Decades after KTBC's 'Target Austin' CDC preparing for 'unlikely' nuclear detonation

AUSTIN, Texas - Back in the 60's, Fox 7 Austin, just KTBC in those days, produced a short film called “Target Austin” depicting what would happen if a nuclear missile struck about 25 miles west of Austin.

The “Twilight Zone” atmosphere and chilling narration by broadcasting legend Cactus Pryor was pretty scary.

Watching this film just 10 years ago, it might have seemed a little “sci-fi” but recently North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Trump have been comparing the sizes of their nuclear buttons.  

And next week the CDC is holding a discussion on the public health response to a nuclear detonation.

Next to a photo of a mushroom cloud, the CDC's website says “While a nuclear detonation is unlikely, it would have devastating results and there would be limited time to take critical protection steps.  Despite the fear surrounding such an event, planning and preparation can lessen deaths and illness.”

“I love the idea that the CDC is trying to figure out what to do…but I don't know what that looks like,” said ACC Government Professor Roy Casagranda.

Casagranda says there has been serious tension with North Korea before especially during the Ford administration but this is different.

“Kim Jong Un doesn't appear to have an end goal, you know in the past the end goal was to have increased coal delivered or increased food or increased fuel and I'm not sure that's what's going on this time,” he said.

“Certainly a limited exchange with North Korea, they don't have the kind of firepower to cause the kind of destruction that I think we were scared of in the 60's or in the 80's for that matter,” Casagranda said speaking about Target Austin.

Casagranda says North Korea could do a massive amount of damage in East Asia.  He says even though it seems they may have the range to hit the U.S., the targeting system may not be as strong.

“If hey launched 50 missiles at us with 50 warheads assuming that they don't have multiple re-entry vehicle capabilities...then how many are going to hit their target?  I would be shocked if it was one,” Casagranda said.

We did reach out to both the City of Austin’s Health and Human Services and the State Health department.  So far they don’t have any information from the CDC on nuclear planning.