Japan is a country known for its state-of-the art technology and particularly for its preparedness for earthquake damage. Who could have imagined that the quake of March 11, 2011, would be so intense… the tsunami so devastating… the nuclear power plants’ safety systems rendered so frighteningly useless? The takeaway here is that the worst-case scenario can surprise any of us — and preparedness is essential. A 2010 survey of state health departments, published in the March 14, 2011 issue of Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, warned that most US states are not prepared to deal with a nuclear emergency. That may start to change for the better now, but no matter where you live, you can and should take your own steps to protect yourself and your family. Here’s what you need to know to survive a release of radiation from a nuclear power plant, whether due to an earthquake, a malfunction in an aging plant — or even a terrorist attack…

 PLANNING FOR THE SITUATION YOU’RE IN

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