If you’ve been researching survival and preparedness for very long at all, you’ve at least heard the acronym “EMP.” EMP stands for electromagnetic pulse. It’s been the theme behind many popular survival books and television series in recent months. In order to understand how this phenomenon can affect your preparedness efforts (particularly your BOV), you must first understand what it is, what causes it, and its potential effects to life as we know it.
Two awesome BOVs (Photo courtesy of David Iem)
Simply put, an EMP is a very high pulse of electromagnetic radiation, typically high above the Earth’s surface. EMPs can be man-made or natural. The massive disruption in the electrical and magnetic fields caused by an EMP can produce overwhelming surges in electrical voltage and current.
I will discuss our two largest threats: nuclear EMP attacks and solar storms. Both emit a surge of electromagnetic waves we refer to as an EMP. Nuclear EMPs are caused by detonating a nuclear bomb miles above the Earth’s surface. This kind of EMP is the most powerful and can have crippling effects (discussed in detail next) for hundreds and even thousands of miles. Solar events, including solar storms, geomagnetic storms, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections, can also cause a damaging EMP. Mankind has limited experience with both types of EMP, even with intentional research. There are only a handful of occurrences (both combined) from which to draw reliable data.
The United States is unquestionably dependent on electricity. We have eagerly welcomed all of the conveniences it provides. All of our infrastructure systems depend on a reliable electric power grid and all of the little circuits and components that magically weave it all together. Our entire society depends on it—everything! Water, food, fuel, communication, transportation, Internet, medical service, emergency service, public safety, financial transactions, information networks, and government services all depend on electricity and none of them can operate effectively without it, especially long term. It is electricity that allows our three hundred-plus million citizens to survive. And, it is electricity that has enabled our population to get that big to begin with.
An EMP threatens life as we know it. It is one of the few complete and total game-changing events. The surge of voltage and current caused by an EMP has the potential to disrupt or damage virtually any kind of “unshielded” electronic equipment, including but not limited to the electrical power grid, telecommunication systems, computers, circuits, relays, and all electronic fuel pumps. Large EMP events can affect areas hundreds and even thousands of miles in diameter. Even a smaller regional burst can have devastating consequences as the ripples of outages slowly break down our tightly interwoven national infrastructure systems.
Recent disasters are only a taste of what to expect if an EMP strikes our country. Hurricane Katrina will look like a walk in the park. The 1977 New York blackouts and resulting uncontrollable looting and riots which Time magazine dubbed “The Night of Terror”? We’ll beg for times that glorious.
As far as potential disasters go, a large-scale EMP is as bad as it gets. Most disasters last at most a few days. Cleanup and recovery may last several months, but history reports that the disaster itself is typically over within 72 hours. An EMP is different. The pulse itself is just the beginning. Best estimates from professionals and experts who have reported to Congress after years of studying our nation’s vulnerabilities to EMP say that the affected areas can be expected to be without power-dependent services (virtually everything) for many months and potentially years.
In fact, a committee of expert scientists was commissioned by congress right after the September 11th terror attacks to investigate the threat of EMP in America. In this report to the Committee of Armed Services for the House of Representatives in July 2004 (find the transcript at http://commdocs.house.gov/committees/security/has204000.000/has204000_0.htm#26), it was suggested that a large-scale EMP could feasibly shrink the current population to one-third of its size and that the fatalities would be much more numerous than from a ground-level attack with a nuclear bomb. Participants in that hearing likened an EMP to a time machine that would thrust America back a full century in technology. This excerpt from that report says it best:
“The population that this continent carried late in the nineteenth century, sir, was almost a factor of ten smaller than it is at the present time. We went from where we had 70 percent of the population on the farms feeding 30 percent of the people in the villages and cities to where 3 percent of the population on the farms at the present time feeds the other 97 percent of the country.”
So just looking at it from an agricultural and food supply standpoint, if we were no longer able to fuel our agricultural machine in this country, the food production of the country would simply stop because we do not have the horses and mules that used to tow the agricultural gear around in the 1880s and 1890s.
The devastation that would accompany this massive shrink in populous through starvation, dehydration, violence, and lack of medical services is unspeakable and impossible to put into words, even for the most imaginative fiction author. Nothing you’ve ever read or seen in the movies can even compare.
Geomagnetic solar storm EMPs have already occurred. One of the most notable was in 1989 that knocked down the Hydro-Québec power grid and left six million people without power for almost two weeks. Mother Nature is a brutal adversary and her weapons are vast. I wish, though, that she was our only concern.
Several countries have the nukes and delivery systems to make an EMP attempt over U.S. soil. Ever heard the term “Scud missile”? Sure you have, it’s a common phrase thrown around when discussing modern warfare. It’s not only a common phrase but a common weapon. Almost any rogue faction and certainly a ticked-off country can get their hands on one without too much effort (or already have them). It’s no secret that these Scud missiles can deliver a high-altitude nuclear bomb over America from almost anywhere in the vast ocean that surrounds us. This makes the launch location difficult to track and locate. An EMP is the ultimate terrorist attack, and the devastating effect of one on electronic infrastructure is common knowledge. We live in a crazy world with a lot of crazy people, many of whom have a grudge against America. Rogue states like North Korea and Iran are obvious threats. Nuclear states such as Russia and China must be acknowledged as well. The threat of an EMP attack or geomagnetic solar storm is growing every day.
In my opinion, an EMP attack is the greatest threat to life as we know it in modern America. However, with all of that said, the probability of an EMP occurring is still very low. Even if an EMP of some kind does happen, there are still many questions as to how the effects will play out. Furthermore, the damage from an EMP depends on many factors including altitude of event, strength of blast, location of electronics, and shielding. In the realm of disaster preparedness, they are many other more likely events to worry about. Few, though, have the damaging potential of an EMP.
That’s a good question. I try to consider all potential disasters in my preparedness efforts but I definitely spend more time, money, and energy preparing for the ones that are more likely to happen. An EMP is not high on that list for me but I still do include it as a possibility. (Remember, I own a survival and disaster preparedness training facility after all. I probably think more about this stuff than most.) This is why I’ve chosen the early 1980s model truck as my BOV and really the only reason I’ve chosen that old truck at all—besides, maybe, the fact that it is affordable. Modern vehicles are unquestionably more reliable. I’ve made this BOV EMP-proof by eliminating all electronic components. Furthermore, I do keep a variety of electronic devices in an EMP-shielding Faraday cage (discussed later in this chapter). Preparing for an EMP is a fairly extreme measure and, in all honesty, there is a lot to be done before one should consider EMP preps.
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that different people prepare for different reasons. Who am I to question what events others prepare for and why? An EMP is a number-one priority for some and not even on the radar for others. Nonetheless, it is a popular topic of conversation among survival-minded individuals and even more popular when discussing BOVs. At the very minimum, it’s good to at least be somewhat educated on the topic. Even I still have much to learn. EMP is certainly not my forte of expertise.
Any electronic component in your BOV is susceptible to EMP damage. That’s scary—especially for those who drive modern vehicles (late 1990s and up). Why? Modern vehicles are filled with electronic components that control everything from ignition to fuel injection to brakes.
The computerized electronic component movement began in the early 1980s. Most vehicles produced before then did not include electronic components. Early vehicles had a points ignition, manual fuel pump, and carburetor. Now, cars are essentially a computer with wheels. If the computer goes down, the car doesn’t run—period. Hybrid electric cars are especially screwed. In general, there are three basic categories.
Most pre-1980s vehicles without electronic components are considered EMP safe. If you own a pre-1980s vehicle and are concerned about EMP vulnerabilities, ask your mechanic if there are any electronic components on your vehicle. If there are, consider ordering replacement components and storing them in a shielded Faraday cage just in case (instructions at the end of this chapter). Or, better yet, configure a nonelectronic/mechanical workaround altogether and bypass those parts.
The computerized components in the early phases of integration were very basic. They typically controlled single systems, such as ignition. These components can be ordered and replaced by most anyone who is comfortable under the hood of a car. Some, though, require special programming. If your vehicle fits this description, consider ordering replacement components and storing them in a shielded Faraday cage just in case (instructions at the end of this chapter). Have a conversation with a trusted mechanic first about how realistic it would be for you to just “swap out” fried components.
Engine in Creek’s 1985 diesel pickup
If you own a modern computerized vehicle (which most of the general population does) and an EMP strikes, I hope you’re in good physical shape because there is certainly a chance your car isn’t moving unless you live on a really steep hill. The line between electronic components and mechanical components in modern vehicles is blurred. It’s hard, especially for the average untrained person, to define where one ends and the other begins. Everything is controlled by electronic components, including ignition, brakes, fuel injection, dash controls, windows, emissions, lights, and the list goes on and on. It is nearly impossible to swap out backup electronic parts in these highly complex vehicles. If EMP is at the top of the list of why you are prepping, my advice is don’t buy a modern vehicle.
Engine in Creek’s brother’s 2012 Jeep (Don’t worry, Mike, I’ll come pick you up!)
Whether you want to protect backup electronics for your vehicle or other tools, such as radios, cell phones, and battery chargers, you’ll need to shield them from the pulse of electromagnetic radiation. Fortunately, there is a pretty simple and cheap way to do this.
Named after scientist Michael Faraday, the Faraday cage is simply a shield of conductive material (metal) that surrounds the items you want to protect. This shield blocks and diverts the pulse from reaching your electronics. I’ve seen all kinds of homemade Faraday cages over the years. Some are cardboard boxes wrapped in aluminum foil. Others are wooden boxes surrounded in metal mesh. The simplest and easiest in my opinion is an insulated galvanized metal bucket with tight-fitting lid. There can’t be any gaps or openings. The lid must fit tightly and securely, and I even wrap the seal with some aluminum tape that you can buy at any hardware store. I use the following three steps when assembling my Faraday Cage.
Step 1: Insulate the metal container. Your electronics need to be insulated from the metal container. A simple way to do this is to line the container with cardboard. I insert a tube of cardboard and then pad the bottom with packing paper. Make sure there is no metal can showing.
Step 2: Double wrap. Next, I wrap each of my electronic devices in aluminum foil and then again in thick butcher paper as an added layer of security. This is in essence a mini Faraday cage within the larger cage. A second layer never hurts and it doesn’t take up much extra time or money.
Step 3: Seal it up. After packing my electronic components inside, I fill the empty space with butcher paper to pack everything nice and tight. This also provides a layer of insulation from the lid. Then I seal all the way around the lid with a couple layers of aluminum tape. Below is a non-exhaustive list of items one may want to consider for EMP shielding:
Small galvanized metal bucket lined with cardboard and packing paper
Electronics being wrapped in foil and then paper
Tight-fitting lid sealed with aluminum tape
A few EMP-vulnerable components
Even I am not overly invested in the idea of an EMP attack or occurrence. Many of my general “off-grid” preps, such as a hand-pump water well, wood-burning stove, and backyard garden serve as indirect EMP preps, although EMP has never been my motivating factor for preparedness. I believe you should prepare for the disasters that are most likely to happen in your area. These include natural and man-made. If you live near a nuclear power plant, you should prepare for a potential meltdown and sudden evacuation. If you live in New York or Washington, D.C., you should prepare for terrorist attacks and the mess that comes with those. If you live in tornado alley, you should prepare for tornadoes. If you live in hurricane country, you should prepare for the next Katrina. Prepare for what’s most probable first and then expand into less likely events as time, money, and other resources allow. History can absolutely help predict the future.