Depending on who you speak to EMP preparedness can be absolutely crucial or a complete waste of time!
Even though there is a lot of hype about the possibility of an EMP type event occurring and of its potential to cause havoc, there doesn’t seem to be a general consensus as to the level of damage and disruption one would actually cause!
Whenever there is a certain degree of uncertainty about how bad things could get, it is only prudent to make plans for the worst case scenario.
Just to underline that way of thinking, you may want to check out the recent executive order that POTUS signed earlier this year regarding the strengthening of the US power grid against EMP events and improving emergency planning.
In short; if those in power see the danger and are making plans to counter the threat of an Electromagnetic Pulse attack, then surely we should be doing likewise?
Having said that, with the right tools and preparative measures, an EMP type event will be a lot less difficult to navigate than other, more common disasters, like say a powerful hurricane or even a military conflict.
What are the most likely causes of an EMP?
If you already have some knowledge about electromagnetic pulse, you will probably know about the various ways an EMP can be formed or created.
While artificially caused events such as a nuclear bomb being detonated in the atmosphere, or the use of an EMP weapon, can be possible causes for a pulse, natural events are actually much more likely to be responsible and are actually a lot more common than one would imagine!.
Events related to the Sun, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections happen frequently and big events can actually cause more serious damage to the grid than most artificial events.
Depending on the size of the solar event, we could be looking at cell phones, vehicles, electric grids, internet connections and even GPS systems being severely affected on a nationwide or even global scale.
While such a large EMP event is still highly unlikely, smaller ones can still cause a lot of damage.
Whatever the case, preparing for an EMP is always better than living with the regret of ignoring the possibility!
Preventative EMP measures to consider
Using a Faraday cage is universally agreed to be the best way to protect your electronics from being rendered useless by a major EMP attack, whether that attack is manmade or natural.
As you probably already know, Faraday cages pass electric charges into the ground protecting whatever is inside the cage from being fried as long as whatever is inside isn’t in contact with the cage itself.
What most people don’t know is that there are many things that can act as a Faraday cage, including your own vehicle.
Of course, buying a professionally made Faraday cage or building your own custom made cage is always better than relying on whatever you have in or around your home.
Since preparing for high magnitude EMP pulses can be extremely difficult under the best of circumstances, you will want the strongest and most resilient Faraday cage that you can get your hands on.
Shielding any regular communication devices and electronics that are connected might not work, since the local grid, as well as any communication towers or local radio towers, may well be affected and as such could make most of your devices virtually useless.
However, if you protect unconnected electronics such as electric heating, light sources, and radios; you should be good and even be able to tune into nationwide emergency radio networks, which will usually remain unaffected.
Devices for use in the aftermath of an EMP!
Procuring a hand crank radio can be one of the best decisions you make in preparation for EMP attacks.
There are also other hand crank devices that can also be extremely beneficial such as LED lamps and mini chargers, but as good as these emergency items are they are limited and should not be relied on as your only option.
Old school generators and small, portable generators stored in Faraday cages are a great idea; as are basic oil and kerosene lamps and other non-electric light sources that can also be used as sources of heat
Just keep in mind that most of these lamps and heating devices still use perishable resources that will eventually be hard to find in a prolonged state of emergency, such as paraffin oil or propane gas tanks.
Make sure you also have proper hand tools, medical kits and self-defense equipment, weapons without any electrical components will still work well after an EMP pulse hits.
Also, make sure you have items such as manual drills, hammers and other backup, non-electrical tools that can be used to barricade and reinforce your home if needed.
Other items you should hold onto
Primarily, you have to consider your own protection and that of your family so make sure you hold onto any weapons that could be used against you such as guns, knives, or even items like scissors and kitchen utensils.
It’s also a good idea to keep hold of any food that has a long shelf life. Cans of various goods that you can still eat after a few weeks of storing them without refrigeration can be a good thing to hold on to, especially if you don’t know how long the blackout will last or how far reaching the disaster might be.
Finally, any of the devices mentioned above should be kept safe and hidden after an EMP attack. You need to make sure you have the necessary tools to protect yourself and your way of life as much as possible, and a means to gather any important information that is vital to your survival.
How to resupply in the event of a prolonged situation
It is anybody’s guess how devastating an EMP could be and if the world around us collapses to such a degree that hard currency becomes useless then bartering will very quickly become the only method of purchasing much needed supplies.
While you need to hang on to any beans and ammunition that could prove useful in a crisis, it’s always a good idea to part with items that could slow you down. Books, playing cards, entertainment gadgets, as well as alcohol, cigarettes and other items that don’t serve much of a practical purpose can all be bartered for more useful goods.
If you have a family and you need to make sure they are safe and fed until the crisis situation is over, then you have to make sure you get rid of all those things, and focus on procuring items that will provide for their health, safety and long term nourishment.
EMP preparedness can be extremely important even though it’s not the best idea buying into all the hype and then letting fear guide your way. Caution and calm forethought, rather than fear should be the only motivator when the safety of your home and family are at stake.
Author Bio: Danny Major is a former armored reconnaissance soldier who knows a thing or two about survival, keeping off the radar, and being prepared. You can read more about how zombies turned him into a bonafide prepper by visiting his site https://alphasurvivalist.net/
You struck out, no disrespect intended, when you said with the right tools an emp would be less difficult to navigate than other disasters. A nationwide emp is the end, America will be gone, and so will you and I.
I have heard if you are 100% prepared for an EMP, you got a heck of a lot better chance of surviving that not preparing at all.
Not sure if that makes sense, but.
If one has the choice of nit-picking all the hundreds of SHTF events that might happen, try concentrating on an EMP event, as long as you totally understand the ‘real’ effect of an EMP, which most people probably don’t.
Thanks for the Article Danny Major
EMP from a nuclear weapon or a Solar Flare would be very destructive. The Soviet K tests information is available as is the US EMP Commission reports. The Soviets essentially destroyed a city, rebuilt it and repeated the test a few times. The US Commission was using vehicles 2002 and older but were limited at what level of power used. They had a tiny budget and had to BORROW vehicles from other agencies and were required to return them in good condition. Thus they stopped before any real damage occurred. The power levels described compared to the power levels SEEN in the Soviet Tests is eye opening. Apples to oranges IMHO.
The tested information I have found on homemade Faraday cages of a steel trash can fully lined with dry cardboard (excellent insulation) with a tight lid or even better aluminized duct tape seal is pretty impressive in reduction of EMP energy. Enough to give me real hope shy of an EMP direct hit on my town that stored devices would be reasonably safe.
I would not describe my car as an Faraday cage, sorry. They have vehicle mounted EMP devices that can disable computer chip vehicle at a Kilometer. Not very useful for military use due to limited range as well as hardened or no critical computer chips in military vehicles but some Governmental Security uses. Limited usefulness even there as a pre-computer car or truck would not be affected. Smaller versions are currently being used as anti-Drone “Rifles”.
Danny has good thoughts and I thank him for his efforts. However I suggest solar panels and such instead of propane or kerosene lamps. He is correct that supplies of fuels will soon run out but I suggest the Sun will rise every day.
EMP Tests on off grid Solar Panels in use shows they are pretty tough losing some 20% of rated power UNLESS somehow grid connected (by through house feed back?) then the grid power line EMP voltages fries everything. Solar controllers and inverters are vulnerable so keep spares in Faraday Cage and lead acid storage battery’s seem to ignore EMP again with the caveat of not being hooked up to the grid.
So thus as cheap as solar panels currently are I’ve a few in a faraday cage along with spare controllers and such.
That said EMP’s destruction while impressive I fear more the destructive effects of the unprepared Mobs seeking food and water. There is a good reason that successful disaster relief always starts with food and water. Even a really sweet Grandmother will kill you to feed their starving Grand children.
not mentioned very often – most times not at all >>> whether it be a nuke EMP or CME solar blast – most likely there’ll be post events – good possibility even larger or more destructive than the initial blast …
it’ll have to be a “use & scoot” affair on any electronics stored in your Faraday cage – and your Faraday cage has to be specifically designed for that type of use …
Warrior your comment intrigued me so I researched further. The Sun is always sending out CME’s, tiny ones that do not get through our atmosphere and yet satellites well beyond our protective atmosphere survive for decades with solar panels and electronics. Seems the main difference between the Nuclear EMP and CME is CME frequencies (maybe wrong term but you get the idea) needs LONG Wire Antenna to generate destructive effects on our electronics. Thus the Kerrigan Even that startled so many telegraph operators had those telegraph lines across the USA to act as antenna.
Thus even though a CME may occur for a prolonged timeframe or even occur several times during an eruption over a week or so the damage is relieved if your not plugged into the grid “Antenna”. Generally small electronics like NON-Grid Solar electric systems, automobiles and solar recharged lights and such are not badly affected by CME. Nuclear EMP is far more destructive to all the above.
You are correct that military doctrine is to use EMP attacks over several days, even weeks to get Faraday Cage protected electronics and spares. So thus I plan on going dark not showing electricity for a month after such an event.
Thus from your excellent comment I am ordering several cheap sacrificial radios to be test dummies to see when the EMP strikes are done. Can listen for information (or propaganda) before the impossible to replace solar controllers and inverters get set back up. With careful checking the battery state of charge a system can produce 12 volt DC while waiting.