Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday defended the city providing step-by-step instructions for what New Yorkers should do if the Big Apple is hit with nuclear missiles.

“I don’t think it was alarmist, I’m a big believer in better safe than sorry. I take my hat off to OEM,” he told reporters in Manhattan, referring to the Office of Emergency Management.

“This was right after the attacks in the Ukraine, and OEM took a very proactive step to say let’s be prepared.”

Adams, a former NYPD captain, noted that New York City is a “top terrorist” target, so it’s prudent for its residents to “be prepared.”

“We are still one of the top terrorist threats. There are no imminent threats to the city that we know about, but we always have to be prepared as New Yorkers and I think OEM did the right thing,” the mayor explained. “We’re going to always be proactive, not panicked, but we’re going to be prepared.”

On Monday, New York City’s Emergency Management Department released a 90-second public service announcement that featured desolate Big Apple streets and sirens that told residents what to do in the unlikely event the city is struck by a nuclear weapon.

“So there’s been a nuclear attack. Don’t ask me how or why,” says a woman who’s walking a deserted city street. “Just know that the big one has hit, OK? So what do we do?”

The PSA presented three actions residents should take. The first common-sense measure the video advises is rushing inside.

“And no, staying in the car is not an option,” she says. “You need to get into a building and move away from the windows.”

Once inside, New York City residents are directed to stay there and shut each door and window.

People in the five boroughs who were outside at the time of a potential attack are told to immediately wash up.

Social media users reacted with skepticism.

“The advice isn’t wrong, it’s just … unhelpful,” said Dr. Jeffrey Lewis — a professor at Middlebury and former head of the Nuclear Strategy and Nonproliferation Initiative at the New America Foundation– in a tweet.

“The big problem with the video is that it omits some pretty important context: If Russia, China or North Korea hit NYC with a 300 kt warhead, this advice won’t help many people in the city itself,” he added in a subsequent post. “It’s more useful to people in communities downwind.”

Dave Troy —  a tech entrepreneur and disinformation researcher at a think tank — characterized the video as “vapid and mind-bogglingly deficient.”

“But the real question is around the timing and intention to push this out right now?” he said. “Doesn’t leave one with a great feeling.”

“What in holy f*ck is this about??? It’s back to the 50’s,” remarked another tweeter. “Are they telling kids to hide under their desks?”

“Why on earth would I stand in the MIDDLE of a building when it will collapse from a nuclear explosion,” said Will Pesik on Twitter. “Not a single person will follow this.”