What is an EMP?
A burst of electromagnetic radiation that can overload and destroy electronic circuits, microchips, and electrical grids.
Think of it as a lightning strike on a massive scale, but invisible and targeting your electronics internally.
Solar vs. Human-Caused EMPs: Solar flares (CME-Coronal Mass Ejection) produce geomagnetic storms affecting power lines and large electrical systems over days.
Electronic Vulnerabilities: Anything with microchips—computers, smartphones, modern vehicles, some solar panels, and power tools —may fail.
Assume all unprotected electronics are at risk. Prioritize which devices to shield.
Use non-conductive insulation (cardboard, cloth) inside the metal container so devices don’t touch the metal. Store critical gear here.
Wrapping Devices: Double or triple-wrap sensitive electronics in aluminum foil, ensuring no gaps. This is a temporary measure but useful in a pinch.
Combine foil-wrapping and storage in a metal container for added layers of protection.
Prioritizing Essential Items: Focus on radios (HAM, CB, shortwave), portable solar chargers, LED flashlights, e-readers with survival PDFs, and spare parts for critical systems.
Ask what the term establishes and what remains unknown
When a report uses the term electromagnetic pulse, separate the named phenomenon from claims about the consequences. The phrase alone does not establish which equipment was affected, the geographic extent of an interruption, or how long a service will remain unavailable. Those are separate questions requiring trustworthy technical information and observations from the relevant operators.
For household planning, create a short evidence sheet. Record the source and time of the report, the service actually unavailable, and any official instructions. Keep speculation in a different column. A working phone in one location and a failed device elsewhere do not by themselves explain the cause or establish the condition of every other device.
Use the observed loss of function to choose the immediate task: locate a printed contact, check an agreed meeting arrangement, or retrieve an offline instruction. Avoid dismantling unfamiliar electrical equipment or relying on an improvised protective enclosure as a verified solution. Update the evidence sheet when reliable information changes. This approach makes preparation useful without requiring a household to diagnose a complex technical event from rumors.
Cyberattack on Critical Infrastructure: Practical Notes
Keep essential reference data in your head (simple first-aid steps, basic planting cycles) so you’re never helpless if every device fails.
If an old mechanical typewriter or printing press survives, use it to create stable, un-hackable informational pamphlets for your community.
Before digital age, people navigated, farmed, communicated, and traded successfully using only physical tools —your fallback mirrors past human achievements.
Distinguish essential electronics (radio, LED light) from luxuries (MP3 player). Conserve battery power for critical devices.
If you have solar panels, dedicate one panel solely to charging a single key device (like a radio). Redundancy ensures communication if other panels fail.
Learn how to manually calibrate tools (like a mechanical compass) to ensure accuracy without digital correction.
During historical telegraph shutdowns or blackouts, communities relied on runners and messengers —emulate that approach for crucial info exchanges.
If any partial digital tools remain, store only absolutely necessary data. Clutter increases confusion and risk if you must skim files in a hurry.
Plan around the loss of a function
List functions normally supplied by electronics: receiving information, finding contacts, making payments, navigating, and accessing instructions. Identify which can continue through printed records, agreed meeting arrangements, or ordinary alternatives. Planning for the function is useful across many outages even when the precise cause is uncertain.
Keep essential information in a form usable without the original device or an online account. Try retrieving a contact and an important instruction with the network unavailable. Record failed steps and correct them. Treat claims about protective enclosures or equipment survivability as technical questions requiring reliable evidence; a label or improvised container does not establish protection. Review the alternatives when equipment or household needs change.