The Fallout TV has a plot point that suggests using your thumb to judge a nuclear blast’s size. It claims if the mushroom cloud is bigger than your thumb, you're dead, but in reality, the Hiroshima blast would’ve been seven times larger than your thumb, and you could still be far enough to survive. Also, nuclear blasts travel at light speed—if you're in the blast radius, you’re done. Bethesda developers deny this "rule of thumb," and it’s not part of US nuclear safety training.
My parents moved x miles from the major city after ww2. My mom kept x amount of survival food on hand that she would rotate, all of us kids were taught extremely survival . What wild food to find, how to fish, hunt, prepare a fire & shelter. What sap you could drink.
Reality is the death will come from the forever winter.
No matter where you are.