvert Cliffs in Maryland, and several reactors throughout the Carolinas and Florida. In many cases, residents may be told to shelter in place immediately.
The difference between a basement and an exposed room can reduce radiation exposure by up to 90% in the first critical hours. Basements offer the strongest protection due to dense materials like soil and concrete, especially in northern coastal states where they are more common.
In southern coastal areas such as the Carolinas and Florida, where basements are rare, the safest option is a small, windowless interior room on the lowest level. Bathrooms, closets and central hallways provide better protection when surrounded by multiple walls and dense materials.
In major metro areas like New York City, Philadelphia and Miami, residents in high-rises should move to interior corridors or lower floors and avoid window-facing units, where fallout can settle on rooftops.
Potassium iodide, or KI tablets, may help protect the thyroid if recommended, but they do not shield the rest of the body. Shelter choice remains the most immediate and effective protection.
Emergency alerts could be issued rapidly. Identifying your safest indoor space now could make a critical difference across the Atlantic Coast when minutes matter.
