[Parker]

I've recently learned about the potential of either an EMP bomb (electromagnetic pulse bomb), or a significant solar flare, to totally disrupt our society by completely disrupting our power grid for a very long period of time. It would eliminate all electrical power, so NO communications or operating cars or refrigerators or water/sewage treatment plants or food distribution or medicines or deliveries of anything to anywhere.

Reportedly, this is entirely possible, by either a normal action of the sun or by an EMP bomb set off in the atmosphere over mid-America. Such a bomb exists and is available to unfriendly irresponsible countries who only need launching capabilities.

My question is, what would you do in this event? I'm thinking many of us would die in a very short period of time. I'm also thinking that this is a forum of well-educated, bright people who know things. Please enlighten me.

[Gulfhills]

I remember reading a book a few years ago about surviving the economic collapse in Argentina. Can't remember the name of the book, but it was written from first hand experience.

Being prepared is always wise. I myself would stock up on non perishable foods, medicine, cash, etc etc. Almost like you would for a hurricane, but for a longer period of time. Would love to have a ham radio.

Hopefully this would never happen, I'm too old to survive long....LOL....

[xkeowner]

Current technology EMP bombs would only directly impact all electronics/electrical items in a relatively small radius of probably less than 10 miles. If you were inside that radius you would be impacted but help from nearby could arrive rather quickly. It would take thousands of them to disable a large region for more than a short period of time.

FYI most critical military equipment is EMP "hardened" to survive this type of attack.

One EMP could disable a power plant which would impact a larger area with a power outage but would not damage individual electrical/electronic items beyond that smaller radius.

[Parker]

When I heard about this, I did some reading on it. Knowledgeable articles and opinions by experts say the technology has evolved so that now one sizable bomb could knock out power to a sizable portion of the country, and that 3 or 4 of them can completely disable the whole country. As could a sizable solar flare, which apparently has happened many times in earth history, before the advent of electricity, so would have gone largely unnoticed.

I then read a novel about it, based on facts, by Wm. Forstchen, reportedly a man of reputation and in the know. The title of the book was 'One Second After'. That really got me thinking about what in the world we would do. Very scary because it seems so possible.

[SantaClaus]

FWIW, EMP only affects modern electronic devices with clock crystals, not all electrical devices. Older cars, most smaller generators, basic refrigerators, most lighting, etc would be unaffected. Basically anything with a chip in it is vulnerable. I wouldn't worry about it; a pandemic plague is much more likely, but then again, so is drowning in your own bathtub!

[Midvale]

The novel "One Second After" by William Forstchen describes life in the US after an EMP attack. He also has a website www.onesecondafter.com

[Parker]

I read this book and it seems quite plausible.

[redwitch]

Have read several books in the past ten years describing what would happen if we were hit with an EMP (see, I really do love sci fi). Some interesting theories as to how apocalyptic it would be. Barring the serious survivalists, I'm not convinced most of us would ultimately survive, at least not those in a retirement community -- would require more strength and knowledge than most of us have. So, I'll keep living my life the best I can and like Scarlet keep on thinking, "Tomorrow is another day."

[billethkid]

there are many more less scientific events that could have just as devastating impact on how we live.....each much more likely than EMP.....

Oil supply disruption for 6 months to a year.
Gasoline distribution disrupted for 6 months to a year.
Contaminated/disrupted water supply.
Disrupted power supply, no electricity for 6 months to a year.
Infectious airborne virus.

Just to name a few.

How many could or would stock up to be self sustaining for up to one year for minimum two people? They would be in maybe 5% who might do it.

Every day that goes by the reality of something catastrophic becomes more likely whether caused by an enemy or nature or just the falling down and failing of our aging infrastructure.

That being said I am headed out to play some golf in the warm sun.

[Cathy H]

I heard that Mormons have warehouses full of foods. Change religions?

[Lauren Sweeny]

It is inevitable that we will loose electric power by some act of nature in the future. The domino effect on our electric grid system would not be able to handle multiple states borrowing from each other. The outage could last months or years depending on how damaged or how"fried" the system was. Personnel required to repair damage my not have the needed parts and equipment for the number of sites involved. These workers may also be involved in protecting their property and families in the insuring chaos.
Just a thought to think about.

[Parker]

Yes, the Mormons and the Amish might be good folks to know in this scenario. How many of us could live off the land tomorrow if we had to, even if we could get to it? Lauren, the sources I read agree with your assessment.

[senior citizen]

We often discuss this very subject amongst ourselves.....
Terrorists would do more damage by just screwing up our power grid.

If anyone recalls the New York/New Jersey "blackout" of 1965 and the one most recently, perhaps 10 years ago?.........anyone living in tall buildings with elevators (Miami Florida condos?) (hospitals in TV) might be literally stuck......not a pleasant thought. In the heat?

Traffic lights wouldn't work.....thus, gridlock.

Gas pumps wouldn't work.

Our furnaces up north wouldn't work........we'd all freeze to death eventually unless we had alternate sources of heat, such as wood....

Although we could all exist in the dark, we'd not be able to live without our airconditioning in Florida........

And one of the major problems, in my humble opinion, would be that the banks, the supermarkets, computers (online shopping, etc.) would all come to a standstill. Business, in general, would stop. Banking and commerce would cease.

Talk about the stock market.

Does anyone remember the days when a "grocer" could tally up the purchase on the back of the brown paper bag????

Can you imagine a supermarket clerk doing that with large orders; people growing impatient in the long lines?

Plus, we'd all go nuts without being "connected"......

Having lived most of our lives in the northeast, and especially since the non existent Y2K in 1999, we and all of our friends and neighbors, family.... have habitually stocked up on foods and water, toilet paper and the like........to get us through the long cold winters up here......it's nice not to have to go out and shop when one has several full freezers and a totally packed pantry. Planning ahead is the key to a well stocked larder.

However, in Florida, the freezers wouldn't survive without electric. Up here, we could roll it out into the snow and cold frozen tundra we've just lived through.

In the summer months, someone would have to fish and hunt.
Perhaps "go back to the land" and grow veggies.....

It could all be done, manually......but life as we know it, and life as we prefer it, would no longer exist.

Imagine no gasoline? How would the pumps work without electricity?

Medical "machines" would stop. What about folks on dialysis or life support of some type. If one really thinks about it .......
war is not necessary to overcome........it can be done with lack of electricity.

One day without telephone service, computers, television, and all the creature comforts that our power grid supplies......unimaginable.

[Golfingnut]

I hope someone responsible for keeping the power on has heard about this.

[Parker]

And what about a clean water supply?