8 Essential Steps to Survive and Thrive After an EMP Attack

Imagine while your wife is picking up the kids from soccer and you are on the final 30 minutes of your commute home from work, a non-nuclear electromagnetic pulse device (NNMEP) is detonated over your city. All vehicles come to a dead stop and all cell phone and internet communications cease shortly after. The electromagnetic pulse attack hit just as the sun was setting. Either you have prepared for this scenario or you have not. Either you have prepared your family to make it to safety without you or you have not. 

Here at MIRA Safety, we make it our common practice to prepare others for the day that most people dread. They dread it so much that they can't be bothered to even consider it a possibility. You are here and as such, you are different. This blog post will provide you a comprehensive guide on how to survive a non-nuclear or nuclear EMP. We'll cover the immediate aftermath. We'll cover how to get your family to safety. And, we'll also cover the long-term survival strategies so that you and yours live to tell the tale of the day the world fell apart. 

In order to provide you the most comprehensive information possible in case of an EMP event, we're going to take our time and break this down into 10 digestible sections. Those are as follows:

Step 1: Understanding EMP Attacks

What is an EMP Attack?

An electromagnetic pulse attack involves the detonation of a device at high-altitude that produces a burst of electromagnetic radiation. Most often these devices are nuclear in nature, but non-nuclear EMP devices also exist. 

The result is that gamma rays interact with the Earth's magnetic field and a series of electromagnetic pulses rip through a region's electrical circuits. Power grids go down, cars with electronics cease to work, telecommunications systems go down and pretty much anything with a current running through becomes useless. Private sector infrastructure is entirely unprepared for such a scenario. 

Historical Context of the EMP

EMPs were first detected in the 1950s with the proliferation of nuclear weapons tests pursuant to our national defense. This threat was officially recognized by the Department of Defense in the 1960s as we continued to study the effects of nuclear weapons. In 1962, failure of electrical components in street lights in Hawaii were attributed to a high-altitude U.S. nuclear test at the Johnston Atoll some 800 miles to the southwest. 

It should be noted that nature itself has a way of creating a naturally occurring EMP through solar flares, which can render all national resilience to electromagnetic pulses moot. Solar flare releases are massive explosions of electromagnetic energy release by the sun. They have been recorded to cause electrical outages on Earth and were it not for Earth's magnetic field, this planet would cook on a regular basis. 

Potential Impact of an EMP Attack

As mentioned earlier, pretty much anything with current is going to take a hit and become nonfunctional. Computers, satellites, radios, vehicles, public transportation networks, traffic lights, railway signals, flight control systems and virtually all critical infrastructure sectors would be affected.

Because they unleash electromagnetic energy traveling at the speed of light, the effect would be simultaneous. The National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year FY24 mandates that the Department of Energy work with other federal agencies to plan, share sensitive information, and prepare for such an event and improve critical infrastructure resilience.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency usually outlines its entire plan for infrastructure protection, including critical locations like nuclear power plants and national laboratories, as part of the national defense planning that it regularly does. From space weather events to evaluating any threat to the U.S., the US Department of Defense monitors it all.

The below video does a great job of explaining the science behind what we are learning in those efforts. 

Step 2: Immediate Actions Following an Electromagnetic Pulse

Stay Calm and Assess the Situation

Perhaps the greatest advantage of having a plan in place early is that you can remain calm when others are just now starting to freak out at the reality of what is happening. Use this time to your advantage to take calm logical steps that will enhance your personal safety.

It may be that your family is spread out around the city after the effects caused by an EMP. As such, you have to assess if you trust that they can make it to you or you have to go get them. Time is not on your side when it comes to the chaos that is coming, especially once the electric grid goes down. That's why you have to make these assessments with a calm and clear head and yet, make them with haste. 

One of the most practical steps you can take if you are home in the immediate aftermath is to fill your bathtubs and other containers full of water. Most public water systems use electronics and water may quickly become scarce. This also satisfies your urge to immediately "do something" while you are still collecting your thoughts and running through your plan in your head. 

Check for Injuries

Before you begin taking steps to retrieve your family or harden your defenses, you'll want to treat any immediate injuries caused by the shock wave, especially one from a stronger EMP. You can be certain that hospitals will be overwhelmed combined with the fact that most of their equipment will be nonfunctional as electromagnetic fields are disrupted. Take the time to treat any wounds as there will not be help available if you develop an infection.

This is where your standard prepping first aid kits will come in handy. Stockpile bandages, disinfectants, emergency laceration kits and everything that you would need to survive serious injury. Much like putting on your oxygen mask first before helping children on an airplane, you are no good to your family if neglecting your injury takes you out of the fight.  

Secure Your Home

Assuming your family is following the plan to come to you or they are already home, now is the time to start hardening your defenses. Reinforce doors and windows so that they can withstand a hungry mob. Granted, they are not coming in the first hour but make no mistake about it, they will come. 

If the threat to the United States comes via a nuclear device, it will be essential that you do not go outside until you know the status of radiation. A handheld Geiger Counter is a great tool to have on hand to conduct a thorough threat assessment and be sure to protect it up front from the effects of the electromagnetic pulse. 

Source: MIRA Safety

Securing your home, much like filling your bathtubs with water, gives you an immediate action that you can take to keep your mind straight. Sitting around worrying will help no one. It gives kids something to do when they are likely scared. Have them pitch in to keep them calm. When in doubt, do something, anything to keep hardening your defenses until you know more about what is happening. 

Step 3: EMP Protection

Shielding Electronics 

Without a doubt, one of the most proactive measures you can take to make life easier prior to such an attack is to invest in what is known as a Faraday cage. A Faraday cage is an enclosure made of continuous conductive material to block bursts of electromagnetic energy. 

If you don't want to invest in purchasing a pre-fabricated Faraday cage, you can make your own with basic household materials. Build a wood frame and cover it in copper or aluminum sheets and mesh. Grab some duct tape and conductive mesh and build it in the form of a satchel or bag to protect your electronic equipment. 

A rudimentary and ugly design will do just fine. The key is that you have one and it is full of electronics such as radios, walkie talkies, cell phones and don't forget your handheld Geiger Counter. You just have to be sure that you do this before the attack on critical infrastructure. Once the blast goes off, the attack could make it impossible to reactivate your devices. 

Alternative Power Sources

It is also a great idea to procure and protect, via a Faraday cage, alternative power sources. A hand crank generator is a great addition as well as stockpiling spare batteries. If you have the money, investing in solar power up front could be a life-saver in the event the power grid is down indefinitely. 

Due to a detonation of a nuclear weapon attack as part of a broader attack from potentially hostile states, you can guarantee that critical national infrastructures will break down. Government and industry will likely collapse, so having your own power generation setup could be quite handy.

Non-Electric Alternatives

Finally, you have to assume that the ability to use any electronics is not coming back anytime soon. As such, think like you are in the 1700's and ask yourself what you would need to have on hand to survive and thrive. 

Think of non-electric items like manual kitchen tools and paper maps just like they used back in the days of the Revolutionary War. Forget trying to be Martha Stewart in the kitchen and plan to become Martha Washington instead. Non-electric sources of light such as kerosene lamps and candles are also a great addition to have on hand. 

Step 4: Essential Supplies and Stockpiling

Food and Water

Just like protecting your electronics from electromagnetic pulse weapons has to be done up front, so does stockpiling food and other essential supplies. Assume that nothing good is going to happen for at least a month and have that much non-perishable food and water on hand. This is the minimum and no amount of food or water is too much. 

We've put together a great article on the best survival food that you can stockpile and have on hand. Keep in mind that you can extend the life of your stockpile by focusing on perishable foods in the immediate aftermath of an attack. Eat the perishables first and as the frozen foods thaw, focus on those before tapping into your emergency supplies.  Do not let a single calorie go to waste. 

Finally, while you should have plenty of water on hand, you have to assume that your stockpile of water will run out sooner or later. Understanding the various methods and tools used in water purification will be essential for your long-term survival. Purifying tablets, like the ones used by the United States military, could play an important role.

Medical Supplies

Much like food, you can't have enough medical supplies as you will have no idea when medical infrastructure will come back online, if it ever does. We covered it briefly earlier, but prepare to stitch yourself up and stop the bleeding on your own for a long time. 

This goes well beyond your current disaster first aid kit as the EMP effect is likely to be felt for years. You also have to remember the nuclear component that is likely to accompany such an attack. Stocking up on potassium iodide tablets is a must if you are truly prepping for a high-altitude EMP. 

Source: MIRA Safety

A helpful way to stockpile is simply doubling the purchase of what you normally buy during the year when it comes to medication. Instead of one box, buy two. If you have the option to refill a prescription even though you may not need it that very moment, go ahead and do so. 

General Supplies

Once again, think like you are living in the 1700's or the 1800's heading out on the Oregon Trail. Can you make fire? Can you cut wood? Can you store food without electricity? Can you keep warm if you live in the northern states and winter is coming? Put yourself in a pioneer mentality and start acquiring the general supplies that you will need now. 

Step 5: Communication Strategies

Alternative Communication Devices

While it is a good idea to keep a spare or burner phone in your Faraday cage, the reality is that you have to assume the cellular network is toast. Keeping a HAM radio protected and on hand is a solid plan. With the right antenna, you can talk to people all around the world.  It is also a great idea to get involved in one of the many local HAM operator clubs so that you'll already have contacts prior to the lights going out. 

Walkie talkies are also great to have on hand in order to communicate with family after a high-altitude electromagnetic pulse. They run on batteries, which means even with a stockpile it has a shelf-life, but in the immediate aftermath of the attack this may be your only method of communicating over small distances. 

Pre-arranged Communication Plans

We cannot emphasize enough the importance of having pre-arranged communication plans with your family. This includes pre-identifying rendezvous locations. It means pre-planning signs to let loved ones know you were here or where to go next. 

Have a plan in place in case you are separate from one another during the initial attack. Everyone should know where to go and when they arrive, they should have a sign that the location is safe and not under duress. Keep the signals simple and easy to remember. It can be a simple man-made object that is where it should obviously not be that communicates a prearranged message to your family. 

Community Networks

Finally, consider the importance of community in prepping. It is often not the one man with 10,000 rounds of ammunition that will win the day. Rather, it is the 10 men with only 1,000 rounds each that will come out on top.

Finding community with like-minded preppers allows you to have the support of one another while having the confidence that you are not a burden to one another. It is the cousin who mocked you for prepping and now is begging you to let them in that you have to worry about. 

Step 6: Transportation and Mobility

Vehicle Preparation

Across this country there are classic car clubs that meet up on a regular basis. Cars from the 40s, 50s, and 60s with not so much as a single electrical circuit on board. Finding a classic car and learning to fix it up is a great way to prepare for the day modern cars become useless in the United States from electromagnetic pulses. In the meantime, it's a fun hobby worth doing in its own right. You don't even have to tell anyone you are preparing for the electric power grid to permanently burn out. 

Alternative Transportation Methods

Long-term, even the classic car might not hold up if access to gasoline becomes scarce. As such, you'll have to think back to how people got around before the Model-T. Horses are a great option if you know how to ride and you have the ability to feed and sustain them.

If you don't have the capacity to maintain horses, then bicycles or manual scooters would be a great way to travel great distances at greater speed. A two-seater bike might seem absurd today, but if you had to bike to your kid's school in the wake of an electromagnetic pulse and geomagnetic disturbance, that's how you get them back home.

Safe Travel Planning

Finally, use pre-planned routes in the immediate aftermath of an attack. Teach your family to stay off the main roads and which ways to avoid running into the wrong crowd when the social fabric is starting to break down. Again, a plan in place prior to an EMP threat will allow us to make decisions and move at speed when time is of the essence. 

Step 7: Long-Term Survival Tactics

Sustainable Living Practices

Science and technology have come a long way by 2024, but they are no excuse to forget the basics of life. Can you grow a vegetable? Can you collect rainwater? Can you hunt deer? The Department of Homeland Security is not coming to save the day and even if they tried, they can't help everyone. 

In order to survive over the long-term you have to think about sustainability without the assistance of DHS. Depending on which part of the country you live in, summer might be your only opportunity to prepare and store enough food for the brutal winter ahead. 

Gardening is a skill that you should start learning and practicing now while you still have access to online resources. Trying to Google "how to start a garden" in the aftermath of a high-altitude EMP attack is going to be less than helpful. 

Skill Development

Beyond gardening, now is the time to build survival skills across the board while the internet is still available. You can learn anything online from advanced first aid, basic car repairs, and even self-defense strategies. The entire breadth of human knowledge is at your fingertips now, but it won't be there after the attack. Learn now. Learn some more. Keep learning. 

Bartering and Trade

We can't say for sure what's going to happen to the U.S. dollar after the detonation of a nuclear bomb, but it is not going to be good. Stockpiling resources that you don't deem immediately necessary can provide you the opportunity to barter and trade with others.

Again, building community will be essential in the aftermath of such an event. If you have two extra shovels and you trade with a neighbor to acquire an ax, that is the foundation of the community. Every person could be an adversary in such a moment, but that doesn't mean that they have to be adversary. Trade, barter, and build community. 

Step 8: Mental and Emotional Preparedness

Coping Mechanisms

Now that you've got a plan, stockpiles of supplies, and everything you need to survive the long-term, you just have to mentally keep your head in the game. It is going to be stressful. Accept that and learn to cope and manage stress now for the days you need it most. Breathing, meditation, and exercise are all great ways to manage anxiety. 

Maintaining a Positive Outlook

Focus on the fact that you did it. The United States was hit with a nuclear detonation or high altitude electromagnetic attack and you survived. Your family survived. You can bet your last dollar that hundreds of thousands and millions did not. You are prepared better than most and while you can't guarantee an outcome, sleep easily knowing you did your part. 

 Community and Family Support

As we mentioned many times during this article, do not forget the importance of building community out of whatever is left. The lone wolf prepper does exist, but it is the community that will truly win the day. Love your family and be thankful that even for just one more day that you get to hug them and tell them that you love them. 

Recap

Let's go over what we have learned. The first is to know what is coming and prepare accordingly. There has been more than one commission to assess the threat posed by electromagnetic attacks. One executive report after the other tells you that the threat is real. You have to plan for this specific challenge differently than you would a natural disaster. 

Protect your electronic devices with a Faraday cage. Simple, ugly and yet highly effective designs will do just fine if you want to make one yourself. Make sure that you have enough food, water, medical supplies and weapons for the long-term. Have a plan in place for what your family is to do in the immediate hours after such an attack. 

Focus on learning sustainable living and survival skills now while you have access to the internet. Take classes for the fun of it knowing that it might save your life in such a scenario. Keep your head in the game and do not forget the purpose and power of community. 

Frederick Nietzsche once said that "To live is to suffer, to survive is to find meaning in the suffering." Life is going to be hard if this scenario ever comes to be, but we can all still find meaning in those hard times. We find our meaning now in preparing you for those hard times. Stay safe and continue getting ready for the day that most people dread.