Imagine if you wake up tomorrow morning and the electricity is out and your heat is off. You also have no water or telephone service. You find your neighbor and then he locates an old battery operated shortwave radio that is still working and then you hear this:
An EMP has occurred high over the United States from a nuclear explosion that is believed to have come from a missile from some unidentified ship and the entire electrical grid in America and parts of Canada is down.
Official United States government sources could not say when anyone in the United States would have electricity again. Experts say if the damage to electrical generation equipment and electronics is as severe as some officials fear it could take many months before electricity is restored in many parts of the United States. They say even if little damage was done to the electrical generation equipment it will still take weeks to get most of the grid back up.
Riots and looting are taking place in many cities and martial law is declared throughout the United States. The Department of Homeland Security has nationalized all local police forces and said that looters will be shot. Everyone but critical emergency responders are told to stay home. Americans will be given further instructions as to………….”
I bring this EMP discussion up again because yesterday a person brought to my attention that nothing is being discussed on the Internet about what people should do to prepare for the aftermath of an EMP attack.
I wrote about the subject of the possibility of an EMP attack in a series I wrote called Imminent dangers to the United States. Any one of the six dangers I wrote about in that series could be the reason why America is not in Bible prophecy. I wrote about this EMP danger in 2006. Now almost 4 years later the danger is growing and still very little has been done to insure that the people of the United States could survive an EMP. If you think the EMP danger is not a real threat, read what commissioned experts said before the Senate in a 2004 hearing on the EMP threat. Very little has been done since that report. Vital infrastructures are still not protected from a EMP event.
So there is a real possibility that one day you will wake up and find out that you are in an extended black out. What would you do? What are you now doing to prepare for such an event. Did God guarantee Christians an interrupted supply of electricity? One might see how suddenly God could judge this nation by just allowing this to happen. Within days social order would break down in the mass panic to acquire food, water and energy.
I have to admit that I have done little to prepare for this very real danger myself even though I wrote about it. My excuse is that several physical changes of location has made preparations for such an event nearly impossible for me. I do know that this EMP threat is a very real possibility within the next decade. It is probably more likely than not. Experts have said the same thing. However, people in California also know that the big earthquake is coming soon but they still live as if it will never come. Ancient Israel thought judgment would not come upon their generation even after being told it would by prophets of God. I guess it is just human nature to believe that disaster always falls on someone else.
Anyway, I plan to do more preparation as soon as I can figure out what it is that I should do. That is where you people that are preparing come in. We need to hear a preparedness discussion on what you are doing to prepare for the aftermath of an EMP attack. Or for that matter anything that might bring about civil disorder in this nation. Even an economic collapse would bring that. What do you think Christians should be doing to prepare for the inevitable decline or fall of this nation?
Now don’t just tell us that God will provide because you choose to continue to live in Laodicean apathy on your own secure hill top while the enemy is climbing the cliff that you think protects your rear end (true story of Laodicea). There were also believers in the land of Israel that were taken captive to Babylon when Israel fell. If God takes his hand of protection off of America it is not going to be pleasant for Christians living here either. Therefore, lets have a preparedness discussion from those that are actually doing or contemplating doing some survival preparations.
What preparedness have you done for the aftermath of an EMP and what advice do you have to help others survive an EMP attack?
I think a majority of people in America would die from famine. Who grows enough food to live on these days besides farmers? How can you stop someone breaking into your house for food? I would say one of the first things for survival would be a gun.
What makes you think that farmers have food to live on? Most only have a raw product..
If there was a civil breakdown you would need more than a gun to protect stashes of food. In the cities you would need a small army to keep out the looting gangs.
It would seem to me an EMP would set our society back 150 years. So what are the things they did to survive and live in those times? Problem is NO ONE is prepared to do that. Even then though they needed grocery and dry goods and trading posts.
I’m only 45 and was raised on a farm, though I no longer live there, and I would like to think my family could be self sustaining at least for a little while. At risk of sounding a little cheesey, my grandfather taught me to live off the land.
I would think that you are at least going to have to know how to kill and butcher certain animals. Also how to store and preserve certain foods. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been taught those things.
Another thing just struck me. I live in Amish country in PA. While I do admit the Amish aren’t always as portrayed in media they are kinda living in the mid nineteenth century. Perhaps a study of their lifestyle is in order. I mean where are you going to go when you need a buggy for transportation.
Point taken about the cities. Those places are going to be Mad Max scenarios. It WILL spread out from there. While I would agree guns surely wouldn’t hurt, your going to need lots of them when folks find out you have what they want.
First, those that are considering this type of scenario for the first time….DON’T PANIC. More time and money is wasted because of panic and anxiety than any other endeavor if you let your imagination get the best of you.
Next, simply do not waste time and resources. Consider all recreational hours and dollars as opportunities to educate yourself and to acquire the skills and experience that it will take to get along in the future.
Then, assess your resources….water, food, power, heat, basic defense, etc….All are important, but unique to each individual and location. Start small, put up a few gallons of backup water and few extra cans of FOOD THAT YOU LIKE when it is on sale. Go through each necessity and slowly, methodically build your rainy day supplies so that you will never be in the mob raiding the grocery store for any disaster.
Develop a unique skill set, one that 80 years ago would have been common. Learn to garden, cook with wood, and make things with your hands with simple tools. One that is overlooked; learn what is native in your area that the indigenous tribes ate before Mac & Cheese hit the shelves.
Finally, because it is late… consider relocating to somewhere where life is a little slower, neighbors still talk to each other even if it means you can’t afford the big screen TV and McDonald’s every day. Friends and neighbors are going to be critical to your survival no matter how prepared that you are.
There are tons of resources on the net, be aware that there is an industry built on scaring people into making unwise choices with their money for prepping. PREPARE! but, do so prayerfully, then methodically for you will be the ones to educate and help those around you when any disaster strikes. God Bless us all!
PS…keep for lips shut about your activities, even people you might think would understand, will think you have lost it….especially is you cite EMP as an example of what could happen.
Thanks Marvin,
All that sounds like excellent advise to me. Having a needed skill is probably the best perpetration for anything in life.
Don and all those interested;
Might I suggest going to those who are far, far ahead of us in their preparedness strategies?? (At least for survival strategies) The Mormons. You don’t have to accept their beliefs, but you had better admit their preparedness strategies are much better than most! A gal named Holly Deyo puts out a book entitled “Dare To Prepare”. I don’t have it (yet), but it looks pretty good. A website “ldsavow” has a preparedness manual for the LDS folks. PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! DO NOT be ugly with these folks if you disagree with them on beliefs!! DO learn from them and all of their research. Nuclear War Survival Skills” is available on the web from ki4u (I think) and in print form from different sources. (Such as Oregon Institute of/for Science and Medicine; OISM. (As I remember it.) NWSS mentions a ORNL (Oak Ridge National Laboratories) publication entitled “Maintaining Nutritional Adequacy During A Prolonged Food Crisis” It costs about $70 from NTIS (National Technical Information Service). I am working to have it released on the internet.
If you live in the city, have a place to go. If you live in the country, have a plan for
Safe drinking water. Steady supply.
Supplies of food. LOTS!!!!
Shelter suitable for your regional climate.
Clothing
A strategy for health needs I.E. the books “Where there is no doctor” “Where there is no dentist”
A good relationship with your maker; You may be meeting him in person sooner than anticipated should this take place.
You best know how to garden, butcher livestock and game, and be self sufficient for the large part. Means to cook and preserve produce and foods. “Cookin’ With Home Storage” by Vicki Tate is a good recepie book.
You best be prepared to protect what you have, and have a plan to share with, help out, and work cooperatively with others. No man is an island.
Marvin and Ken have excellent advice; as for farmers….. a discussion with a (farm) neighbor from where I work YESTERDAY tells me most of them have a plan and the skills to get by very nicely if / when something like this should take place.
There is also a 2007 -or- 2008 (updated) study on (effects of) EMP. Search the archives on World Net Daily (wnd.com) to find the link for it.
Lastly, remember “If God doesn’t see fit to save us, there probably isn’t much save for us”
Be Well
P.S.
The links included in the onesecondafter.com website on preparing for EMP have some good information, as I remember it.
Wheat Montana sells hard red spring wheat in 50 lb bags for around $30 or so. Retzell (in Idaho) used to sell a modified Corona hand (corn) mill fitted with stone burrs for grinding wheat. “The Whole Truth” sells Corona hand (corn) mills for a VERY low price. A local grain buyer sells cleaned, dried (shelled) bagged field corn for $5.50 a (bushel) bag; (55 lbs). The local chain stores have periodic sales on canned goods. Vitamin “C” can be purchased in crystaline form (See “Scurvey”). Multivitamins, cheap ones, are pretty cost effective.
Here in Michigan, edible beans ( Navy, Black, Kidney, Pinto, Cranberry, Small Red, Azuki, Great Northern, and Yellow Eye) can be purchased in bags from 25 lb up to the two ton (I believe) bags that seed are shipped in. Cookbooks are available from the Michigan Bean Commision. Try michiganbean.org.
Lehman’s hardware in Kidron Ohio (Amish country) sells all manner of wonderful nonelectric devices. Yes, they have a website.
Shall I go on? Is anyone interested in more??
Dave, certain people will always be interested in where to find these things. If they are not reading this blog or responding now keep in mind that this post will be available and will probably be findable by key word search for years.
I will add a link of my own that deals with many survival issues
http://www.survivalblog.com/
Don, I have been reading your posts for some time but never have responded. I personally feel that freeze dried food would be a better choice for many if not most people. First of all it is difficult to store large sacks of wheat, grain, etc. Then there is the process of grinding for flour and making your own bread. Much labor is involved and our time might be used better elsewhere. If you store water, which we all should then you simply add water to any freeze dried food and have a tasty and nutritious meal. Freeze dried food also has a shelf life of about 25 years! Remember when there are no services, even your pest control guy is out of comission, the rodents will become more numerous and start to invade your food supplies. Also, mold and bug infestations will be a problem. I don’t think it is realistic to think that everyone should be able to butcher, skin and dry their own meat. God gave us the technology to have these foods available. We should take advantage of it. Thank you humbly for listening.
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for your contribution. I tend to agree. Any dried food is good.
I personally think the best way to go about preparing for any kind of food shortage emergency is just to have a well stocked pantry. In other words just buy extra from the supermarket of whatever you eat that will keep for a few years and then rotate them as you use them so that nothing in the pantry is more than a couple of years old.
Also learn to grow and can your own food. I believe the Amish always have more than a years supply of canned food on hand in case they have a bad growing season one year. A couple of years supply of many food products can be grown on a 50 x 30′ garden plot and a small fruit tree orchard.
Hi again,
Does anyone know if solar power would be affected by an EMP attack? We are thinking about investing in them. Thanks in advance for any advice.
Michelle;
As I understand it, a successful EMP attack would induce up to fifty to seventy five thousand volts per meter (39 inches) of conductor (wire). I cannot speak for the solar power array itself, but many things “downstream” electrically just won’t handle that so well. Especially if it is solid state, semiconductor, or printed circuitry.
From links in the “one second after” track down information from a person named Jerry Emanualson, as I remember it. He is pretty sharp on EMP understanding.
http://www.futurescience.com/emp/emp-protection.html
Try that; see if it helps
Dave
P.S. Michelle;
As a youngster, our family had a hand cranked mill, wheat, and such. Dad grew up in Montana high plains wheat country. That I know- freeze dried is so far unexplored by me. We people usually revert to what we are familiar with, just human nature. Keep that in mind if ever….
Can you enlighten me on the freeze dried stuff; any personal experience??
There’s two threats from an EMP. One is exposure to the direct pulse. Any metallic structure not shielded from the EMP by a Faraday cage (metal enclosure with a ground wire) or else shadowed by the terrain such as behind a hill or underground would experience induced voltage and current due to the EMP. For things like a solar cell, the induced voltage would likely be enough to burn out the cell unless it was protected in a Faraday cage (wrap it in bubble wrap and then enclose it in aluminum foil and then ground the aluminum foil).
The second threat from an EMP is the voltage spike induced in the power grid. The power grid will be a great antenna for the EMP radiation. The weird thing about an EMP is its exceedingly fast voltage rise time. It goes from zero to max voltage in almost a step function. The voltage change is so fast that the surge suppressors on power strips cannot respond fast enough. The EMP goes right through the suppressor and burns out whatever is on the other side, so anything connected to the grid is going to be toast.
FWIW,
James J
The scenario in Don’s article is very specific to a nuclear weapon generated HEMP (High-Altitude Electro-Magetic Pulse) event over the central United States. An event of this type would of necessity have to occur at least 300 miles in altitude and almost directly overhead of Topeka, Kansas. This altitude is higher than the International Space Station and most low earth orbiting satellites.
The weapon yield would have to be that of a realtively small, say 10kT (kiloton), pure fission warhead. Large yield weapons are not as effective in producing a disabling EMP. This is known through the results of the 1.44MT (Megaton) Starfish Prime test conducted in 1962. The Starfish weapon was a W49 thermonuclear warhead which was detonated over the central Pacific Ocean at an atlitude of 250 miles.
No nation on earth is capable of a successful EMP strike of this type except for the United States – and it took us several attempts to get it right. Therefore I think a more plausible scenario would be the threat posed by a pair of Iranian IRBMs, one launched from a non-descript freighter just west of the Strait of Gibraltar and the other a little west of Hawaii. The eastern warhead would detonate over the mid-Atlantic Coast and the other off the coast of northern California at an atitude about 120 miles. The overlapping EMP would cover virtually 95% of the lower 48 states.
How to prepare? There is only one way. That’s the faraday cage mentioned by James J. above. If it is electronic, solid state and you want it to work after such an EMP strike, then it must be placed within the electromagnetic shield created by an earth-gounded faraday cage. Any metal enclosure will do, even some kind of metal mesh wire. I know some folks who’ve turned their gargage at home into an effective faraday cage.
Sean
Hi Sean, I think today’s computers can do the simulations so doing the actual tests are not as critical as the 60’s. I think Russia and possibly China do have the capability. As you know Russia even hinted that they had that capability.
The pulse would occur along the line of sight so the weapon would have to get high enough in space so that if a person was on the rocket he would see most of the US.
Having said that, I do think a coordinated attack from the west and east coast at lower altitude like Sean describes is the major threat from Iran or from terrorist acquired nuclear weapons from whomever. Even if only one were successful it would effectively cripple the nation for many months. One half of the nation would have to use all of its resources to restore order in the other half of the nation.
A Faraday cage would protect your own electronics but that would not be the solution for people surviving the aftermath of any extended blackout.
Hi Don,
I agree, computer sims of weapons yield, orbital trajectories and warhead re-entry are quite accurate. However, this is offset our orbiting capability to detect a missile launch (ballistic or cruise) which is equally if not more advanced and observed real-time 24/7/365. While Russia or the ChiCom;s could technically execute such a strike – unlike the Iranian Shi’a regime – they are not prone executing a jihad-linked suicide of themselves or their entire nation. I’ve yet to see a deterence policy annouced specifically with Iran in mind which unambiguously spells out what happens to Iran should they embark on such a suicide mission.
A full-size or garage-size faraday cage can house a commerically available diesel power generator. Got an extra room in the basement? It’s also a full-sze faraday cage waiting to happen. A diesel generator can power all sorts of necessities, such as foodstuff or medicinal supply refrigeration/freezing; re-chargeable NiCad or Lithium batteries for hand-held tools, (flashlights, drills and tools of every discription), hand-held two-way radio communications sets, a hot water heater, electric range and mircowave ovens for food preparation. It can even be used on occasion to entertain children who might otherwise be overcome by the reality of the situation. The only requirement is a good supply of quality diesel fuel – say 30-45 days worth. The home barbeque grill can also be used for heating and cooking, extra tanks of propane gas should be stocked and stored accordingly. There are umpteen ways those who prepare for any worst case scenario will be well ahead of the curve. It should be common practice in every American household to have preps in order to withstand and survive a Katrina-like event for at least one month. The longer the merrier. It also goes without saying that every household should have a US Army Special Forces or UK SAS Medical Handbook and Survival Guide, they’re available all over the internet or at the local Army-Navy store. God helps those who help themselves.
Sean
Sean
For the reasons you state I also do not see Russia or China attacking the United States this decade.
The garage-sized Faraday cage with diesel etc. is good advice for the few that will actually do it.
I think God actually helps those who place their trust in Him. On the other hand, I also do not see preparing for emergencies and the absence of electricity as any lack of faith as some others might claim. I think the following proverb applies.
Pr 22:3 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
This post is intended to show the likelihood of an EMP happening over the US in the next year or two.
My prophetic scenario has the day of Jacob’s trouble happening significantly long enough before 2032 that when the Antichrist comes to Israel that he will find it a peaceful place. He finds “unwalled villages” “that are at rest” and with inhabitants that “dwell safely” in Israel and those that “dwell safely all of them” (Ezek 38:8-12). That is not the condition in Israel before the day of Jacob’s trouble. Jer 30:5 describes the time before that day as a time of bad news causing trembling and fear and not bringing peace. The Psalmist says of this time, “Thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head…[and] said, Come, and let us cut them off from [being] a nation” (Ps 83:3-5). The troubled time before the day of Jacob’s trouble is not the same as the time of peace that Israel experiences at the end of the age.
The day of Jacob’s trouble is a time when Israel has adversaries that devour her and spoil her (Jer 30:16). The nations attack Israel, and will rush against Israel like the roaring of many waters, but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee afar off (Isa 17:12-13). The list of nations arrayed against Israel reads like a headline of today’s newspaper (Ps 83:2-8), including Assur (Assyria/Iran, Isa 10:5-6). The scriptures say that these nations attack Israel (Ps 83:12, Isa 17:12-13, Isa 10:24), and are permanently defeated (Isa 10:27, Jer 30:16, Isa 17:3, Ps 83:9-10).
Because I see these scriptures pointing to an attack on Israel by the Assyrians (Iranians) in the near future (there has to be time for peace in Israel before 2032), then I ask myself, if I was Iran and planned to attack Israel as the prophets say they will, what would my strategy be? As Don has pointed out, there is very little except maybe Isa 18 that speaks of America at the end times, so clearly America has to be destroyed before Jesus comes. Since Iran would expect retaliation for nuking Israel, why not take out the Great Satan at the same time and try to do as much damage as you can before they hit you back? What better way to do this than with an EMP? It is quick, takes down the whole long-term American war capability, and it cannot be defended against.
If you can detonate even a prototype nuclear weapon, you can produce an EMP. You just need to get it 20-200 miles up and set it off. You could even get the lower end of this altitude range with a high-altitude balloon, but Iran has test fired Scud missles from ships that could certainly get that high. A ship off the east coast and one off the west coast with near simultaneous launches would instantly set the US back to the 1820s. I don’t see anything particularly difficult in that scenario. Iran has the missiles. They have the guidance systems. They have tested the triggers. They just need enough nuclear materials to make a few bombs.
There was a high-altitude test in the Pacific in the early 60s that was set off at an altitude of about 250 miles. It shorted out street lights and electronics in Honolulu 750 miles away. The EMP from that test caused damage in the days before there were any solid state electronics. Because of the pervasiveness of digital electronics and their vulnerability to an EMP, the same test today would send Honolulu back to the Iron Age.
I agree that America will largely be taken out of the picture before the time of Jacob’s trouble. An EMP is just one of several ways it could occur.
I also am not sure that Iran does not already have the nuclear material from a secret program or has acquired the nuclear material from Pakistan, N Korea or even black markets in Russia. North Korea had two different programs going on and only told us about one until recently. Syria is also obviously dabbling with getting nuclear material and was the reason for the recent air strike by Israel. Iraq was very close to a nuclear weapons before our first invasion and our intelligence was off on that.
We know what they want us to know or that we find out but we don’t know what we don’t know.
I’m not so sure America is removed from the world scene by an EMP. In fact I highly doubt it.
I think America is not specifically mentioned in Bible prophecy because it is rolled up into the Kingdom of the Antichrist – America is one of the 10 crowns upon the head of the beast that Revelation talks about. The global elite, the “Global Oligarchy” as I refer to them, would be absolute fools to allow the destruction of American power. Lunatic thinking. I believe they plan to absorb the US into their dominion and inherit the overwhleming power which comes along as a part of the whole package. In the aftermath of the Harpazo, I think this scenario carries a ton of weight.
Moreover, if the EU or MU is all that the Antichrist has at the outset of Daniel’s 70th Week, then his overwhleming military power makes absolutely no sense. However, if one adds even the residual combat power of America to that of the EU or MU, well, as I see it — now you’re talkin’!!!
Good point, Sean. The rest of the world is dependent on the US economy whether it’s from holding trillions of dollars for oil trading or bank loans for homes that are for people who can’t afford them. Look at Dubai for instance. I was over there in 2008 and business was great. Now they’re over their heads in debt.
But who really knows?
Sean, That might be since we really do not know if the ten kings rule over ten nations, ten Roman Empire zones or ten world zones. All have been suggested by Bible prophecy teachers. You would have to be assuming that the “Global Oligarchy” now has total control of all the enemies of the West to assume that they would not allow an EMP on America. I doubt that they have control at this point.
In any case, I do not think global power will be any problem at all for the Antichrist in the great tribulation with or without America since he will have all the power of Satan and his angels at his disposal.
This man will be like God to the world and have the forces of the Abyss..
But all this speculation is getting a little off topic for this post.
Don,
I think we can know the answer to the “ten kings.” I believe the answer lies within in the angelic interpretation given to Daniel of the fourth beast and the ten kings which come from it. The fourth beast is Rome, and the ten horns are ten kings who will come from Rome. This is expressed literally in Daniel 7:23-25.
“”He gave me this explanation: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.”
Notice that last sentence also. It equates to the Antichrist having absolute power for three and one-half years (42 months). The angelic interpreation given to Daniel is precisely repeated in Revelation 13:5. Antichrist is given absolute power (indwelt bt Satan) for 42 months.
But Daniel’s 70th Week is twice that long, it is two 42 month periods. And the 70th Week begins with the Antichrist confirming a covenant among many for those seven years.
And I think this prophecy is just precisely as literal as any God-breathed prophecy can be.
For the first 42 months of Daniel’s 70th Week the Antichrist is a great world leader, a peacemaker, who following the ravages of the wars of Isaiah 17 & Psalm 83 and then Ezekiel 38/39 (where Islam is all but destroyed). In this new world paradigm Antichrist becomes the leader of a great confederation of individual nations – nations descended from Rome – and America is the great “melting pot” of all those European nations. The same can be said for the whole of the Western Hemisphere in fact – the young lions spoken of in Ezekiel 38:13 – the young lions of Tarshish (great European sea-faring nations, descendants of Rome – who are in league at that time with Sheba and Dedan – which is basically the whole of the Arabian Peninsula.
But, I go too far off topic. Getting back to the fate of America, perhaps some US cities do get nuked during the brief war of Ezekiel 38/39. Then again maybe some expositors are correct and Isaiah 18 is a prophecy about the US. It speaks of a sudden destruction, like a severe pruning in the fall, and a mass of people flee for the wilds and for a full year (a summer and a winter) some perish as food for birds and wild beasts. But immediately thereafter they bring a present for the Lord to Jerusalem (Mt. Zion).
Whatever transpires, I don’t believe much time will need to pass before we see these events begin like a flood, in rapid seccession and progression. The entire Middle East is well primed to ignite.
I agree, I think the ten kings rule 10 zones of the Roman Empire (EU & MU). Back when the EEC formed eschatologists thought they would be 10 Western European nations but that is not likely anymore and that part of Europe was only a portion of the old Roman Empire.. So I think when we see ten zones with ten leaders in the area of the old Roman Empire we can know the time is very short..
I think Isaiah 18 could be talking about the US but that of course is conjecture. I believe if it is talking about the United States it could be pre-trib. The wording in the passage suggests a great loss of life all over the nation and a national restoration. The gift could be the millions of Jews returning to Israel. I can see that happening as a result of an EMP and/or a civil war. The United States might be totally out of the prophetic picture because the American people are licking their own wounds through most of end time events. Guess we will not have long to find out.
I’ve been wanting to write a fictional short story or novel about this sort of event and the broken structure that would remain for people to survive in. I understand some on the effects of an EMP strike to our nation, but am probably still considered clueless.
I haven’t started to write, but I’ve been brainstorming about possible actions the main character(s) could take in order to reach some destination, person, object (I’m withholding on what the main point and goal will be besides staying alive long enough to achive it)
I’ve commented here seeking help/infomation, since this has been the most promising site I’ve found:
1) how could you get a vehicle to run after such attack? (push start a stick?)
2) what electronics could survive or could be made that would be useful?
3) How do you think people will react to such event? (people from a city? suburb? country town?)
4) What would our government/military do to recover? (long term and short term)
— All previous comments have helped me tons. Thanks!
P.S. if this EMP strike was caused by a nuclear device, what would happen with the radiation?
I thought of writing a novel about the aftermath of an EMP over the U.S. myself but I would have to give up everything I am doing to do it and by the time I wrote it and it got it published there is a good chance that it will have already happened.
Others are certainly free to give their own input but here is what I think about your questions.
1. I do not think getting vehicles to start will be the big problem. The big problem will be getting gas or diesel to run vehicles.
2. The survivability of electronics depends on the strength of the EMP, where you are located, if there is any shielding, if the devices are turned on, and many other factors. I would expect some if not most electronics to survive. It is the damage to the power generators and the large transformers that concern me the most. There is no way to manufacture replacements in short order and it is the loss of electricity that will continue to cripple surviving or repaired electronics.
3. I think there will be riots and looting in all the big cities followed by police/military occupation (martial law). Some inner cities will be held by gangs for quite a while and will be war zones. I also expect martial law, distribution centers, recruitment and forced work camps to be set up in some of the better suburbs. Everything will be rationed and everyone will be told what to do. What happens in country towns really depends on the disposition of the locals. I think the Jericho TV series was not unlike what it will be like.
4. I would expect our military forces to be withdrawn from the world to deal with the disorder at home. I also think in short order there will be resistance against what will then become a tyrannical police state. I think the outcome eventually will mean civil war and the breakup of the Union.
Nuclear fallout from one or a few small nuclear bombs detonated more than a hundred miles over the U.S. will not be a problem.
Having said all that, who really knows how it will all play out? Perhaps everyone will act like Christians and pull together 😆 But you have literary license to make your novel to come out the way you want.
Don, there are two damaging effects from an EMP. One is absorption of the emitted electromagnetic radiation where the electronic circuits essentially act like an antenna. It does not take very much absorbed radiation to burn out microcircuits due to excessive induced current that melts the circuits. That is what will happen in cars. The computers burn out. EMP does not have nearly so severe an effect on analog, though it is possible that a strong EMP could burn out points and condensers in old cars. The electronics in almost all new cars will be fried. All cell phones will be fried.
The other effect is from a voltage spike that comes in on the electric feed to the house. The electric grid itself acts as an antenna, and the spike that comes in is too fast for power strips to react. The surge will pass right through a surge protector to any electronics plugged in to the grid. They had underground cables in Russia that were hundreds of miles away from the blast that got burned out due to this transmission effect.
In the late 60s there was a high altitude nuclear test in the Pacific. The feds lit off a nuke at 300 miles up. It burned out streetlights in Honolulu 700 miles away. If Honolulu had digital electronics back then, it probably all would have been fried. The problem is that the smaller the form factor in a printed circuit, the less current the circuit can carry without overheating or arcing. It either melts or arcs and destroys the circuit. It’s like you touched a circuit board with a static charge. The charge doesn’t hurt you, but it will sure fry a circuit board. An EMP will induce such a high current and voltage that it will fry most every printed circuit instantly, unless it was specifically desigend to resist an EMP, and no civilian equipment is designed that way for cost reasons. The stuff we have now would be fried if we had one of the major class solar flares that induce magntic storms in the earth’s magntic field. Back in the 1800s we had one that burned out analog telegraph lines. A flare of that magnitude today would send us back to the 1800s technology wise. There would be no gas, and millions will starve.
The US military tests its equipment on a wooden trestle out in NM. They run a piece of equipment or an airplane out over a canyon on the trestle and hit it with an EMP generated by a capacitor bank. They almost always find problems even on stuff that is supposed to be built to withstand EMPs.
FWIW,
JamesJ
James,
What you said is true. But I think the nuclear device would have be very well designed and very well placed, and the atmospheric conditions would have to be just right across the whole line of sight to fry most electronics. I am not sure that would be the case especially from a second rate power like Iran or N Korea. There also will be some electronics that have passive protection, for example those in a mountain valley or that are on the other side of the mountain from the direction of the EMP.
Your also right about a major solar flare but a solar ejection would have to be directed at the earth and it would not have the same effect all over the earth due to some protection from the earth’s magnetic field and which side of the earth took the main hit.
I think computer boards on most modern cars could be fried after an EMP but I also think a good mechanic could get the vehicle to run somewhat inefficiently after doing some modifications. No matter anyway, there won’t be any fuel available for the vehicles.
God bless you for your site and for your faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Most people do not know the reason for prophecy and its many benefits. Why does prophecy exist, is it just to tell the future so we can know what is going to happen? Well that is a benefit but not the reason for prophecy. There are so many widely differing views on end-times by so many people it is confusing unless you are rooted and grounded in the word of God. We commit ourselves to the Lord and to His direction. That said, we can still pull a thread (verse) from the tapestry (bible) and misapply it and presto you have false teaching. So be careful.
From my reading of the word no nuclear missile hits Israel and there is no Palestinian state within Israel. America is probably not in prophecy. I say probably because of the interpretation and the location of the word Tarshish in Ezekiel 38:13. You may remember that Tarshish was the place that Jonah tried to flee to instead of going to Nineveh. If Tarshish is England then the U.S. might be perceived as being one of the young lions thereof along with countries such as Canada and Australia. The problem is that Tarshish may be Spain and if that is the case then no, America is not in prophecy at all.
If America is not in prophecy then what happened to us? Did we join a United States of Europe? Did we financially implode, was it an EMP attack? What ever it is that may come our way we as a nation seem ripe for judgment from God. We have killed over 50 million babies since our country made abortion legal in 1973 and we export our culture in a most perverse way around the world. Despite assurances from our president abortion is still a feature of the new health care bill and we all will be paying for abortions with our tax dollars. We live with many blessings of convenience and abundance but we have forgotten where all this comes from. Most people who would condemn what I have said here have no idea that God does judge the nations.
I agree that with hearts of faith and not fear we prepare for the likely hard times ahead and that would be to help others and not to be standing over a food pile with a rifle ready to shoot anyone who comes too close. God forbid that we should come to that.
Simple preparations can be made such as buying a little extra food whenever you go to the grocery store. Look into buying freeze dried food for your pantry. If you have some land put in an extra large vegetable garden. Learn how to do your own canning and can some of what you produce. Buy extra lids for the canning jars for the next season’s garden too. It might be wise if you fish or you live near a river to learn how to fish (something i need to do, but I’m reading up on it) buy extra rods, reels, line and lures.
Maybe the more people who are prepared the less impact an EMP or other disaster will affect our communities.
God bless all of you as you seek to grow in Christ.
Robert Alan
An EMP fits perfectly into how come America wouldn’t fit into Bible prophecy as a significant player.
I am no expert on this but I think, while an EMP is a possibility, I think it could be something much more subtle than an EMP strike…that could take down the U.S…like the loss of the dollar as the World Reserve Currency and/or the possible civil wars in our country…especially if the Islamic Tsunami “Sharia” gets a foothold in the U.S.
David,
I give a half of dozen ways America could fall from superpower status in my Imminent Danger Series but the Islamic Tsunami “Sharia” is not one of them because Sharia is not about to be established in the United States except perhaps in a few Muslim enclaves. It certainly will not be large scale in the United States because Muslims make up less than 1 percent of the population and over half of that one percent would not want to be under Sharia Law. We have a much better chance of falling because of the ongoing perversion of our Christian based laws.
Don,
It wouldn’t be necessary to have a single EMP over the US. Most of our population is concentrated along the coasts. If a cargo ship launched a relatively short range missile like a SCUD up to about 200 miles, it would take out the East or West Coast. Two simultaneous launches would take out both coasts. If somebody wanted to put icing on the cake, they could launch another one in the Gulf. Taking out the coasts would mess up the distribution systems, manufacturing, transportation, the power grid, and government. I think there would be plenty of gas at first for the few cars still running. There would be millions of disabled cars, but it does not last over a couple of years without going bad unless you use something like StaBil to stabilize the fuel. Diesel lasts longer.
You are right about passive shielding. Some cars in protected locations in concrete parking garages or in basements might survive.
I am not so sure the device has to be so sophisticated. If it is small enough to be carried in a missile that can get up to 100-200 miles, it is probably good enough. The EMP is produced from the Compton effect in the atmosphere, and that responds to the radiation from the bomb no matter how sophisticated it might or might not be. Of course, the bomb has to be sophisticated enough to go off, otherwise, there is no Compton effect.
Thanks for the thread.
James,
I agree but under that scenario there would have to be three ships, three SCUDs, three nukes, and three intelligence chiefs with their heads up their butts. I guess it’s possible under this administration but it still gets difficult to find three double jointed intelligence chiefs that are pin heads.
Well, Don, I don’t think the chief is on our team. I think he is thinking we need to thin the herd and get rid of the nations with their nationalism. IMO, he is supporting Iran, and Iran has made it clear they intend to destroy the US and Israel. IMO, that is where our EMP will come from in concert with the Iranian alliance’s attack (Ps 83) on Israel. IMO, the unrest in the Middle East that got rid of our allies in Tripoli, Egypt, and Yemen was aided and abetted by the intelligence agencies. They will turn a blind eye to the preps for an EMP because it is part of their plan. After it’s over, they intend to own everything that’s left: the gold, the land, and any people that survive.
James
James,
Of course you do know that what you believe is all conspiracy nonsense? How anyone can believe that everyone in our intelligence agencies is part of a vast conspiracy to destroy America is beyond me? You insult the dedicated people that work for America and some that I have worked with. With your attitude about Americans we really have to wonder about your own loyalties to America. By the way, Iran is not mentioned as being in the Psalm 83 attack. It is a Arab Confederacy that attacks Israel and Iranians are not Arabs.
What’s the possibility that simultaneous nukes are detonated at different altitudes, to reduce their margin of error? That could be a clever thing to do if they don’t know at what altitude the fission will work best at producing the induced current. But I wonder if the currents would add or subtract from each other…
I spent 24 years in the Air Force, much of it as a combat crew member. I work for a government contractor. I could be wrong about the conspiracy, but my heart is definitely for America. I don’t think our leadership is, and I think the CIA is corrupted. You have no grounds to question my patriotism. I resent it.
This is the kind of stuff that makes writing to these boards so hard. People jump to conclusions, and if your view is not exactly like the OPs, then you are the enemy. That is not what Jesus said in Lk 9:50.
Ps 83:8 says, “Assyria also has joined with them; They have helped the children of Lot. Selah”
Assyria took in the territory and people that is now Iran, Iraq and Syria.
James
James,
Then you should know better. It is one thing to be concerned about the Communists that have infiltrated some of our government and it is another thing to broad-brush most people that are working in intelligence agencies as being in a conspiracy together to destroy America. That is a big insult to these American patriots.
I have grounds to question your patriotism when you are attacking fellow Americans. It is not Chinese or Iranians that are manning those intelligence agencies, they are manned by Americans just like you and many of them are Christian Americans.
Obviously this Alex Jones conspiracy stuff is what gets you banned from boards and blogs. By the way, if you’re working for a government contractor you better not repeat this stuff to them.
You have it wrong. Iran is not part of Assyria and is not mentioned in Psalm 83.
http://www.keyway.ca/htm2002/ancassy.htm
JamesJ
“If a cargo ship launched a relatively short range missile like a SCUD up to about 200 miles”
Not being a student of military or missiles I ask the question with a genuine desire for clarification.
Would a relatively short range SCUD do the trick to an altitude of 200 miles; gravitation pull and all that?
I guess the payload wouldn’t be all that big but it seems to take an awfully big rocket to clear the earth’s influence
It would take a very big rocket to get to 200 miles. Probably the most beefed up SCUD’s can only attain an altitude of about 100 miles but two or three nukes 100 miles up on the coasts would probably do what it takes to knock out our infrastructure.
New to this site hello all! Just curious if anyone had knowledge to enlighten me about the effects of emp on older cb radios? I would like to have some backup source of communication no matter how short of range it might have to add to my stock of supplies. Im not nuch into the techie jargon of electronics so keep it simple for me please. I read that older model electronics dont have quite the issues as newer models when the emp is added in the mix.
Thanks for advice and recommendations!
I believe the leading cause of death will not be starvation, actually. I believe the leading cause of death will be two things in fact. One will be the fact that America won’t be online anymore. Hospitals and nursing homes for example. They will be off-line. People who are having surgery done? Gone. People on a venelator? Dead. What about people in ICU’s? or elderly people in the nursing homes that depend on oxygen. They’re also dead and gone with in a few days.
Also, the fact of disease. We won’t have the needed SANITARY equipment to help people. Even if we did, we depens on daily shipments. Maybe weekly shipments. The trucks that delivered the goods? Stalled somewhere on the interstate. We will be sent back to times where something as minor as a paper cut can cause infection and death with in a month… if they’re lucky.
Hi Maija,
Thanks for your input,
I think what you are really saying is that many people will not have time to starve to death. In that I will agree.
Don,
Thanks for your service on this site. The articles are needed in this day. I am taking your warnings seriously and added a few more items on my survival list that I found on your list in a related article. I also have oil and gas for my chainsaw on the list. Emergency candles and oil lamps should also be a priority. Heirloom seeds are also a great idea as you have mentioned. Keep in mind, as a general rule, the larger the seed the longer it lasts. Beans and corn would be good. you can dry beans and would not have to can as much. I lucky, my parents have an old wood-burning stove/oven that is in great shape. We use it from time to time for fun. My main goal when this goes down is to get to my parents farm. We can grow pretty much anything we need (my parents have always had a garden). Also, they have wood heaters and fireplaces, so we can stay warm in winter with a working chainsaw. Also, have rifles and shotguns for game. I have already aquired several Bibles and conservative commentaries, so I can teach my young children (and anyone else) until the rapture. Again, thank you for your website. I don’t trust many sites, but yours has been a blessing. Also, thanks to everyone that posts comments. It is comforting to know I’m not alone in thinking very hard times are ahead. Hopefully when this goes down, we will still be able to comunicate on this site. Then if folks are in trouble, we can try to help. I think of my parents farm (in rural Mississippi) as a safe haven for Christians in a worst case senario. We can ban together and work together to survive. It should be somewhat isolated from the feds. Heck, even when Katrina hit, we were overlooked.
I have not read all the posts so I hope I am not repeating. We built off grid 11 years ago and started doing installs for others.
After that I believe in providing for myself, I realize I cannot provide all my families needs because I do not have the time. That being said my comments are from the upper midwest with cold winters.
Plant Apple trees, most will keep from fall until March(if not canned), add everberring strawberries, they start producing in Late May earlie June.
Potatoes are great for energy and it does not take great soil to grow them and they also keep well in a root cellar with no fridge. Same for Carrots, beets, galic, I grow enough on 2 acres to feed three families if I had the time to take care of it.
Seed Savers from Dechora Iowa is a great place to get open pollinated garden seeds. You can keep you own seeds and never have to buy them again. Also have a lot of free info about seed saving and avoiding cross pollination.
I look at it this way, even if nothing ever happens I keep more of my own money in my pocket, low food bills no electric, water or sewer bill. If something does happen I am better off than most and maybe able to help some of my friends and relatives.
Way more info but do not want to bore people.
God bless
Friz,
Thanks, here in the Ozarks Sweet potatoes are easy to grow and they will last until the next season.