FEMA Map Identifies Most Likely Nuclear Targets in Maine

The federal agency responsible for emergency management has some unfortunate news for Maine.

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We want to make it clear that discussing 'nuclear war' isn't meant to scare anyone. It's about being safe rather than sorry. While the chances of this happening are very slim, even a small possibility is important to consider. It's information we believe is worth knowing.

But first, for those unfamiliar, what exactly is FEMA?

FEMA, or the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is a United States federal government agency that helps people and communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters like hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and in this case, potential attacks. Providing assistance and resources to those affected by disasters, and helping them rebuild and recover, FEMA’s importance can’t be understated.

Recently, FEMA updated their map projections for potential nuclear targets in the US, with this updated document being the third edition of their 'Planning Guidance for Response to a Nuclear Detonation,' which is crucially intended for planning emergency responses in case of a nuclear attack.

These projections again are not meant to scare the public but to act as a roadmap of sorts and help ensure that communities are prepared and can respond quickly and effectively in the event of such a disaster.

The map published by FEMA and shared by Reddit shows potential nuclear targets in the US in 2,000 and 500 warhead scenarios, with the black circles signifying 2,000 warhead scenarios and the purple triangles being targets for the 500 warhead scenarios.

Now, what does all that mean?

According to CBS News Chicago, a 2,000-warhead attack scenario would mean that we would be attacked first, while on the other hand, a 500-warhead attack would be a retaliatory strike if the United States initiated the conflict.

As shown on the FEMA map, most of Maine’s target zones are towards the southern part of the state, where a majority of the population is. However, that doesn’t mean that if you aren’t directly in any vulnerable zones, you shouldn’t know, understand, and prepare.