Why do preppers do what they do? That's the question people often ask when they hear about prepping. The world isn't burning, so what’s the hurry?
Little do these people know that threats to humanity are genuine. Even the government admits it: The National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC) recently released a report warning of a catastrophic power outage. In its study, the NIAC confirmed that such a disastrous event would entail destructive results. Drinking water, communications, financial services, transportation, fuel, and healthcare are all at risk when SHTF.
Do you have enough of the essentials?
A massive power outage would affect all public services. Unfortunately, most people don't have their bases covered. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) used to recommend that people prepare a three-day emergency kit just in case disaster hits. Due to recent catastrophes however, FEMA now recommends that emergency supplies should last for up to 14 days. Still, that 14-day supply may not be enough for a SHTF scenario.
A true prepper would have started stockpiling food supplies. However, should a catastrophic power outage hit, it might take months for the power to come back and would likely affect the majority of the states. If you haven't started stockpiling yet, it's a good idea to invest in Meals, Ready-to-Eat (MRE). They're a little bit expensive, but they last for a long time in storage.
If you don't know how to cook a meal without electricity, then there's no better time to learn than now. Consider learning and practicing how to start a fire and cook outdoors. This way, you'll know what you need and what to expect. Grills are also an option during a disaster situation. They are a great way to prepare meat and other food items. Grills work even without electricity – just make sure to have enough charcoal and propane on hand.
During a massive power outage, water pumps would stop working. Meaning there would be no water coming out from the tap. Therefore, it's crucial to stock up on clean drinking water and water for other purposes so you and your family could stay hydrated and sanitary. Moreover, it's vital to learn how to purify water.
Causes of power outage
Several factors can cause a grid-down scenario; it can be caused by natural disasters or by people whose objective is to harm others. The list below details a few.
- Electromagnetic pulse: An EMP attack is the ultimate SHTF scenario. It doesn't only take down the grid, but also disrupts the activity of all electronic devices, making them useless.
- Cyber attack: For many years, hackers have been trying to breach the security of the power grid to try and take it down. Just in the last two years, a group of Russian hackers successfully attacked the U.S. power grid as a show of force.
- Terrorist attack: Terrorist attacks are not unlikely, and an attack on the power grid by terrorists would be a well-coordinated one. They would ensure that lights, communication, cameras, and security would all be shut down.
- Solar flare: The world is always at risk of being hit by a coronal mass ejection (CME). It's a giant ball of energy and solar plasma that the sun ejects in a violent eruption. If the world was hit by CME, that would take humanity back to the stone age where there is no light, no electricity, and no electronic devices. Experts say that it would cost one trillion to two trillion dollars to repair the damage in the first 12 months. They added that it would take four to 10 years to recover from this disaster completely.
Want to get started on preparing for a massive power outage? Visit Preparedness.news to learn more.
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