NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – Mayor Eric Adams defended New York City’s recently unveiled public service announcement on nuclear attack preparedness, saying it isn’t “alarmist” as some critics have claimed.
The city’s Emergency Management Department released the PSA on Monday, saying New Yorkers should follow three “key steps” in the event of a nuclear attack: “Get inside. Stay inside. Stay tuned.”
Adams was asked about the controversial awareness campaign during a Q&A at a rent-related press conference on Tuesday.
“Is that alarmist?” a reported asked. “Is there something we should know?”
“No, I don't think it was alarmist,” the mayor responded. “I'm a big believer in ‘better safe than sorry.’ I take my hat off to OEM. This was right after the attacks in the Ukraine, and OEM took a very proactive step to say, ‘Let's be prepared.’”
“And it doesn't mean just a nuclear attack, it's any natural disaster,” Adams continued. “Pack a bag. Know where your medicines are located.
These are just smart things to do. And many of us, we think about COVID and other things that have been on the forefront, but we're still one of the top terrorist threats.”
The mayor said, “There are no imminent threats to the city that we know about, but we always have to be prepared as New Yorkers. And I think OEM did the right thing. We're going to always be proactive, not panic, but we're going to be prepared.”
When OEM released the PSA on Monday, the agency noted that “likelihood of a nuclear weapon incident occurring in/near New York City is very low” but that it’s “important New Yorkers know the steps to stay safe.”
The 90-second video starts with shots of destroyed city blocks. “So there’s been a nuclear attack,” an announcer says. “Don’t ask me how or why. Just know that the big one has hit. OK. So what do we do?”
The PSA left some wondering why OEM decided to release it now. The agency didn’t say if any factor in particular prompted it, but Commissioner Zach Iscol said, “As the threat landscape continues to evolve, it is important that New Yorkers know we are preparing for any imminent threats and are providing them with the resources they need to stay safe and informed.”
The PSA comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin made unspecific warnings earlier this year about his country’s nuclear arsenal amid deteriorating relations with the West over Moscow's ongoing war in Ukraine.
Christina Farrell, the first deputy commissioner of Emergency Management, told 1010 WINS that while a nuclear attack is “low probability” it would have “high impact,” so the city wants people feeling confident that they’re ready.
“We know that this material is very serious and can be scary, frankly, but it is very important,” Farrell said. “There is no specific threat at this time.”
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