Everything You Wanted to Know About EMP

[Skyowl]

Tweet
For those of you that have finished reading One Second After, there is a reference in the Afterword by Gen Eugene Habiger, USAF (RET):

http://www.empcommission.org/

entitled Report of the Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack. It can be downloaded, but I warn you, it is 208 pages long. You want to select the Critical National Infrastructure Report, 7MB. As Mr. Habiger says "Unfortunately, the Report of the Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack was released the exact same day the 9/11 Commission's report directed most of America's immediate attention to the rearview mirror to find out why we failed to prevent the horrific terrorist attack of 2001."

There is another article at

http://www.heritage.org/Research/Hom...ity/bg2199.cfm

with numerous other links as follows:

[2] Independent Working Group on Missile Defense, the Space Relationship,
and the Twenty-First Century, 2007 Report, The Institute for Foreign Policy
Analysis, 2007, p. 10, at
http://missilethreat.com/repository/.../IWGreport.pdf (October 9, 2008).

[3] Statement of William R. Graham, Ph.D., "Electromagnetic Weapons and
their Effects on Electronics Systems," 1999, at
http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/li...0-07graham.htm (October 8, 2008).

[4] Major Scott W. Merkle, USAF, "Non-Nuclear EMP: Automating the Military
May Prove a Real Threat," Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin,
January-March 1997, at
http://www.fas.org/irp/agency/army/m...7-1/merkle.htm (October 8, 2008).

[5] William R. Graham, "Electromagnetic Pulse Attack: Statement of Dr.
William R. Graham," testimony before the House Armed Services Committee,
U.S. House of Representatives, July 10, 2008, at
http://www.empcommission.org/docs/GR...10JULY2008.pdf (October 8, 2008).

[6] Foster, Jr., et al., "Report of the Commission to Assess the Threat to
the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack," pp. 17-23.

[7] Clay Wilson, "High Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP) and High Power
Microwave (HPM) Devices: Threat Assessments," Congressional Research Service Report for Congress, March 26, 2008, at
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL32544.pdf (July 3, 2008).

[8] U.S. Department of Defense, Quadrennial Defense Review Report, February
6, 2006, p. 33, at http://www.defenselink.mil/qdr/repor...rt20060203.pdf (October 8, 2008).

[9] Wilson, "High Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP) and High Power
Microwave Devices," p. 2.

[10] Institute of the North and The Claremont Institute, "Project Report:
Missile Defense and the Role of the States," 2007, at
http://www.missilethreat.com/reposit...dtheStates.pdf (June 30, 2008).

[11] Press Release, "Alaska to Revise Emergency Response Plan to Include
Preparation for EMP Attack," Institute of the North, May 29, 2007, at
http://www.missilethreat.com/reposit...70614_SERC.pdf (October 8, 2008).

[12] Graham, "Electromagnetic Pulse Attack," p. 2.

[13] CNN, "Major Power Outage Hits New York, Other Large Cities," August 14,
2003, at http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/08/14/power.outage (October 8, 2008).
See also The Electricity Consumers Resource Council, "The Economic Impacts
of the August 2003 Blackout," February 9, 2004, pp. 1-3, at
http://www.elcon.org/Documents/Econo...03Blackout.pdf (October 8, 2008).

[14] Marshall A. Hanson, "Ultimate Weapon: A High-Energy Electromagnetic
Pulse Could Cause Mass Destruction to America's Infrastructure," The
Officer, November 1, 2006, p. 19.

[15] James G. Zumwalt, "Not a Movie Made for T.V." The Washington Times,
October 2, 2007, p. A16.

[16] Dr. Mark Schneider, The Emerging EMP Threat to the United States
(Fairfax, Virginia: National Institute Press, 2007), p. 4, at
http://www.nipp.org/Adobe/EMP%20Pape...November07.pdf (October 8, 2008).

[17] Pravda.ru, "Russia to Create Electromagnetic Superweapon," Pravda.ru,
April 9, 2008, at
http://english.pravda.ru/science/tec...omagnetic_supe r_weapon-0 (October 8, 2008).

[18] Schneider, The Emerging EMP Threat to the United States, pp. 6-9.

[19] Senator Jon Kyl, "Unready for this Attack," The Washington Post, April
16, 2005, p. A19, at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2005Apr15.html (October 8, 2008).

[20] United States Army, "Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Protection," Grounding
and Bonding in Command, Control, Communications, Computer, Intelligence,
Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) Facilities TM 5-690, February 15,
2002, at http://www.usace.army.mil/publicatio...m5-690/c-5.pdf (October 8, 2008).

[21] 33 Minutes: Protecting America in the New Missile Age, A Reader
(Washington, D.C.: The Heritage Foundation, 2008), forthcoming.

[22] National Fire Protection Association, "Standard on Disaster/Emergency
Management and Business Continuity Programs," 2007, at
http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files//PD.../1600-2007.pdf (October 8, 2008).

This list will keep you reading for quite a while. Enjoy! Remember, I am not at fault when your brain explodes.

To supplement this long winded exercise, here is something else to think about:

1) Get your states Emergency Response and Recovery Plan.

2) Get your states Emergency Management Communications, Alert & Notification Plan.

I have gotten these plans for the state of Arizona and and currently trying to get the Annexes that cover Emergency Support covering things like:

1) Transportation and Infrastructure
2) Communications
a) Emergency video and telecommunications
b) Restoration and repair of telecommunications infrastructure
c) Protection, restoration, and sustainment of ...
d) Statewide alert and warning mechanisms and procedures
3) Public Works and Engineering
4) Fire Service
5) Emergency Management
6) Mass Care, Housing and Human Services
7) Resource Support
8) Health and Medical Services
a) Public Health
b) Medical Support Activities
c) Mental Health Services
d) Mortuary Services
9) Urban Search and Rescue
10) Oil and Hazardous Material Response
11) Agriculture and Natural Resources
12) Energy
a) Energy Infrastructure assessment, repair and restoration
b) Energy industry utilities coordination
c) Energy Forcast
13) Public Safety and Security
a) Facility and resource security
b) Security planning and technical and resource assistance
c) Public safety/security support
d) Support to access, traffic, and crowd control
14) Recovery and Mitigation
15) External Affairs

As always, prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

[herbalpagan]

Tweet
After reading "THE book", my husband and I have had many discussions about this. He is an electrical engineer with his nuclear certificate and specializes in electronics systems, particularly communications.
We had researched and researched until we are about cross eyed! He will be VERY happy to see these links...he is convinced that though the EMP is a viable weapon, one detonated over Kansas, as was the scenario in the book, will not do the damage that was mentioned. Another thing to, is that the government hardens for EMP to a greater resistance than most EMP's we are aware of could be, so the lack of military prescence would not be as noticable as in the books. (don't ask me how I know, I'd have ta kill ya. lol)
However, with our ailing infrastructure and over dependance on technology, we would certainly be facing as bad a situation as they face in the books we are reading. Consider, for example, that a few years ago, a "fried" squirel in the upper mid west resulted in a chain reaction power outage in the south coast! NY city regualrly has outages due to those cute little furry fellas commiting suicide.
Regardless of how a pulse happens, regardless of where it happens, or how many happen, it just makes sense that it will damage our country's transport and power system.
One thing that is handy to know is that most all of us have some EMP proof items and "portable" Farraday cages. All one needs is an old microwave. Mocrowaves are basically, Farraday cages. I would reccomend backing up any online info and placing it and perhaps an old laptop in an old microwave in your basement. Some people advocate having a cell phone there as well, but seriously, who ya gonna call? lol I would put an old digital camera in there as well, or perhaps that video camera that you aren't using, so that you can document what is happening.
If you have a metal shed, and it's grounded, the vehicles you put in there may escape a lot of damage due to the metal shield and the metal on the vehicle. EMP's are also "line of site" types of things and that may help even more with some machinary working.
It's definetely food for thought! Thanks for all the researching work you did.

[Skyowl's Wife]

Tweet

he is convinced that though the EMP is a viable weapon, one detonated over Kansas, as was the scenario in the book, will not do the damage that was mentioned.

Nit-picking, here, but I think in the book there were 3 above-the-atmosphere bombs. Even so, I agree with your hubby's thoughts.

One of the things I will put on our thread when people get to discussing if finally is that I thought the damage was over-stated in the book. I think they did that on purpose to try to wake people up.

There would be a lot of "accidentally" shielded stuff, they fact that NOTHING but 2 or 3 old cars worked is kind of stretching it. SOMEONE would have had a car in a metal shop building, SOMEONE would have had a generator in there.

WHY didn't they siphon the fuel out of all those vehicles on the freeway through town? In a small older community, the hospital backup generators would very likely NOT be state-of-the-art-new. Why weren't there ANY old well-maintained generators around?

[slowz1k]

Tweet
Wow... Talk about information overload. It's gonna take a little time to sift through this. I may need another binder just for EMP.

Thanks for this Skyowl, You just did us all a great service.

[rancher]

Tweet
It just seems to me there is a person with an opinion on EMP devices on every street corner. But I have yet to see a current test done which proves the effects of such a device going off. Like on an island somewhere full of various gear and metal buildings and all the stuff you all post about.

No tests...no proof. Therefore no way to really know just what will and will not stop running if...such a device went off right over you. Just what are the odds of that anyway. Now if one was fired off and it did crash the infrastructure grid I think the chain react would pulse across the country. But back at the remote ranch...come on now.... no fears out here and we are not buying up every yard sale microwave to hide our junk in either. If you elect to live in the range of a first or second level nuke attack target area...well that is your fault and we have no pity for you. Life is full of choices.

Much like living downstream of a dam and having life jackets around the house in case it blows.... sort of dumb buying there to begin with. Gump said...Stupid is as stupid does....

[slowz1k]

Tweet
Hey Rancher,
I don't think anyone is looking for pity. People live where people live. I think everyone should gather as much information as they can on every possible threat to themselves and the area they live in. Your ranch my not be bothered by an EMP, but if an EMP can do any damage at all, those of us in more populated areas need to be aware of it's possible effects and prepare as best we can. If we all migrated out to the mid-west, to live in the safety of a ranch fortress, we'd all be one big target and I doubt that you would be too happy to have that many neighbors drawing attention to the area.

As a country we still need people in the danger zones to keep things running.

Just my opinion and I'm usually wrong.

[OneBadPig]

Tweet
So much talk about EMP these days...its almost as if folks have forgotten about the neutron bomb.
Now i have heard both poo-pooed because terrorists cant launch a multiple missle strike and any nation that did it would be retaliated against.
Well, a year ago that was true, but today we have a leader that appears so apologetic and weak that a limited strike might provoke not much more than a protest to the U.N.
The wolves are at the door and the bleating sheep electorate have put a fluffy bunny on guard

I'm not an EMP "fan boy" and its really low on my possibles list, but we saw the economic chaos and our governments expansion of powers that followed 9/11. Imagine an entire city and financial center disabled in one stroke...

[herbalpagan]

Tweet
Wife- sorry, must of got my EMP disaster fiction books mixed up! lol I thought they did syphon the gas on some of those cars, but maybe they said that others got to them, again; not sure due to an info over load! lol
I do think the generator thing isn't accurate, due to the fact that a normal Briggs and Straton type genny, really has no parts that an EMP would affect and gas could be gotten from all those cars.

Rancher- not advocating people go out and buy up all the old microwaves, just saying it's a good example of a Faraday cage, and what one might put in it. Also, current EMP test info has been hard to find, but given the popularity of it as a possibility, there ARE new tests...I just have to find the darned link on them...however, they were less than impressive, and did not show significant damage to the cars they tested, if I remember right.
The links that Sky Owl posted has more recent tests included.

At any rate, it IS a viable way to attack us, probably more affective to just go toss a bomb into a bunch of central/major circuits/transformers though.
ANY diruption of our electricity in a major location that last more than a week or two, would have a chain affect and cripple that portion of the country...transportation can not transport if there is no electricity to pump fuel. I think things could struggle along with partial electricity or deisel pumps/gennys but those would get worn, need many repairs and be over worked and stressed in no time. There is a ripple effect that will cascade through our entire system, resulting in the same basic thing as would happen in an EMP. It's the results we need to look at, not the details of how it happens.

[Skyowl]

Tweet

But back at the remote ranch...come on now.... no fears out here ....

Ok, we're wrong. What should we be expecting? I'm really glad you have a crystal ball. Care to share with the rest of us?

[herbalpagan]

Tweet
Listen to an author talk about the EMP stuff here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZjgU...layer_embedded

His web site also has things an ordinary person can do.