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How to Tell in 5 Minutes If It's a Power Outage or an EMP and Get a Massive Head Start

How to Tell in 5 Minutes If It's a Power Outage or an EMP and Get a Massive Head Start

How to Tell in 5 Minutes If It’s a Power Outage or an EMP and Get a Massive Head Start

James Walton by James Walton
January 15, 2019
66
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Would you know how to diagnose an EMP strike within five minutes of the event? Do you know the steps to take to be sure it’s not just a power outage?

The threat of the EMP can come from the life-giving sun or from nuclear weapons. The worst part about a weaponized EMP or HEMP (High Altitude Electro Magnetic Pulse) is that it has the potential to come without warning.

The direct threat to human life does not come from an EMP itself. Rather, it comes from a tidal wave of circumstances that will follow. If the attack is placed properly, or if there are multiple, the three major power grids of the United States could be destroyed. That means a nation without power and there is nothing we take for granted more than light switch and a water faucet.

The good news is that tech and early detection are working together. The most recent SpaceX launch was a success and its payload, headed to deep space to provide warning of solar storms that could potentially create and EMP. Some people are paying attention.

After an EMP most preppers will look to take shelter at an undisclosed bugout location. This is because there will be many threats that soon follow a world without power.

  • Civil Unrest
  • Starvation
  • Disease
  • Martial Law
  • Societal Collapse

Maybe, in that order.

So, what on Earth do we look for to tell us an EMP has struck and everything has changed?

Before an Emp

The precious moments between the time the lights go out and when you get on the road to safety will make all the difference. If you are on the road or making moves long before the rest of the panicked nation, you will at least be able to survive the early stages of a nationwide, catastrophic EMP.

Pre EMP Intel

While you might be looking for information to aid you immediately after an EMP, we are preppers so there are things that need to be done long before an EMP strikes.

Whether you know it or not there are ways of staying on top of the threats posed by an EMP. While many will point to HAM radio to get intel during a disaster, remember, after an EMP your HAM radio is going to be out of order unless you take precautionary measures. You will need some sort of Faraday cage or bag to store your precious electronics in.

Are you familiar with NOAA Space Weather Prediction?

You can see up to date information of the sun and its patterns. This could give you a heads up when dealing with a sun born EMP.

Of course, this will not protect your against and EMP that is triggered by a nuclear weapon. That threat is harder to identify.

Threat Alert Systems

A relatively new idea, threat alert systems do some of the leg work for you. The best ones look at a variety of threats and intel from all over the world and determine the risk. These systems could be just what you are looking for if you are a little too busy to deal with crawling the internet for information.

There are lots of agencies like the DHS that offer free alert systems. You don’t have to pay for anything. Still, these small alerts could alert you to a serious storm in your area or the threat of a terrorist attack.

Related: Where Not To Be During an EMP

During an EMP

There is one telltale sign that you are dealing with an EMP and not a power outage, it will reveal itself early on.

Surges and Explosions

I read a lot of articles about EMP preparedness. A lot of them talk about an EMP strike happening at night without much of a change to the outside world. Its often depicted as the street lights go out and never come back on.

If an EMP hits near a highly populated area it will  create a power surge. We know this because of what happened to the telegraph lines during the Carrington Event in the 1800s. People operating the lines were shocked and some even caught fire. Now consider that on a grand scale with transformers and substations going BOOM!

These power surges would affect the area around you and it would be a pretty terrifying situation. It might even seem like a bombing with a succession of flashes and booms happening in a short time frame.

An EMP hitting a targeted area will cause these damaging surges. These surges may not happen in all areas but if you experience something like this, it will be a good sign that something more than a power outage is afoot.

Related: 9 Mind Bending Effects of a Grid Collapsing EMP

5 Minutes After

A lot will change immediately after an EMP. Some of the changes will leave you speechless, if you know where to look. Let’s go through a few steps to take immediately after a suspected EMP power outage.

#1. Check the lights.

#2. Check the breakers to be sure its not just your home.

#3. Check your phone as it is a close by device that is not tied to your homes power.

#4. If none of that is working its time to go check your vehicle. The car and the radio in the car will be worth checking. If both are out its time to get worried. Here you can find a couple of affordable vehicles that can survive an EMP. 

#5. You may want to do one final check with a neighbor to follow up just in case it’s an extremely rare coincidence that your car battery died, and your phone ran out of charge at the same time as a local power outage.

#6. Finally, if its night time, look to the horizon. Because of the surges we mentioned earlier there will likely be fires. There could be many fires and in a blacked-out night sky, following an EMP, fires will be easy to notice. If you see a glowing horizon that is another great sign.

Very rarely do we see fires that stem from normal power outages. The idea that all those items could be out of power at once is so improbably that you better take it very seriously. If steps 1-6 yield poor results, its time to take action.

The first thing people will notice is that their cell phones aren’t working and that will make everyone scared. While they are panicking you could be making your next move.

It will only take weeks before areas are completely shifted into disorder. The food will be gone in days and once people realize the water is not safe to drink everyone will get desperate. Make every adjustment you can to get away from crowded areas and find a place with a natural water source to start your new life.

Some experts estimate it would take 4 years to fully repair the electrical grid after something like this. Who is going to be alive after 4 years? Not many. No, an EMP means you get clear of crowded areas and do your best to survive the new world.

You may also like:

10 EMP Proof Items to Hoard

7 Actions to Take Immediately Following an EMP Strike (Video)

Powering an Off the Grid House (Cost-Effective)

Emergency Bag to Keep in Your Car in Case of an EMP

Can a Nuclear Plant Shutdown Safely After an EMP?

Tags: EMPpreparedness
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Comments 66

  1. Hoosier Homesteader says:
    6 years ago

    Another quick check to confirm: If you have a generator, and it doesn’t start, it could point to an EMP. If the generator does start, but nothing in the house works, it IS an EMP.

    Did you like this comment? 11
    Reply
    • Stan says:
      6 years ago

      An emp is NOT going to take out your generator. If it does you are going to be in an electric field so ontrnse your body will literally cook like you were in the electric chair. If that happens you won’t be checking anything.

      Did you like this comment? 10
      6
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      • Spike says:
        6 years ago

        Why won’t an EMP take out a generator? It has electronics just like a car and everything else.

        Did you like this comment? 5
      • Stan says:
        6 years ago

        Well, in fairness I guess it depends on exactly what sort of generator we are talking about. But most common, recoil start generators found in homes are not going to have electronics in them. So the only way they are going to be taken out by an emp is if induced currents are enough to melt windings. For such a small antenna that’s just not going to happen

        Did you like this comment? 5
        2
      • brotherhorse says:
        6 years ago

        There is the posibility a surge could dammage the iginition coil, then your generator is just dead, same with lawn mowers, chainsaws..
        Not too worried about it.

        Did you like this comment? 4
      • Stewart says:
        1 year ago

        Nope. Doesn’t work that way.

        Did you like this comment?
    • Jim says:
      6 years ago

      Checkout sol-ark.com
      I highly recommend it!!
      Also a few older vehicles with faraday cages in the back (metal ammo cans)with a spare starter, alternator, ECM and the few wrenches to change them out should be in everyone’s vehicle they drive to work. Of course along with their “get home bags” and a good pair of boots or shoes.

      Did you like this comment? 5
      1
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  2. Kathy says:
    6 years ago

    Check your wrist watch. Flashlights, battery operated anything. Start saving water.

    Did you like this comment? 4
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    • Stan says:
      6 years ago

      No. Read the Congressional emp report. It’s not like what you see in the movies…

      Did you like this comment? 1
      2
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      • left coast chuck says:
        6 years ago

        Stan: A website URL would be most helpful so that we could read the same congressional EMP report that you refer to. I am confident there is more than one congressional report dealing with the topic.

        Did you like this comment? 6
        2
      • Fix-It-Up says:
        6 years ago

        where do I get the congressional EMP report Stan???
        put it here on the comment section

        Did you like this comment? 3
        1
    • Rod says:
      6 years ago

      A battery operated watch is the best check. While on that subject, is it possible to buy a manual, wind-up watch anymore? I have not been able to find any.

      Did you like this comment? 1
      Reply
      • Dan says:
        6 years ago

        Re. wind up watches and clocks. Flea Markets are your best bet.Also Salvation Army and Goodwill stores can provide back-up resources.

        Did you like this comment? 3
      • left coast chuck says:
        6 years ago

        Here is the answer to your question:

        Seiko Men’s SNK805 Seiko 5 Automatic Stainless Steel Watch with Green Canvas Band.
        4.0 out of 5 stars 2,137 customer reviews | 103 answered questions
        Note: This item is only available from third-party sellers (see all offers).
        Available from these sellers.
        Imported
        Military-inspired timepiece featuring green dial, luminous accents, and day/date functions.Case dimensions: 37mm,Strap length: 7 inch
        Automatic movement with analog display
        Features green nylon strap with buckle closure. When setting the minute hand of a quartz watch, advance it to a few minutes ahead of the time and then turn it back to the exact time
        Water resistant to 30 m (99 ft): In general, withstands splashes or brief immersion in water, but not suitable for swimming.

        It is not a wind-up watch, it is a self-winding watch. Your body movement energizes the balance wheel. If you don’t wear it, you have to shake it to wind it. It needs movement daily to stay current.

        It got good reviews except for the cheesy band. There are other wind up watches on Amazon too but Seiko is the only brand name I recognized. I own a Seiko dive watch that is a self-actuated watch. It kept good time. I still have it. I don’t know why I don’t wear it now. I should

        Did you like this comment? 5
        1
    • Jer says:
      6 years ago

      You need to get OOT. Your village will burn off like Paradise CA. You have a chance avoid the smoke it contains deadly inhalants.

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      Reply
    • Du says:
      6 years ago

      Not sure about today, but back in the 80s, I had a new Casio calculator watch that inadvertently went through multiple threat level EMP tests and survived fine, while the military vehicle actually being tested had a few issues. So while things with longish wires and antennas and the like may well have problems, if the “wiring” is short enough, it apparently won’t get enough of the voltage differential to burn out the electronics. Realize that this is a single day, single person experience with a single item of electronics from over 3 decades ago, so your experience may vary.

      Did you like this comment? 8
      1
      Reply
  3. Thiswebsite Istotalbullshit says:
    6 years ago

    Everyone will be dead in weeks bands of armed marauders roaming around pillaging and killing and you think you’ll be safe hiding out with your bucket of freeze dried food, if your not rounded up by fema and fed to one of their many guillotines you’ll die from one of the thousands of diseases your not immune to.
    Wake up your already dead, there is no way any of you are going to get out of this alive

    Did you like this comment? 2
    30
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    • SubNavigator says:
      6 years ago

      And your plan would be?

      Did you like this comment? 8
      1
      Reply
    • left coast chuck says:
      6 years ago

      Certainly not a helpful post. Did it ever occur to you that perhaps some following this list have determined that they will not be among the folk who perish? With that nihilistic outlook of yours, why do YOU follow this list? It seems to me you would be better served staying hiding out in your Mommy’s basement playing video war games.

      Did you like this comment? 17
      2
      Reply
    • Meathead says:
      6 years ago

      Learn how to construct an IED using a 2-liter soda bottle, engine starter fluid and small nails, nuts, bolts, etc.
      Spray the engine starter fluid into the bottle until there is visible fluid in the bottom of the bottle and cap the bottle. Tape the small nails, nuts, bolt, etc to the bottle on a side facing away from you and tape the bottle to a post about waist high. Shoot it with a “tracer round” to explode it and you can take out a group up to about 25 depending on what you use and how many.
      You can always stagger several bottles in case the first one you explode doesn’t take out all of them.
      Good luck!

      Did you like this comment? 3
      1
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    • Stormvet1st says:
      6 years ago

      Wow dont sugar coat this tell us what you really feel

      Did you like this comment? 5
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    • Dupin says:
      6 years ago

      Yawn…another troll opens his piehole.

      Did you like this comment? 5
      2
      Reply
    • Hoosier Homesteader says:
      6 years ago

      Thisweb,
      Feel sorry for ya bud.

      Did you like this comment? 2
      1
      Reply
    • Travis says:
      6 years ago

      Mind your own business and get lost troll.

      Did you like this comment? 3
      1
      Reply
    • VeeDubya says:
      6 years ago

      wished you lived closer to me,would look forward to harvesting your stuff since your not going to make it anyway…

      Did you like this comment? 6
      Reply
    • Spike says:
      6 years ago

      Come on guys! Russia, China and Iran will send ships of supplies to save us since that is what we always do to devastated countries. Their benevolence will shine brightly around the world.

      Did you like this comment? 5
      1
      Reply
    • Minister Jade says:
      1 year ago

      WOW! Yes you’re so positive sunshine aren’t ya! Now, what plan do YOU propose?

      Oh suggabun many have decided that not going down with the lemmings. Where there’s will there’s way. Human spirit is strong for survival. Any serious situation makes mice into lions.

      Don’t worry lie down & if you like put a paper bag on your head it if makes you feel better for the Vogons are coming to obliterate Earth to make way for their space highway! Oh & I bet your a real bloke that doesn’t understand 42 IS the answer to EVERYTHING! Now, what’s the question????

      As for me I’m hitchhiking across the galaxy with my manual ” The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy” & my Babelfish. Oh do NOT forget the towel yes I must remember to pack my towel! NEVER hitchhike galaxy without your towel. Nasty business if you attempt hitching without your manual & towel!

      *Bonus points to my fellow nerds who understand & applaud “Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy” Douglas Adams references. If you’ve not read it, pack it too before you hitch a ride with possibly Heart of Gold ship. So uproariously hilarious! Great for when the whole world is coming apart & there’s nothing left to do. Well, maybe lie down & put a bag on your head to feel better about it all.

      Did you like this comment? 1
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      • mike says:
        10 months ago

        so where are you hitchen a ride from ?

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  4. fee says:
    6 years ago

    FOUR YEARS??? SERIOUSLY??? I want a pair of YOUR rose colored glasses! If this were one isolated area, you could be right. But IF is is countrywide, just where do you think you are going to get all the replacement transformers, etc., needed? And how long does it take to produce just one of them? Possibly if it is a CME and it is limited to a small area. But if it is the ”big” one, 4 years won’t touch it! Remember, if it happens to our country, most everything we have will be out of commission, and we won’t be able to boss everybody in the world around anymore; they won’t care, because we will basically be impotent. Won’t have so many nukes to threaten people with and all! The main thing to look for is 1) power out all over the place 2) cars and trucks stopped and not running (except for cars from early 70s and earlier, as well as trucks and tractors from of olde) 3) cell phones totally out and of course, the delightful number 4) planes falling out of the sky! (You can go to Kindle on Amazon and type in EMP fiction on the search. If you have Kindle unlimited, you can get many of them for free to read. But after you read a few of these, you will be pretty knowledgeable of what to look for (and they will tell you the FIRST thing to do after you get your family home, is to go to a store and spend all the cash you have on additional supplies and food. Cash will be usable at first, when people know the electrics are down, but the majority don’t yet know they won’t be coming back, so they will be taking cash for a little while. But it won’t be good for that long; only until people figure out the posses will not be out to help them.) There actually is a lot of good info in most of these books. OH! Make sure all products you have to use are unscented, as scents can let people know you are around, as can smoke if you are cooking. Of course, on a website this good, I know I’m preaching to the choir!!!!

    Did you like this comment? 7
    1
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    • Wilmwitch says:
      6 years ago

      Stores won’t sell to you because the cash registers won’t work.

      Did you like this comment? 4
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      • KCK says:
        6 years ago

        The small ‘mom and pop’ stores might. They will simply take cash for a short (VERY short) while. The big stores such as Wally World? Forget about it. The managers and every other employee will be gone! It’s not THEIR store.

        I would think looting would begin there if the Gov hasn’t figured out to clear it first thing.

        A good book (even audio on youtube) is One Second After. GREAT story about EMP and very valuable in seeing just what could happen.

        Did you like this comment? 11
    • Ham Man says:
      6 years ago

      The question about 4 years to recover depends on to what level and how much are we thinking we will need to recover. How many people will survive to service? The thing to keep in mind is if the entire lower 48 states are impacted, the world as we know it has permanently changed. We won’t need to replace all the transformers and power lines as we won’t have nearly as many people left. In all likelihood, assuming we are not invaded or faced with other overriding issues we will move to local or personal power generation such as solar, wind, and micro-hydro. It will be faster and cheaper than restoring the national grid. In the end, we should not focus on restoring power as we will learn do with far less. We need to focus on the restoration of law and order. It is the period of time between loss of law and order and it’s restoration that we are vulnerable and mostly unable to attend to the restoration of power and other issues.

      Did you like this comment? 10
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      • Djzap says:
        3 years ago

        That is, if those that set the emp off arent waiting in the wings to come in and put thier own machines in place and just take over

        Did you like this comment? 2
    • Thomas M Ray says:
      3 years ago

      THIS will be the time when ALL the new energy technology,(Like zero-point energy) we have herd rumors about will finally come into play—–It will replace all the ‘transformers, grids, etc. Indeed, the very reasons we do not have these advanced systems today, and the tech is kept secret, is because it would make all the current systems obsolete cause financial disruption and mass unemployment,should the tech be made public.—–In such a large scale EMP situation, though, all that is moot. They system IS destroied the econnomic damage is DONE. It is only in such events can the new, secret tech of the last 100 years be introduced in a way where it would not destroy the economy—-The economy is destroyed anyway, so why not introduce the secret tech that otherwise would have destroyed the transportation and energy industries had they tried it while the previous infrastructure existed.—-The door will now be open—-if we survive, we will become part of a new wonderful world.

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      • pOldprep says:
        3 years ago

        Well, let’s see. An EMP destroys our national grid, probably parts of Canada & Mexico too. To make a long story short, it has been reported that in one year about 90% of the related population will have expired. So if some kind of new technology exists to replace all the grid, etc., How does that technology get built with no operating factories/machinery? Don’t we need electricity first? And how does that equipment get transported around the US to users? How do the plans for such a technology even get transmitted or mailed to others around the country to even build such stuff? How many people that are scratching out a hand to mouth existence would even be available to indulge in such a huge undertaking?

        Did you like this comment? 4
  5. Grammyprepper says:
    6 years ago

    I appreciate this site, and this article, but boy y’all need a proof reader!

    Did you like this comment? 5
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  6. Dupin says:
    6 years ago

    I’d say check your phone (as in cell phone) as #2. If it doesn’t even light up, there’s a good chance it got fried from a power surge up your charging cable (if it was plugged in), or via its internal antenna. That might well be from EMP. If it does work, which is also possible with EMP, see if you can get out to the web. I’m assuming 4G since you don’t have power. If you can get to things, it’s not EMP. If you can’t, or don’t show any signal, it might be, or it might be an extensive power outage, but cell towers usually have backup power. If you do connect, go to your provider’s outage map and see what’s going on since it most likely isn’t EMP.

    With a landline (assuming you still have one), if you don’t get a dial tone, then it’s probably something more extensive and might be EMP since POTS usually runs backup power. This assumes a directly wired phone and not a portable since your base unit would be unpowered at this point.

    #3 should be to walk outside to your street and look down the street and see if street lights are shining and your neighbors have lights shining (assuming night). If it’s daytime, there’s a good chance that some of your neighbors will be walking out to the front if they’ve lost power and you can compare notes. If everyone else has power, it’s not EMP, but you do need to check your breakers.

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  7. IvyMike says:
    6 years ago

    Sometimes I think westcoastchuck is a good old country boy who ended up out in California, then he goes and uses a word like nihilistic in a post just as free and easy as a Professor at UC Santa Barbara. It’s almost Kafkaesque…

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  8. Oldprep says:
    6 years ago

    I think that those of you concerned about dealing with gangs of bad guys traveling from a big city out into the mountains or other rural areas to take your stuff, can relax. In the case of a nuclear EMP, where will they get a running vehicle to travel 20 or 50 miles to your rural location? And if some vehicles are still running, most of them will be limited by the gas already in their tank. And much of that will be used up running around the city trying to find supplies, rounding up relatives, etc.
    So, 5 or 10 days into the shutdown, things will be getting pretty desperate with no food or gas and maybe no water. So now how are they going to get out to your remote area? With virtually no transportation they would be on foot. And how far can a hungry gang of people walk while carrying all their water and weapons, etc? And why would they invest so much of their remaining resources to get to your area, when they could assume that your rural area is most likely just as desperate as their big city. Farms would be more attractive, but they still might have a few day of walking to get there, if they were in good shape and with ample supplies. But then the farms are naturally widely spaced, meaning that a lot more walking would be needed to cover very many farms.
    Bicycles were suggested, but a bike will only carry one person. A gang of 6 would have to round up 6 bikes, which not all would be in top condition for such a trip and no repairs along the way. And all of this says nothing about having to deal with other marauders along the way wanting what they may have. I think traveling any place will be a major challenge during these times. If you live in a safe rural area, local traveling will probably be ok.
    In my opinion, we will still need to be on guard, because there will always be that one exception that gets through. But I doubt there will be any numbers of people getting through. I think many of them would find cannibalism easier than running the gauntlet of travel.

    Did you like this comment? 6
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    • Dupin says:
      6 years ago

      As to vehicles, if they can get hold of a running vehicle, there will be plenty of other vehicles to siphon gasoline from. With a few gas cans, they can make it quite a ways. While most probably won’t want to leave their general area, some will, as will the regular people who are fleeing the gangs. While some of the regular people might not have planned, it doesn’t mean they won’t have skills. We’ve seen around the world that in times of need, people can do a lot more than you would expect. That’s my thoughts.

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    • TheSouthernNationalist says:
      6 years ago

      I kinda agree with you, I dont think many gang members will want to make such a long trip out to the country, they would probably stay in the city where they can set up their own little kingdoms since a city holds a lot of supplies (grocery stores, curb markets, warehouses, restaurants) that will last a little while for them and their crew.

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  9. Wannabe says:
    6 years ago

    First thing you need to check is if you paid your light bill. Lol

    Did you like this comment? 5
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  10. TheSouthernNationalist says:
    6 years ago

    Faraday cages can be as simple as a steel trash can with a tight fitting lid, be sure to line the inside with a non conductive material such as old rubber floor mats, bubble wrap, ect.. put any electronics you want to save in there and close the lid down tight. I have mine filled with radios, batteries, ignition parts for my vehicle, solar panels, 12 volt motors for my well pump, and a bunch more stuff.

    Did you like this comment? 6
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    • jolie says:
      6 years ago

      what do you use to emp solar panels?

      Did you like this comment? 1
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      • TheSouthernNationalist says:
        6 years ago

        To emp solar panels? If you mean what do I protect them with, I put them inside of the steel trash can lined with rubber mats.

        Did you like this comment? 1
      • jolie says:
        6 years ago

        they don’t fit a steel trash can

        Did you like this comment? 3
  11. Ben says:
    6 years ago

    It is a sad reality that an SHTF scenario can happen anywhere, anytime, any place. But they do and the majority of the population has no idea what to expect in such situations. I’ll share a few facts that might help: 1. You can’t rely on anyone or anything but yourself in such scenario. 2. Prepare for the worst, and hope for the best. 3. The police are not duty-bound to protect you (https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/28/politics/justices-rule-police-do-not-have-a-constitutional-duty-to-protect.html).

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  12. Dan says:
    6 years ago

    Ben I’m sorry to say that I have to agree with you. A sad as it may seem, society in general will always fold back into itself.
    But on a somewhat positive note, speaking as a Professional Historian, history shows that the rements of society do bounce back and rebuild, albeit, not over night.
    Second Timothy 4:7 gang

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  13. brotherhorse says:
    6 years ago

    Little silly, if your electronic junk don’t work go next door and see if they’re junk works or not, including vehicles.
    That will give your answer.
    Need further verification pester a second neighbor, heck go all out and annoy a third.

    Occam’s razor -look it up

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  14. Thor1 says:
    6 years ago

    Your cellphone will still work. The cell tower will go out.
    This is because there isn’t enough wire or antenna to absorb the pulse.

    The electronics in most generators will fry unless they are protected by a metal shield/cover or Faraday cage.

    Some cars may still work even if newer, its not definite.

    Any electronics that are plugged into the grid will be fried.

    Electrical motors should survive due to their construction.

    Laptops not plugged into the grid can be rebooted. I’ve seen tests.

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    • j says:
      3 years ago

      How do we know the cars will work? The whole thing is a PC board on wheels. And if an EMP wipes it out, then how does one get to their bugout location?

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  15. Meathead says:
    6 years ago

    There are three waves associated with an EMP: E1, E2, E3. The wave (pulse) will be between 20,000 to 50,000 volts and last 1 to 4 thousandths of a second. A blast from the sun contains only E3 waves and will only affect items in the air (telephone lines,power lines, cable lines, etc.). The E1 and E2 waves are the waves that knock out your electronics.
    The EMP waves CANNOT normally cannot be blocked, but they can be ROUTED AROUND your equipment by providing a “path of least resistance”. Wrap your equipment in a non-conducting material (rubber, plastic, etc.) and then wrap it in aluminum foil (use gold foil if you are a Billionaire). Be sure that your item is completely covered by both materials with no gaps in either one.
    Think that this won’t work? Wrap your cell phone in plastic and then aluminum foil. Call your cell phone. I bet that it WILL NOT ring,

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  16. MKS says:
    6 years ago

    Most generators are insulated with lacour insulation rated at 600V. EMP is 50,000 V+. They will damage any transformer device that has wires tightly wound. The first thing you should do is fill everything you can with water as long as the water pressure is available. This includes the bed of your pickup. Line it will a tarp, place jacks under the truck and fill the bed up with water. dump out your coffee from the containers and fill them, too. Steal a port-a-potty and clear it up. While you are doing this, your spouse should be gathering food from small neighborhood stores.
    If you can find some foam board, build your self a box to cover your bed so you can stay warm in the winter.

    If you haven’t done this yet, it’s time to start planning your pathway to escape the house while the bad guys ransack the place.

    Use baby carriages as cargo trailers for your (or your kids) bicycles. Load up and start moving some of your stash to a reachable, yet hidden location after dark.

    EMP is the worst case scenario. Nuclear war limits the number of attackers. EMP maximizes the number of attackers you will have to deal with.

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    • Tim says:
      6 years ago

      Here’s another problem with the EMP blast. No matter how protected you are you should realize biggest problem of all. What about all the nuclear power plants in this country question they are all robotic or automate. When is blast happened it will knock out all Automation in the nuclear power plants oh, then that are in water will eventually start to melt. Creating a nuclear meltdown. Now just picture how many nuclear power plants we have in the U.S. research what happens in the Russian city of Chernobyl it will be worse here because of the more advancement we have made with nuclear fuel rods.

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      • Al says:
        5 years ago

        This is not as much of a problem as the “news” media and Hollywood have lead most people to believe. The boiling water reactors that are in most of the power plants in the US have all been tested in the Loss of Fluid Test at the Idaho National Laboratory and the results are available. The fuel melts along with approximately a third of the core. The metal that makes up the core dilutes the fissile materials in the fuel to the point that the fissile molecules are too far apart to react. Then everything solidifies again. As long as the containment is not breached by some outside action, no radioactivity will escape. Don’t let the news liars spook you.

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  17. desertisland says:
    6 years ago

    Where I live -only the bad guys have weapons. knifes, machetes, guns. On this island the bad guys would be out FAST killing every person they could.

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    • Oldprep says:
      6 years ago

      desertisland – What country do you live in?

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  18. Stee Jans says:
    4 years ago

    “a nationwide, catastrophic EMP” – ?

    An EMP that spans 6 time zones is going to do more than just fry your electronics.

    You may as well put a fork in you…….cause you’ll be cooked as well with an EMP that powerful.

    Also – “How to Tell in 5 Minutes If It’s a Power Outage or an EMP and Get a Massive Head Start”
    There’s a problem with the logic – If it was an EMP and not a power outage, then you’re already too late. If it was just a power outage, then what are you going to do that you already haven’t done ? You’re still no closer to knowing when the EMP actually hits.

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    • Oldprep says:
      4 years ago

      Stee
      I disagree. I have seen no mention anyplace about living things being harmed, except for the aftermath. I would like to have an EMP detector, so that if the lights go out, I’ll know immediately that it was not just a power failure. Goal here is to get your EMP plan underway as soon as possible.

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  19. Fred says:
    3 years ago

    I beg to differ with modern generator owners. Your generator will not work if connected to a transfer switch as the power surge will arc over, destroying the electronics in the generator, ruin the field windings, and destroy the magneto as it has wire coils in It besides the electronic ignition contained in the magneto. Better to box up your unconnected generator in a faraday cage when not in use.
    Older cars and trucks can still be affected if they are running at the time of the EMP pulse as the windings of your alternator will slag with the electromagnetic pulse. If the fuse doesn’t blow quickly enough, your battery will be shorted out and die. Only run your EMP escape vehicle to evaporate the moisture in the engine and drive line periodically to prevent acids from building up from moisture contamination (especially aluminum engines).
    Also, many people that ground their faraday cage to an earth ground are very mistaken. You do not want to have your Faraday Cage part of any circuit to ground as it increases the power of the EMP field around the cage. This is true if you do not wrap your electronics with some insulating material (bubble wrap) inside your cage providing a double protection in case your main insulation inside the cage fails. Look up the “dielectric strength” of the material you use to line the inside of your FARADAY CAGE, and either double or triple it up in case you use cardboard for the liner, thick rubber would be the best material to use.
    Never ignore the TV Emergency Action Notification messages. In my opinion, they show the “tests” too often, and we become too used to these tests for them to be really effective. They become an irritation if you are watching a really good program that gets interrupted by these “tests”.
    Another bit of advice – if you go out, look just like everyone else. Dirty, torn clothes, skinny from a starvation diet, never “stand out” in a crowd. “Different is Dead”, or worse. Someone WILL get curious and follow you home to see why you look so good compared to everyone else. That person is sure to “rat” you out to others, kill you, and use your women and young children for horrible things.
    You must survive, but be very careful how you do it.

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  20. dz says:
    3 years ago

    another re-run article. Please research a lot, plan accordingly. From my Practical Prepping perspective, my Faraday cages are popcorn, snack, and cookie tins with tight fitting lids, lined over the entire the bottom, sides, and even the lids with CLEAN cut-to fit corrugated cardboard as an insulating layer between the metal and your EMP sensitive items inside – double sided foam tape works well to hold the cardboard in place. What to put inside? In a large popcorn tin, you can fit a small laptop, smartphone (it’s a portable hand-held computer), crank and solar powered radios, small solar chargers, CD’s, DVD’s, and memory sticks loaded to the hilt with as much information as you can get, on as many subjects as you can, as well as all the adapters and cords so it’s easier to find them when needed. I also have a plasma lighter, multitool, good quality knife, sharpening stone, fire starting materials including Ferro rods, stainless steel scissors, small first aid kit, a few hygiene items like toothbrush and rubber comb, fishing kit, stainless steel wire leader that makes excellent snares, paracord, seeds, and more, to fill any space in the tin, as long as everything is insulated from the tin, and it’s better if they are also insulated from each other in paper, cardboard, or bubble wrap – just in case. This makes a small portable Faraday cage “with extras” that is easy to store, and also take with you if the situation warrants.

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  21. meg says:
    3 years ago

    hi preppers. i’m in ohio. we had what we thought was a cable outage a couple of days ago [today is 9/1/22, so like earlier this week? ] and we were told by the new cable company it was nationwide, not just them. i was wondering if anyone else experienced a brief outage or glitch in your cable service; our lights and appliances were fine, just the tv, computer, etc went out.
    thanks in advance.

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  22. Rickety Rick says:
    2 years ago

    buy a metal shed and ground it. This acts like a faraday cage, then store any questionably sensitive items in there. It’s better than grid connections or nothing at all.

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  23. christopher says:
    2 years ago

    At the rate the villiage idiot is causing koas , dont worry
    this will usher in the anti christ and he will make everything ok as long as you worship him
    obey him , do what he tell s you , commit atrosities in his or her name
    the bible tells of one thing , total projection to godhood , fake , false godhood
    97% great to sell one lie , worship him and him only
    do or die
    Marks for obedience and loyalty only

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  24. wew says:
    2 years ago

    The best thing to do for surviving an EMP of any kind Is to buy something that meets military – DOD standards for an EMP strike, which by the way is ALL equipment the military – DOD uses, even vehicles. Problem solved.

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  25. Larry Grenie says:
    1 year ago

    I was once a trucker for a short time,.
    Had to take a load out to NEW YORK,
    I was tolled that that big city has only enough food
    in there warehouses to last only 36 hours,
    And with no trucks coming in or trains,
    It could be shorter then that,
    Depending how fast people react to what is happening.
    Many stores would be looted,
    and ware houses ,
    Avoided the big cites ,
    I also have lived in a small village in ILL.
    We got snowed in for 3 days and the small store
    after 3 days,. There selves were a bout empty of every thing.
    Even there cold storage .
    Population just over 300 people,
    To day its a bout 500, and that little store is no longer there.
    You can bet most business will close. in a EMP Strike .
    If not looted,

    .

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