Our world is not altogether safe from cataclysmic, potentially civilization ending, events — impact from an asteroid or large comet or eruption of the super volcano at Yellowstone for example. Some experts say that it was a huge eruption of Krakatoa in 523 AD that gave us the Dark Ages and caused the end of the Roman empire. Any of those things could happen, but EMP is the thing that is most likely to happen soon.

EMP stands for electromagnetic pulse. The pulse from one large EMP device would be so strong, that experts have stated that one detonated 100 miles up over Kansas would take out electronics over the entire country. If you do not know what it is, then go to Wikipedia and read about it here. Then come back. You may think that a large, high-yield device would be impossible to launch 100 miles up over the middle of the country, and I would agree, but I would then add that there is always more than one way to skin a cat. So, if not that way, then how?

 

HOW IT MIGHT HAPPEN

During the Gulf War, we all saw pictures of those mobile Scud missile launchers that were so hard to spot. Suppose that Iran or North Korea were to put a couple of Scud launchers armed with nuke-tipped missiles on a ship bound for our east coast. “Would never make it into port,” you are probably thinking, and I might even concede that. Trouble is, it wouldn’t have to. Scud missiles can travel up to 700 miles and carry up to a 2,000 pound payload. It may not even have to make it to within our territorial waters. All it would have to do is make it close enough so that it could launch and detonate a missile twenty-five miles up somewhere over our east coast. One missile probably would not fry all electronics east of the Mississippi from Maine to Florida. But, two might do it, and three most certainly would. Then we will no longer have to study the Stone Age; we could re-live it and experience it first-hand. If you have ever wondered how people got along without all of this modern stuff that we have come to depend upon, then that will be your opportunity to find out. Only we won’t do nearly as well as they, because they had knowledge that we no longer possess, not to mention manual tools with which to use that knowledge.

If a pulse occurs, unless you are close enough to actually see the flash, you probably won’t even know that it has happened until, that is, you start seeing its effects. If you are driving at the time of the pulse, your car will just quit as will all others on the road, except, perhaps, for any pre-1970 vehicles that may happen to be out there.
[Added later – Did you see the beginning of The Hunger Games?]

If you are at home, your power will go off. You will try to call someone on your cell phone only to find it not working. You may try on your standard phone, if you have one, with no better luck. Because of the age of our power grid and of its interdependability, the entire us electric grid will probably go down. The grid in the central states could probably be ultimately restored, since, unlike that of the eastern states and (if it turns out to have been a two-front attack) the western states, which would have been severely damaged. Much of what would be needed to repair those would have to come from overseas. They could be down for a very long time, and, in the meantime, the entire US economy would disappear, including your jobs and your money.

The first deaths will probably be people in hospitals who are on life support systems that suddenly fail. The hospitals will try to crank up their generators, but they will be dead, too. Once the batteries powering their emergency lighting become discharged, if, in fact, they survived the EMP in the first place, then there will be total darkness inside hospitals, as elsewhere. Hospital deaths will be closely followed by the deaths of people crashing in airplanes along with those they may crash upon.

 

STILL ANOTHER WAY IT MIGHT HAPPEN

If the 1859 Carrington Event occurred today, then the entire US electric grid would be so damaged that it would be years, or longer, before necessary equipment could be repaired or replaced. It is questionable whether the country could survive that. For more information, see this National Geographic article . The link will open in a new window.

 

POTENTIAL EFFECTS

Transportation
Still available:  heal and toe, bicycle, horse, and some older vehicles. Stores will not be able to get supplies.

Your work
Even if you can get there, it will probably not do you any good, because, with no power, they will not be able to carry on business. If they cannot conduct business, then they cannot make money. If they cannot make any money, they cannot pay you.

Your money
In case you are thinking about cashing in your savings, life insurance, or 401k after an EMP, then think again. The banks will all be dead. Without computers, they will have no way of knowing how much money you may have and, even of you have paper records, they may not have it to give to you anyway. Remember, the entire US financial system will be dead.

Your home
No heat or air conditioning, and no lights. Probably no water, which means no toilets. No TV, iPod, stereo, FM radio,  internet, or Wii.

Your computers
In a word, gone, as will be all of your precious records and photos — anything that has been stored upon magnetic media. Data backed up to CD/DVD should, however, be okay, but what will you read them upon?

Food
Unless you grow your own food or have had the foresight to implement a food storage plan, what is in your pantry is likely all that you will have. Remember, the stores will not be able to re-stock. If you cook via electricity, then you will have no way to cook that which you do have. If you cook via natural gas supplied via a pipeline, that may not work, either. You may want to boil up your eggs before they spoil, but there will be no water to boil them in, and no working stove to boil them upon.

Communication
Perhaps some older tube-type ham or SSB radios may survive. Those, carrier pigeon, and pony express or bicycle messenger plus that old stand-by — two Campbell’s soup cans connected by a waxed string — will be your communications systems.

 

DO YOU THINK THAT IRAN REALLY WANTS TO NUKE ISRAEL?

Maybe they do, or maybe they just want us to think that they do. As far as radical Islam goes, Israel is just a wart on the end of its nose. The US is, on the other hand, an actual threat to its very existence, which is why they consider us “The Great Satan”. If Iran attacks Israel, then they will have us to deal with. So, wouldn’t it make more sense to use those initial nukes to take us out first?

 

IS THIS A REAL THREAT OR JUST HYPERBOLE?

Decide for yourself. North Korea already has nukes and missiles with which to deliver them. Iran is going to have nukes. No one is doing anything to stop them. Plus, they have plenty of Scuds.

I believe that the threat is real and credible, and better minds than mine agree. The only question is how to prepare.

 

WHAT TO DO

While you still have a working computer and internet, do some research. There is a ton of information out there. Give some thought to transportation, food, water, heat, cooking, money or trade goods, communication, etc, and then take action.

Then, pray that it never happens.