In response to rising tensions playing out between North Korea and the United States, and a direct threat against the island of Guam earlier this week from dictator Kim Jong-un, Guam’s governor and Homeland Security Department are taking practical steps to keep the public informed and calm.

Speaking in a video press release, Governor Eddie Calvo said “I want to reassure the people of Guam that currently there is no threat to our island or the Marianas,” and “My Homeland Security Advisor who is in communications with Homeland Security and Department of Defense notes that there is no change in threat level resulting from North Korea events.”

Guam’s Homeland Security released a fact sheet advising citizens on how to respond in the event of a nuclear attack. “Do not look at the flash or fireball – It can blind you,” and “Lie flat on the ground and cover your head. If the explosion is some distance away, it could take 30 seconds or more for the blast wave to hit.”

The fact sheet also contains practical advice on how to shelter in place and shield you and your family from radioactive fallout.

Earlier this week, the North Korean state-run news agency reported that military officials in the communist country are drafting plans to attack Guam with ballistic missiles sometime by the end of August, and will present the plans to their Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.

In response, President Trump has doubled down on his original threat of bringing “fire and fury” to North Korea, saying on Friday that U.S. military is “locked and loaded” should “North Korea act unwisely.”

Despite the thousands of nuclear weapons dispersed across the world, and even with Russia and the United States keeping their weapons in a constant state of readiness, pointed at each other at all times, the specter of nuclear war has fallen off the list of concerns for Americans. Even with zombie and other apocalypse scenario movies becoming all the rage in Hollywood, most Americans are not armed with any practical knowledge on how to react in the event of a nuclear attack.

And while it remains unlikely, it is still a possibility. That being said, I would like to thank Guam for this easy-to-follow guide that I will be printing off and laminating.

Image courtesy of AP.

A TV screen shows a local news program reporting on North Korea’s threats to strike Guam with missiles at the Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017. North Korea has announced a detailed plan to launch a salvo of ballistic missiles toward the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, a major military hub and home to U.S. bombers. If carried out, it would be the North’s most provocative missile launch to date. The signs at left top read “North Korea announced a plan to launch a salvo of ballistic missiles toward the Guam. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-Joon)