Regarding the current situation, even if you live in the risky places ( South Korea, Japan, US Pacific Islands, and the horrible west coast of the US, and some Vancouver ) I do believe it would be wise to give you some tips to prepare to a nuclear attack, and consequently a third world war.
You're smart so you will make it, don't worry, most will die or starve, and you will see a lot of dead people and ugly things. You won't be able to save the world, only wait and survive your best. For this, there will be a few things you will need.
- Iodine. It can be found in red wine, and table salt, if you live in the islands and eat a lot of fish you are fine. This is good for your health, and actually absorbs and prevents a lot of radiation-related cancers. It's a chemistry thing.
- I hope you have at least a handgun and ammunition, or preferably a rifle. It will be important because the world will be different from your actual comfort and everyday problems. There will be chaos. You're here to survive.
- Keep canned food somewhere. Gamma rays will not contaminate it. Only fallout and isotopes that will contaminate water and soil around the targeted area.
- If you have important files you want to keep, burn them on CD-ROM or DVD. All magnetic supports will be blanked with a simple EM pulse, and certainly flash and other integrated circuits.
- Keep your valuable files on optical support. You can save this PNG of me, but think also of saving most of your digital photos. Blank discs are cheap and you have no excuse. Keep them in a box away from the windows. And clean your room sometimes.
- Your phone will also be useless, and the only thing that could work would be some old AM or shortwave radio to know what's going on. If by luck you have kept your grandpa's antic tube amateur radio, or a 80's transistor-based transceiver, it will function if you can organize with people. Know basic electronics, from a 12V battery you can power a lot of things.
- Vintage cars will work, anything with electronics however will be dead.
- Books. Lot of books. Especially about medicine, it's not rocket science here. About technology, and other nerdy things you will be required to know. You will have a lot of time on your hands, don't waste it on crying, it's not your fault.
- A basement or a underground will help you survive if you are outdoors in the city. Even the sewers are preferable than being burned alive and disintegrated.
- Gasmasks might help filtering some fallout contaminated particles if really you must go outside, but really don't.
- Swiss Army Knife. This will certainly save your life on multiple occasions.
- A Maglite with a LED mod will be solid and allow you to save 80-90% of batteries. This mod is about 10bux on eBay and it's quite useful.
- Meds of all kind and a complete medkit will also be essential for you and your family.
Also, common sense will be your greatest ally. Now in regards of politics things will be very different from what you expected. You will feel alone and without information. You will not wait after the government. You don't want the FEMA or the army to take care of you or even kill you for not following their orders. Follow your instincts if you want to survive and move in the countryside, away from the fallouts when you can.
If I think of anything else, or if others have ideas let's share what are your options.