An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) event is one of the most catastrophic scenarios preppers can ever face. This is especially true in today’s world, where almost every tool and technology requires electricity to function. Fortunately, there are ways you can prepare for such an event.
The worst kind of EMP event you can face is the kind created by the sun. A solar flare, or a sudden eruption of energy from the surface of the sun, can bring with it a phenomenon known as a coronal mass ejection (CME) which, if it hits the earth, will fry electrical equipment in whole continents – possibly even the entire world.
If you’re looking to best prepare yourself for an event as cataclysmic as an EMP or solar flare, here are the skills, strategies and supplies you’ll need.
Skills
In order to survive in a post-EMP world, you need to learn how to do basic activities that used to require electricity. One of the most vital skills you need is learning how to purify water. No matter how much water you have stored in your survival stockpile, you will need to replenish it one day. Another skill you need is cooking food using an open flame and other non-electric cooking alternatives, such as solar cooking.
As a prepper, your family will be looking to you for guidance during this difficult time. Being able to get food and water is a great way to show them that you can provide for them. That’s not enough, however, you’ll also need to learn a variety of other skills, such as self-defense, communication and first aid.
Most importantly, you need to show them that you have the mental aptitude required of a leader. This means being able to come up with solutions to difficult problems, having the determination to get through tough times and being the morale booster that your family desperately needs.
Strategies
Some experts on EMPs believe that the odds of a massive CME-induced EMP event occurring within a decade are between three to 10 percent. Given these odds, you need to start thinking of ways to protect your valuable electric appliances and gadgets.
The best device you can use is a Faraday cage, which is an enclosure specifically designed to block out electromagnetic fields. You can buy Faraday cages online or in your trusted electronics or survival stores. Alternatively, you can learn how to make your own Faraday cage using items that you can find in your home and property. A metal file cabinet, a metal garbage can and even a cocktail shaker will only require minimal modifications to turn into an effective Faraday cage.
The EMP event will most likely also fry your car. Find a non-electric means of transportation, such as a bicycle or a horse.
Supplies
Electronics aren't the only things you need in the aftermath of an EMP event. This is why you need to stock up on items that will not be affected by an EMP. (Related: Are you prepared for an EMP attack? Stock up on these items that will continue to work after one.)
Some of these items you need to stock up on have already been mentioned, such as food and water. Other items you need include lighters, matches and cooking oil for lighting fires and cooking your meals, first aid equipment and natural medicines for your health needs and different kinds of tools as well as the proper instructional books you need to read to learn how to use them.
Being a prepper in the 21st century means making plans for how to be self-reliant in a post-electricity world. This requires learning how to manually finish chores that you used to finish with the help of appliances and other electronics, and stocking up on essential items that you can still use after an EMP event.
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