Worst Case Scenario

by T.J. Newman

For her, controlling the fear was easy. Because it never left.

“The International Nuclear Event Scale has

seven levels. Level seven is a major accident, meaning a significant release of radioactive material with long-term, widespread environmental and health ramifications. There have only been two INES level sevens: Fukushima and Chernobyl. The situation we’re faced with today has major global implications. It far exceeds our current scale.” He paused. “Mr. President, this could be our first level eight.”

“What would a level eight mean?” “It would be an extinction...

“We run the day like we run every day. Making it work because there is

A firefighter understood that any day on the line could be the last. That kind of relationship with death was uncommon, but that’s what made them not common people.

“But I became a firefighter to help people. If a single life isn’t enough to qualify, this isn’t the job I signed up for.”

but you typically realize the whole world has changed only after it has.

“There’s going to be a lot of things you don’t know how to do. That’s okay. It’s okay not to know. Ask for help. People will help you. Let them.”