EMP Attack – What The Average Citizen Can Do For Themselves
Rather than rehashing the technicalities of the EMP weapon itself and how it works (electromagnetic pulse), instead let’s talk about what the average citizen can do for themselves to prepare for an EMP.
Some tech talk:
Nuclear EMP Components E1, E2, E3, and what they mean…
Prepare For An EMP
Question: Is it even practical or worthwhile to prepare for an EMP? Given that so many reports suggest that it will end the world as we know it and countless millions will lose their lives, do we even stand a chance at survival?
Answer: Yes. We all have the opportunity to prepare for and survive an EMP attack.
Question: Do we know what the effects of an EMP will be and how badly it will destroy electronic infrastructure and our way of life?
Answer: Not exactly. The effects of an EMP are scientifically known. However we have not yet experienced an EMP attack. The resulting damage of an EMP is largely theoretical and hypothetical. Although I do trust the science thereof. There are lots of variables that will affect what actually may happen in your own region. This makes it difficult to accurately predict the outcome and how exactly it may affect you and where you live.
Question: Will someone actually ever use an EMP? The results are forecast to be so devastating it seems that no one would ever dare to do it given “mutually assured destruction” from an opposing nation…
Answer: Don’t assume that all people are reasonable or sane. History is filled with sociopath crazed rulers who have killed countless millions of human beings. History may not exactly repeat, but it rhymes.
What Can The Average Citizen Do?
Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. I suggest that you don’t assume that the damage from EMP will be partial. It is possible that an attack might not destroy everything (depends on size, location, other factors). Better to make contingency plans based on more of a worst case scenario (because it could be).
Categorize what might be affected. Basically, think of all things rooted in electronics. Unfortunately that’s almost everything to do with our modern day lives. I wrote this awhile ago which touches upon the subject: 5 Nanoseconds To Lights Out.
A nuclear EMP weapon detonated high in the atmosphere will send out an extremely high voltage pulse (50KV, maybe higher) for several nanoseconds. Enough to theoretically ‘fry’ all electronic devices within range. This will also likely result in a system wide power outage, or a large region (regions) of electrical outage (again depending on many variables). This itself will stop the engine of our modern day lifeblood. Some of the resulting major affected elements may include:
– Lights Out
– Communications equipment failure
– Home appliances failure
– Water & Sewage treatment failure
– Gas stations failure
– Banking & Credit/Debit card transactions failure
– Home heating & cooling systems failure
Other systems to be affected may include inoperable vehicles, inoperable transportation and distribution, debilitated hospitals and medical care centers, police – fire – ambulance response.
The more you think about it, the more you realize that “if” the electronic infrastructure were to be destroyed, almost everything that we depend on for our modern survival would be damaged, halted, or destroyed.r
Duration of EMP Disaster
Having a reasonable idea of how long an EMP disaster might last is tremendously important to contemplate. The hard part is making a ‘best guess’. It has never happened before so there’s no historical record to follow.
If you convince yourself that such a disaster would only last for several weeks until they ‘fix’ everything, well then this is no big deal compared to what many others say would happen.
Many agree that an EMP attack could result in many months or even a year or more to recover from. If the later is accurate, then it will be extremely important to adequately prepare because many countless millions will surely perish during this time frame.
Unfortunately the results of EMP attack could also spiral out of control. Let’s say for example that NoKo decides to detonate one or more EMP’s over the U.S. (as they have been threatening to do). There surely will be retaliation with nuclear missile launches. There is also a likelihood that China and/or Russia may get involved. If and when nuclear missiles start to fly, not only will the EMP have potentially knocked out our infrastructure but now we might be dealing with targeted nuke detonations. Do you live near any targets?
US Nuclear Target Map
Military Nuclear Targets in USA Mainland
Prioritize what would affect you the most
You might say that ALL of the EMP effects will affect you badly! However take a look at this potential disaster from the standpoint of literal survival. Don’t become overwhelmed.
The priorities for survival include being able to breathe, drink water, eat food, having safe shelter.
We should all still be able to safely breathe (see ‘nuclear reactor’ section below).
A source of drinking water and the ability to filter it will be of highest priority because your faucet will run dry after the system pressure drops.
An ample storage of food will be critical because grocery stores will run out in days.
We all currently live under a roof. However will it remain that way afterwards? Will it be safe where you live?
Examine where you live
The Lasting effects of infrastructure damage from EMP will bring on frightening and terrible desperation. This will be especially problematic in population dense regions.
If you live in an especially potentially dangerous area, you might consider bugging out to an alternate location that may be safer. It is crucially important to plan all of this well before you ever need it. Bugging out presents serious risks, but if you have established a well thought out plan, a place with resources, you might be better off than otherwise.
Note: Don’t just ‘show up’ at your Uncle’s rural ranch (for example). Things will be different after the fact. Talk about it ahead of time, get permissions, and plan to bring as many supplies as you can. You will be put to work. So be ready to work.
In the event of system wide power outage, nuclear reactors will become a concern. While a nuclear reactor will safely ‘scram’ and shutdown, their nuclear rods must remain cooled for a long period of time afterwards. If backup power fails (generators and fuel supply) then there may be a meltdown. Especially if you live within 50 miles of a nuclear power plant, you need to preemptively plan a bugout.
U.S. Nuclear Power Plants, safe distance?
Get Specific
Now it’s time to get specific about what you can do for yourself to prepare for EMP. After having identified the areas that need attention, take action. Go get what you need. Make plans to bugout if that’s what you’ll need to do.
Look for water resources in your area. Get the means to transport the water back home. Plan on your vehicle not working, so figure that part out too (wagons or carts for transporting water jugs). Have a supply of water jugs for this purpose. Get a quality drinking water filter.
How much food do you think you’ll need? In the hypothetical example that we’re talking about here, I would suggest as much as you can tolerate. Everyone’s risk tolerance is different. Examine your own.
Is your home location safe? Will it be safe afterwards? Do what you need to do to shore up your personal safety and home security. Another extremely important relevant question regarding your place of residence is this: Are you anywhere near a water source? If you’re not, then you better think about what you would do…
Get Out Of The Affected Region
One way to potentially overcome the extreme disaster of a collapsed infrastructure from EMP is to (somehow) get out of the affected region. Maybe that means leaving the affected country. If the U.S. has been successfully targeted and affected, leaving the region and traveling to a non-affected region may be an option.
There are very big problems and issues with that however. Unless you were wealthy enough to have a place to go, you will essentially become a refugee. How will you get there? There’s only so much stuff you could take with you. How will you pay for what you need? Etc..
In closing, an EMP event may be one that never happens to us. I certainly hope not. I am not blind though to the fact that there are crazy people out there (there’s one in particular who comes to mind in NoKo). And some of them are in positions of power who may actually have these weapons. I am also not blind to the fact that there are those who are continuing to acquire these technologies (Iran anyone?) and our world is becoming increasingly weaponized and dangerous. Cool heads may not always prevail. And this type of weapon system would end our way of life as we know it. Would you be prepared if it happened? Hopefully this has inspired some of you to think about it.