An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack is one of the threats that many preppers and survivalists set as the primary focus of their preparedness strategy. One of the reasons for this is that when you are prepared for a sustained grid-down environment, you are ready for most other probable disasters as well. The problem is that many preppers do not fully understand how bad a large-scale EMP attack could be.
The Catastrophic Consequences of a Large-scale EMP Attack on America
An EMP attack would unleash catastrophic consequences across the United States in a matter of seconds. The moment a nuclear device detonates high above the country, the pulse would fry electrical grids, cripple vehicles, and shut down almost every piece of modern technology we rely on. Without power, hospitals can’t operate, water pumps stop running, and food supply chains grind to a halt.
Millions of Americans are completely dependent on the grocery store for food, the pharmacy for medications, and the gas station to fuel their vehicles. Within days, store shelves would be stripped bare. Without refrigeration, most perishable food would spoil rapidly. It’s easy to understand there would be many negative consequences. The real problem is that an EMP attack would be far worse, both in the short and long term, than most of us can imagine. I am listing here some of the key points you should consider for a worst case scenario.
Massive Death Toll
It is estimated that within a year of a country-wide EMP attack, ninety percent of the United States population will be dead. This statistic is well known, but one aspect that we often forget is that given the current population of the United States, a ninety percent death toll will mean that there will be around 306 million dead bodies.
These bodies will have to be dealt with, but a malnourished population who are close to becoming corpses themselves is not going to have the energy to bury the dead. This will result in the bodies of the dead being left out to decompose in the elements.
The result of this is probable contamination of waterways, which people will be using for drinking water. As disease spreads, so will the death toll, which will add to the bodies that will be left unburied.
For everyone who dies of a communicable disease, their corpse will also lead to the possible spreading of that disease as family members remove the body from their homes.
Cannibalism
If history has taught us anything, it is that once the chips are down and human beings are faced with starvation, we will resort to eating our own to survive. Even if it sounds impossible to you now, there are enough real cases that show us human nature has no limits when it comes to survival.
- In 1972, a plane carrying a Uruguayan rugby team crashed in the Andes. Stranded for over two months in freezing conditions, the survivors had no choice but to eat the bodies of their dead friends to stay alive.
- In World War II, during the Siege of Leningrad, starving civilians resorted to cannibalism as food supplies vanished.
- Likewise, American pioneers in the 1800s, like the Donner Party, were forced into cannibalism when trapped by heavy snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
These horrifying events remind us that under extreme pressure, people will do anything to keep breathing. It’s a tough pill to swallow and one that every prepper should keep in mind when thinking about true worst-case scenarios
Slavery
As groups of survivors start rebuilding a new society, many groups will begin to use slaves to do the grunt work that they do not want to do. Slaves have been used throughout history, including now in 2025. In fact, there are estimated to be more slaves nowadays (over 50 million worldwide in 2022) than at any time in human history.
This will also include the use of sex slaves. Young women, girls and boys will be bought and sold to be abused by the most depraved scum of society.
Medication
So many people require daily medications to stay healthy and alive. Once the EMP knocks out our ability to produce these medicines, these people will succumb to their conditions and die.
But that’s not the worst of it.
There are also millions of people on psychiatric medications which keep their severe mental illnesses at bay. Once they no longer have access to these meds, they will be at the mercy of whatever mental illness they suffer from.
This means that a segment of post-EMP society will be unpredictable and possibly very violent. Some of these people will not respond to reason and be influenced by delusions, which make them a dangerous threat that you’ll be facing as you try to keep your family safe.
The Government
Once the power and communications infrastructure fails, the government will also fail—at least, that is what we all assume.
The federal, state and local governments have plans in place for their response after an EMP attack, and once the dust settles, we can expect that they will attempt to maintain control.
The issue arises when the government no longer needs to follow the rule of law. Without a functioning court and prison system, we can expect that there will be many extra-judicial executions for even the smallest offences.
They will have access to all the same equipment, weapons, and manpower that they had before the EMP and we can expect that any government is going to overstep the law, and the constitution to maintain their grip on control.
Help From Abroad
An EMP attack would likely be restricted to North America, which leaves the rest of the world to help restore power, infrastructure, and law and order. Given that the United States has a high percentage of firearms ownership, it is a certainty that the United Nations or NATO will send in peacekeepers to restore and maintain order.
Seeing troops on the streets will not be received well by survivors. It will also not be received well by local and State governments. If anything would spark off a civil war in America, the federal government allowing foreign troops to set foot on US soil.
People will fight back, which will result in all-out open warfare.
Any conflict will delay the restoration of power since the required transformers and other components that the EMP will destroy will have to be fabricated offshore.
Aside from the probability of open warfare, there is also the fact that foreign interests will trade help for influence, land, and power. This will result in an erosion of American identity as states come under the De facto control of foreign powers.
What Can You Do About It?
Considering all these catastrophic consequences, it’s crystal clear that the only thing you can do is be as ready as humanly possible for the worst-case scenario. What’s that mean? Let’s break it down, step by step:
Build a Shelter
What you will need is a secure, hidden space where you can stay safe no matter what happens above ground. You should make it have reinforced walls and grounded shielding to help reduce electromagnetic interference, keeping sensitive gear like radios and solar chargers safe. A proper EMP-ready shelter also needs independent power sources, manual ventilation, and secure storage for non-electric tools, ensuring you remain self-reliant and protected even if the entire grid goes down.
A well-designed underground cellar, such as the one described in The Easy Cellar, offers exactly that kind of protection. Built a few feet beneath your backyard, this discreet shelter can store enough food, water, and essential supplies to sustain you and your family for several months, not just a few days.
Inspired by traditional root cellars used by our ancestors, this modern design has been improved to provide far greater security, similar to a small-scale bunker. Importantly, it also offers a significant layer of defense against an EMP strike, shielding your critical supplies and providing a refuge when all electronic systems fail.
Even better, this shelter is very affordable. You can build it for under $400 and complete it in less than a week, entirely on your own, without the need for expensive contractors or specialized equipment.
Secure Your Life-Saving Resources
Another crucial step that can save your life and protect your family is securing alternative sources of food, water, and electricity. It’s very important to invest in quality solutions for these essentials.
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- Food – This blog offers plenty of articles on how to properly prepare a reliable stockpile you can count on during major crises. So I recommend you read them and take note. You need to focus on long-lasting food that you can store safely (see the instructions above). Additionally, you can store ingredients and then use them to prepare special survival food recipes.
- Water – For water, I recommend using this highly efficient DIY water generator that you can build at low cost. I’ve tried this idea myself, and it really works, producing top-notch quality water.
- Electricity – When it comes to electricity, there are many options available on the market, including generators and solar panels. You can also check out The Modular Backyard Power Plant, where you can learn how to create a long-term power source capable of sustaining your entire household.
- Guns – Like it or not, in a post-EMP scenario, you won’t be able to trust almost anyone. Violent outbursts, looting, and various types of attacks will become problems you’ll need to handle. You must prepare accordingly with weapons and ammunition.
Additionally, to prepare effectively for an EMP strike, make sure you have a reliable vehicle that can operate without complex electronic systems, as an EMP would disable many modern cars. Maintaining an older or specially protected vehicle is crucial for mobility.
Invest in a HAM radio or other EMP-hardened communication devices to stay informed and connected when traditional networks fail.
Lastly, keep essential non-electric tools, manual water filtration systems, and plenty of durable clothing and shelter materials on hand. These can make all the difference in surviving the harsh conditions following an EMP event.
Protect Your Essentials
In a post-apocalyptic world, protecting your most essential assets, like your vehicle, HAM radio, and backup power systems, could mean the difference between life and death. These tools will be your lifeline for transportation, communication, and survival after an EMP strike.
That’s exactly why EMP Cloth exists. This specially engineered material is designed to safeguard your most critical equipment from the devastating effects of an electromagnetic pulse.
Crafted from an advanced, military-grade fabric, EMP Cloth effectively blocks electromagnetic radiation, providing up to 98% shielding. Each piece measures 15 feet long and 3.5 feet wide, making it large enough to cover most home generators, whether diesel, solar, gas, or propane.
You can also wrap smaller but vital devices like laptops, medical equipment, heaters, and radios to keep them safe in your garage or shelter. Need to secure something bigger, like a car or truck? Simply combine two or three cloths with tape to create a protective barrier strong enough to shield larger vehicles and gear from the pulse.
Have a Back-Up Plan
Let’s say you manage to survive the immediate consequences of the attack. What do you do, though, if the people around you start losing their minds? You might have to face individuals who run out of medication, violent people trying to rob you, authorities ready to commit all kinds of abuses, and many other life-threatening dangers.
In such a scenario, which you cannot rule out as a possibility, you also need a back-up plan. If you ask me, I believe the best idea is to prepare to leave and hope you’ll find a good community willing to take you in. Something like Jackson, Wyoming in The Last of Us.
The problem is that you don’t know how long it will take before you find such a community (if you’re even lucky enough to find one at all). And to make it there, sooner or later, you’ll need to be able to survive in hostile conditions and in the wild. That’s why I strongly recommend paying close attention to what Dr. Nicole Apelian teaches in her Wilderness Long-Term Survival Guide.
Final Thoughts
We all know that an EMP attack will be a cataclysmic event which will result in massive death tolls, widespread chaos, and the knocking back of society to that of the early 1800s. We may believe that we understand what we are getting ourselves into when the lights go out, but the truth is far worse than any of us can imagine.
Sure, we’re talking about a worst-case scenario here, but as a prepper, you know better than anyone that this is exactly the type of scenario you need to have in mind when making your survival plan.
I recommend that you have a look at Joel Lambert’s A Navy SEAL’s Bug-In Guide. There, you’ll find everything you need to know to transform your home into a self-sufficient and secure space in case of an EMP strike.
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