Mar 21, 2022

Tucson, Ariz. As Americans focus on war in Ukraine, as in Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s presentation to the U.S. Congress, Physicians for Civil Defense asks what this means to Americans.

“The risk of triggering World War III between nuclear powers in such a tense environment cannot be disregarded,” states Physicians for Civil Defense president Jane Orient, M.D.

“This concern surfaces periodically, as in the false alarm in Hawaii, but Americans soon forget about it without learning the basics about blast and fallout protection measures that could prevent millions of casualties,” she adds.

“The Swiss, the most prepared people on earth, are checking their shelter stocks. While the U.S. has never had a comparable program, Americans can also check their medicine cabinet, their pantry, and their personal and community resources to cope with severe disruptions in their lives.”

Physicians for Civil Defense has focused its efforts on first responders, supplying them with radiation detectors and the training to use them, which is still available on video. Years after a car trip to rural fire stations in Arizona, special projects director Stephen Jones undertook a transcontinental bicycle ride to distribute radiation detectors that turn color with radiation exposure. Current efforts involve expedient detectors that indicate when a dangerous level of radiation has accumulated.

Enough “Oh Shucks! Meters” can now be produced for all the nation’s emergency responders, and distribution efforts have been expanded to include truckers.

Even if the hot war is confined to Ukraine, Americans need to worry about shocks to the global financial system and supply chains, adds Physicians for Civil Defense. For example, scarcity of natural gas affects your ability to heat your home but also means a scarcity of the fertilizer required to grow the crops needed to feed the world.

“The current situation is a red alert for preparedness,” concludes Dr. Orient.

Physicians for Civil Defense provide information to help save lives in the event of natural or man-made disasters.

Contact:
Jane M. Orient,
M.D.,
(520) 323-3110,
janeorientmd@gmail.com