An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack could disable every homes, hospital, supermarket, communication channels, banking systems and other corporate settings connected to an electrical grid. It could also hurt our environment, family, wellbeing and assets.
Being prepared for an EMP attack is a preparation for everything else.
"If there's an electrical magnetic pulse, that stops everything. It stops first responders, hospitals, food production, my electronics, my car and the ability to communicate because cell phones aren't going to be working," said David Gilmore, also known as LDS Prepper, during his recent "LDS Prepper Show."
"When I started thinking about what am I going to prepare for what scenario, I decided it's going to be an EMP because if I'm prepared for an EMP, then I'm going to be pretty well prepared for everything else."
Andrew Bucchin, the sales and marketing director of EMP Shield, agreed. "Me and my group of friends have always been concerned about the risks of EMP and I really agree with you that if you're prepared for EMP, you can pretty much be prepared for anything because it is such a catastrophic event," said Bucchin during his guest appearance in the "LDS Prepper Show."
Bucchin also gave an overview about EMP including nuclear EMP and its E1, E2 and E3 components. "This type of event is very real. In fact, this is one of the most catastrophic weapons in any military's arsenal," Bucchin said. He added that during an EMP attack, the micro electronics in most devices are going to be destroyed and the damage is going to be primarily happening to transistors, resistors diodes and microprocessors.
Historic cases of EMP attacks
An EMP is an intense burst of electromagnetic energy caused by a sudden and quick acceleration of charged particles. The resulting energy of an EMP destroys electronic devices that it comes across. Its effect may spread to buildings, power lines and motor vehicles. (Related: EMP threat to U.S. power grid identified just weeks ahead of vitally important elections.)
The three major causes of EMP are nuclear explosions, solar storms and lightning bolts.
The result of a high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) from a nuclear warhead could appear in towering heights. An example is the U.S. nuclear bomb test that was 402.3 kilometers above the Pacific Ocean. It damaged telephone lines, streetlights and Soviet satellites, and the effects of the electrical disturbance effect occurred 1,448.4 kilometers away in Hawaii.
The first ever written case of an EMP attack was in 1859 and it happened in the form of a solar storm and, which is now called the Carrington Event.
It was considered a terrifying experience that involved the emission of solar flares or coronal mass ejection and sunspots followed by a geomagnetic storm. The effect of event brought down the telegraph system in the U.S. and parts of Europe.
The Carrington Event was the equivalent of millions of nuclear weapons going off in the atmosphere.
There have been a few cases and scares, including a mild storm that occurred in Canada in 1989. It jammed weather satellites and radio signals, which led many people to believe that a nuclear attack was imminent.
The possible threat posed by EMP has been debated for a long time now, but the government is not serious in protecting its people against what scientists consider as a real threat to humanity. Most experts admit that an EMP attack is far more deadly than a nuclear bomb.
The question now is whether we are ready and prepared if an EMP attack happens.
Preparing for a possible EMP attack
It is important to know that an EMP cannot directly harm a person, pets or plants. It has also been proven that older motor vehicles, which have more metallic bodies and less electrical wiring, are less prone to the pulses released during an EMP strike.
An EMP attack can affect your electronics and make it harder for you to move around. You can prepare for pre-EMP and post-EMP attacks by observing the following reminders:
Learn to care for your personal self and others
Prioritize self care not only with yourself but also with your family, your close relatives, and neighbors before and after an EMP attack happens. This also calls for training on first aid procedures and fixing your home for any loose structures.
Create a Faraday cage or Faraday shield
A Faraday cage or Faraday shield is an enclosure made of highly conductive metal that blocks electromagnetic energy. Having one at your home will also enable you to store crucial survival items like an emergency phone or portable solar panels safely away from an EMP. Small Faraday cages are much easy to assemble and are adequate to box crucial survival electronics.
Form a non-electric backup plan
Having a non-electric backup plan for your important needs can help minimize the effects of an EMP attack. Have an excess non-electric prepping supplies that will better prepare you for a condition where electronics don’t work. Storing candles and firewood along with flashlights will guarantee that you are ready for a prolonged blackout.
Place an EMP surge protector at your home
An EMP surge protector is a device that guards your home’s power supply from an EMP. When a power surge destroys the grid and shuts off electrical services, electronic systems will not be damaged if plugged into a surge protector. If your home is properly shielded with a high-quality surge protector then you will experience a lesser critical power disruption.
Store batteries at your home
A stock of batteries means having an abundance of backup electricity to power your devices once an EMP subsides. When the grid goes down, batteries will be your only reasonable source of electricity for a period of time. Your battery stockpile will be safe during an EMP attack when it is not in use.
Double-lock your steel doors and upgrade your home security
Make sure that you install double-lock, solid core, steel doors. You should also upgrade the security system of your home with rechargeable backup batteries.
Boost your firearms for added security
If possible you should augment your firearms to allow you to handle your family’s security during an EMP attack.
Employ fire-resistant materials at your home
Use as much as possible fire-resistant roofing and household materials to prevent or lower your home’s chances from catching fire or being burned down.
Know basic first-aid medical techniques
Learn some basic first-aid techniques by having a complete first-aid kit with suture kits, needles, aspirin, ointments, and over-the-counter medications.
It is also important that you have a medical book for reference during first aid. The most common hazards during an emergency are excessive blood loss, obstructed airways and shock. Learn first-aid skills from the Red Cross and local YMCA training. Most of their training lets you identify and treat the most common dangers during an emergency.
An EMP attack is more likely today with more people connected to the national electrical grid, along with the increasing use of sophisticated electronics.
We can increase our chances of survival by preparing sufficiently. You can start by planning for basic needs, shielding our electronics, acquiring first-aid skills, and keeping physical copies of important documents.
Watch the full episode of "LDS Prepper" below.
This video is from the LDS Prepper channel on Brighteon.com.
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