The threat of North Korean missiles being targeted at the United States is raising concerns for the first time in decades about civilian preparedness for nuclear war.

State and local officials in Iowa insist they are ready for anything, although modern initiatives do not include plans to establish 1950s-style fallout shelters stockpiled with food and water.

Iowa's emergency managers no longer have blueprints to specifically deal with their response to nuclear missile attacks. Instead, the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management has an "all-hazards" response plan that addresses overall readiness for floods, tornadoes, severe winter storms and other disasters, including nuclear war, said agency director Mark Schouten.

"We have dealt with a lot of disasters," Schouten said. "Our emergency managers have developed a good deal of skills, and all of their skills and experience would come to bear in this kind of a situation."

Discussion about the possibility of nuclear war affecting the United States has been generated by North Korea's repeated launching of long-range missiles in recent months. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has boasted the "whole U.S. mainland" is now within reach of a nuclear attack.

Experts said a North Korean missile launched in late July flew for about 45 minutes, soaring 2,300 miles high and traveling 621 miles. David Wright, a physicist and senior scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the test shows North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile appears to be well within the reach of Los Angeles, Denver and Chicago.

Dave Wilson, Johnson County emergency management coordinator and president of the Iowa Emergency Management Association, said he hasn't heard anyone in the area expressing worries about nuclear war with North Korea.

"I think people in the Midwest look at this and generally say, 'If they were foolhardy enough to launch something, that we have sophisticated enough missile deterrence systems to intercept and shoot down whatever they have got,' " Wilson said.

But Mike Crecilius, a retired Marine who is emergency management coordinator in southwest Iowa's Fremont County, has a different mindset: He views North Korea's threats with concern, pointing out his county's proximity to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, about 35 miles away. There also are two nuclear power plants across the border in Nebraska.

"Even with the terrorist stuff that goes on, people think that, with us sitting here in the middle of the United States, that we have nothing to be concerned about. But, no, we are not safe," Crecilius said.

Crecilius said it's the duty of emergency managers to be prepared for the unexpected. In Fremont County's case, that includes being ready to accept evacuees from the Kansas City area in event of a mass disaster, he said.

The Iowa National Guard, which has 9,000 soldiers and airmen, is always prepared to respond to disasters, said Col. Gregory Hapgood Jr., the Guard's public affairs officer. But it isn't gearing up for the possibility of nuclear war in the nation's heartland, and no Iowa Guard units have been placed on alert in response to threats from North Korea, he said.

The National Guard does conduct exercises routinely to prepare for different types of domestic response missions and emergency situations, including incidents involving nuclear, biological and chemical hazards, Hapgood said.

"But we don't specifically exercise for any kind of a nuclear proliferation," he said.

In Hawaii, which is far closer than Iowa to North Korea, the state's Emergency Management Agency has stepped up communication on preparedness. Hawaii officials issued public guidelines in July about how to respond to a nuclear detonation. Those warnings include seeking shelter — preferably in a concrete structure — and staying sheltered for up to two weeks.

"Electrical, water and other utilities may be severely disrupted or unavailable," and there may be no cell phone service, according to the Hawaii guidelines.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige recently said he considers the threat of nuclear war with North Korea to be "very low," but he wants to be prepared. Hawaii is the first state to develop an emergency plan for a nuclear attack by North Korea, according to the Hawaii Tribune Herald.

In Iowa, Polk County Emergency Management Director A.J. Mumm said he recommends that Iowans be ready for any emergency, while adding they are more likely to encounter flash flooding, a tornado or a hazardous materials incident than a nuclear bomb explosion. But Polk County's online emergency management site does include a web page with advice about how to respond to nuclear war.

"Take cover immediately, as far below ground as possible, though any shield or shelter will help protect you from the immediate effects of the blast and the pressure wave," the Polk County recommendations suggest.

David Donovan, Scott County's emergency management coordinator, said he doubts that nuclear war would show up on his top 10 list of hazards facing the Quad Cities area. But he said preparations being made now for a multitude of threats, including a radiological emergency at a nearby nuclear power plant at Cordova, Ill., would broadly help local officials deal with nuclear war preparedness.

"Since we plan for all hazards, if something like nuclear war were to ever happen, we would respond accordingly. If it hit Chicago and they needed to evacuate people, we would be prepared to accept refugees," Donovan said.

Kent Larsen, 54, of Cedar Falls, a former Army National Guard soldier and Army reservist, hopes he will be ready for the worst in any disaster scenario.

Larsen is a "prepper" who has stockpiled six months of canned meat and dried food, as well as seeds to grow more food if necessary. He has water filtration equipment, camping gear and other survival items to protect himself and his family.

Those types of supplies came in handy in 1998, when an earthquake struck Turkey. His family lived there while his wife served with the U.S. Air Force.

"Our family didn't get in trouble, and other families didn't know what to do. So they would come over to my place to get coffee in the morning," Larsen said.

Larsen, who is an insurance agent, said he's not a fanatic about his emergency readiness. But he wants to be realistic, and he believes that North Korea's leader is unpredictable and possibly unstable.

"I have been through natural disasters, and I have been in the military. I have seen what can happen, so why not? A smart person should be prepared," Larsen added.

What to include in a disaster supply kit

Mark Schouten, of Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said his agency urges Iowans to develop their own disaster response plans.

This includes having a family plan to deal with any emergency, communicating the plan with family members, and preparing a "to-go" kit if you need to leave your home for an extended period.

"We want you to do all of those things," Schouten said. "It may not be a nuclear attack. It may be a flood. It may be a severe winter storm. People who are prepared on a multi-hazard basis are better prepared overall."

A basic emergency supply kit could include the following recommended items:

Water: One gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation.

Food: At least a three-day supply of nonperishable food.

Battery-powered or hand-crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert.

Flashlight

First-aid kit

Extra batteries

Whistle to signal for help

Dust mask to help filter contaminated air, and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place

Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation.

Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities.

Manual can opener

Local maps

Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery

Source: Ready.gov