You're on your lunch break about to get into your car when you hear a foreign sound. You look over your right shoulder thinking it was off in the distance, but something catches your eye. You look up and in the broad day's sun you see what looks like a meteor, puffs of white smoke around a red ball streaking the horizon. Right as you pull your camera out to snap a picture you see a bright flash and seconds later you're slapped in the face by the concussion, your phone flashes and goes dead. You've just witnessed an EMP or Electro Magnetic Pulse attack.

We've all heard about an EMP, but what are the odds of it happening in our lifetime? Very good, says the Department of Defense. A new study conducted by the military warns that an electromagnetic pulse attack such as those produced by North Korea, Russia, and Iran could collapse the United States and displace millions. In the study, the Department of Defense says that 90 percent of the US population on the east coast would be dead in a year. All this amounts to one horrifying scenario that is super scary, but why? In today's world we often take advantage of the power grid. We've all been in a power outage and went to use something that didn't work because it needed electricity. People find out very quickly that they are not prepared for a life off the grid while they are searching the house in the dark for a flashlight but can't remember where they put it. Now consider a much more grim situation than a few hours off of the power grid. Surviving an EMP attack will take much more effort and planning than a power outage.

Here's how it works:

An EMP is an electromagnetic pulse, and is distributed in pulses by a nuclear explosion. The result is a quickly changing electric field that will disrupt and destroy electronic devices across the US. The intense radiation can also cause a secondary EMP burst by charging and ionizing the surrounding air.

A high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) weapon is a NEMP warhead designed to be detonated far above the Earth's surface. The explosion releases a blast containing gamma rays, this ionizes as a secondary effect and the resultant energetic free electrons interact with the Earth's magnetic field to produce a much stronger EMP than at lower altitudes.

So what would it disrupt?

Everything electronic that contains micro-processors or electronics. Basically everything that uses electricity--anything that is plugged in, most vehicles made after 1990, all electronic communications like your cell phone, internet, and cable systems. Airplanes, and all public transportation. All infrastructure, hospitals, police/fire would go down. Even using a generator wouldn't fix the damage since all critical infrastructure and electronics would be fried.

What wouldn't be affected: Vehicles made before 1990, ATV's, UTV's, and motorcycles that are mechanical. Batteries and any solar panel (although the electronic tenders and controllers would be fried solar cells and batteries would be ok.) Older electronic devices that use vacuum tubes as long as they aren't plugged in. All banking, ATMs, online banking services, and money would be frozen.

The picture is a grim one. The US population isn't prepared to deal with this type of attack nor does it have a plan to survive. Chaos would ensue and people fighting for resources would put our country at war with one another. So what can you do?

What wouldn’t be affected: Vehicles made before 1990, ATV’s, UTV’s, and motorcycles that are mechanical. Batteries and Solar Panel (although the electronic tenders and controllers would be fried solar cells and batteries would be ok.) Older electronic devices that use vacuum tubes as long as they aren’t plugged in. All banking, ATMs, online banking services, and money would be frozen.

The picture is a grim one. The US population isn’t prepared to deal with this type of attack nor does it have a plan to survive. Chaos would ensue and people fighting for resources would put our country at war with one another. So what can you do? Part II to be continued…