Surviving Mondays: EMP’s and Terror Threats

At this point you know that some sort of EMP caused this and you decide to check your car to see if it will start…Will it?

What is your plan? Your not sure what caused the EMP but you know everything is about to get way out of hand and time is of the essence.

Some answers:

Bradley: Being as we live in a small town/s we always keep a few checks on us. If this were to happen I would have our son fill up all sinks and bathtubs with water, then I would go down to our local Agra centre and by up all the fuel stabilizer, camp fuel, bullets, and pretty much anything else i could use for trade later.

I would then go to our fishing/hunting store and buy all the rifles,bow and arrows knifes and fishing equipment and hunting supplies he would let me have. Then I would go to the 2 stores that sell groceries and buy up as much as I could carry then hit the liquor store and stock up on everything i could get (for trade of course and medicinal purposes)

I would then go to our drugstore and purchase every over the counter meds and vitamins and bandages and personal hygiene products, shampoos soaps toothpastes brushes etc. (paying for all of this with checks because in small towns around here they still accept checks) We would then spirit these items all away to my friends farm and that would be our final location to defend and trade from.

We have the monies in our accounts to cover these purchases if by chance the banking systems where ever to upright itself. I would be doing this all on the 1rst day after the event

Randy: Well as soon as the lights go out and you have checked the phone. You should arm up before you open the door. At least your side arm and definatley before you go and check the car. As well the car will likely not work if you have any new model due to the EMP, modern cars depend on the electronics brains of the car to run but it is worth a shot.

If that is your only mode of transport sit tight for a while like Frank said and plan out the situation. Likely if there was a man made EMP there will be a corresponding attack. Keep your family safe and together, but be prepared to grab bags and go to more secure location. If your courrent place is secure remain there until it is not. Also attempt to fill up your water BOB with water in the bath tube during that planning time frame.

Ian: Initial action – Gather up lights, torches, glow sticks, candles etc. Use the remaining water pressure to fill as many containers as possible, the generator should work its basic technology, but test anyway.
Next – assess the surrounding situation, speak to neighbours to let them know what has happened and advise them to store water and if they don’t have any try to get some food, my reason for this is I don’t want them coming to me if they think that I’m prepared, and I may need them longer term.If this is now then the only vehicles we have are Bicycles, in the future the VW beetle should survive an EMP.

Make a plan – having assessed the immediate situation we then start a lock down, and see what comms are working, wind up radio? Ham radio that’s in an Conductive bag? If nothing is working then we have to think about our local family, Sisters are within 5 minutes on a bike so a quick run there to make sure they know what’s happening and what to do.
Our sons family won’t carry much food so they will need to get to us, he’s not a prepper but is well aware of what this is so may start to come to us.
Mum is 30 mile away but has good neighbours, she’s also well stocked so is ok in the short term.

After 24 hrs – check the neighbours, see whose stayed who’s on board with preps, I have a google earth print off of our area so could start to talk to them about what may start to happen as the days and weeks go on, suggest that we push a few cars to restrict access to the cul-de-sac. Point out any weak areas, obtain peoples long term plans, bug in or bug out?
Go on a quick ride around to see if any official action or response has come.

After 48 hours – split off some of the stocks (water /food) and hide outside if necessary. Maintain surveillance for authorities check and organise where necessary the neighbours. Check the town to gauge the general feelings / actions. 

Day 3 onwards – I would expect looting would have already taken place.
See if there is anyone or group in the town looking to become in charge? Join if it looks positive, observe if not – take action accordingly.
Possibly create a group if it feels right.

Start to think about organising sanitation, sewers probably aren’t working so need to educate people on what to do.
We will also need to ride out to my mums 30 mile away so will bug out for possibly 72 hours leaving are property with our son / family. The run is 50% old railway track / cycle route, then back lanes so we should be ok on bikes.

After that I’m not sure, if the HAM radios up then we’ll be scanning for national updates. I can’t see the point of bugging out unless we really have to and we would be ready to go in necessary.
Also try to establish the cause and whether it is national or worldwide.

Greg: I’m sure most of the members here have already read it, but for those who haven’t, the book “One Second After” by William R. Forstchen provides a pretty grim, realistic look at just how devastating an EMP (man made or natural) would be. Considering that we have former high ranking officials (not that what they say should always be heeded, but…) reminding us just how fragile our infrastructure is and how vulnerable to EMP attack we are, I personally believe this is a definite threat. 

Where we live , we’ve had 3 major water main breaks in and around the metro area just over the past week that have all been attributed to age of the pipes and just plain old deterioration. The national power grid is in the same sad shape of frailty. 

Here at our house, we have an extra emergency radio, flashlights, a loaded electronic ebook reader with gardening, medical, survival reference books and a few other things in a small faraday cage as part of our preps. We’d be screwed as far as transportation to our bug out location, however, as that is over 100 miles from home. My wife and I both have cars that would be knocked out by an EMP. The whole family has bicycles, so that would be better than nothing at all. We need to get a couple of wagons to carry supplies if necessary. 

Bugging in would be the most realistic option until we absolutely had to leave our area over safety concerns. Being on the outskirts of a major metropolitan area, that time would come sooner rather than later, unfortunately. 

One thing to do as soon as the power goes out (a good idea any time that happens) is to fill up your tubs with water to add to your current water stores. Eventually, the water in the system will run dry. 

In my opinion, in the grand scheme of things, a real EMP is one of the scarier scenarios that we may face.

Mark: Start off with a head count of the household. Go inside and lock down the house. Gather all of the family and give instructions and a word of confidence. (For me that is easy just the wife and I) Gear up and then start gathering trusted neighbors and team up. This will be the first 30 minutes. Within the initial hour each trusted neighbor will gather 1 other family and pull them under wing.

By showing a large presence of ‘Preppers’ to the ‘non believers’ it will provide an easier path to forming a neighborhood team. There shouldn’t be to much conflict initially. There will come a time when that occurs but you will have support of the many.

I calculate these 3 steps starting with the EMP will take about 3 hours. The entire time this is going on your family will be working inside your home on their tasks.

Tasks are as follows:
1> Water collection in the sinks, tubs, washer, containers and pipes etc..
1A> Lock Down the house
2> Food assessment (What will spoil quickly to be prepared)
3> Fuel for all needs (Heat, cooking, light ((Batteries, Gas, Propane, Kerosine etc)

Lone Survivor is good till your shot or injured. If you want to survive a conflict make sure you have others at your side. 

Team work is key. It is all based on your approach.