Outdoor Life Prepare for Anything Survival Manual (54 page)

On the long list of very bad things that you’ll hopefully never have to worry about, a massive, weaponized EMP would rank somewhere on the scale as less likely than a global epidemic but more likely than the zombie apocalypse. An EMP on any scale, whether caused by a natural event or a deliberate attack, can fry power grids, destroy personal electronic devices, and in general wreak havoc on anything that uses electricity (including cars, airplanes, factories, and even satellites). Massive solar flares (see item 247) can have similar effects.

All nuclear bombs create a local electromagnetic pulse with their blast, but the greatest danger would be from a device designed specifically to emit a massive EMP. Experts theorize that a large device detonated 25 to 250 miles (40 to 400 km) above the Earth’s surface could be devastating to electronics across entire continents. For example, a large EMP bomb detonated high above the center of the U.S. could knock out most of the nation’s electronics. Should you worry? As we see it, it makes sense to be prepared for power outages, as they’re common around the world for any number of reasons. Staying vigilant in case of a high-altitude EMP may be going a bit far, but there’s no harm in taking precautions.

If you’re worried about the fate of your Game Boy after the Bomb drops (or, more likely, about communications hardware or medical equipment), there is a simple home solution to keep your electronics ticking.

A Faraday cage (named for the 19th-century inventor, Michael Faraday), is any conductive structure that protects its contents from electrical pulses. Your simplest option is to use a microwave oven or a tightly sealed metal garbage can (other easy options include an ammo can or a metal safe). However, if you’ve got a fair amount of equipment to protect, or you just like the idea of doing it yourself, a simple Faraday cage is easy to build.

One caveat is that due to the fact that these principles haven’t been tested with modern electronics, it’s not actually known how badly things would be damaged and what might survive unshielded. All we can do is rely on informed best guesses.

STEP 1
Determine what size box you’re going to need. Gather up everything you want to shield and see how much space you need. Likely items include shortwave radios, walkie-talkies, a couple of prepaid cell phones, any crucial medical equipment, such as a glucose meter, and spare parts for your generator and car. Note that batteries are not affected by EMP so don’t need to be included.

STEP 2
Choose a box that closes as securely as possible. Any gaps will render the ground ineffective.

STEP 3
Wrap your box securely in aluminum foil. Be sure the body of the box and its lid are totally encased.

STEP 4
Tape every seam down firmly. You can use regular cellotape for this, although aluminum or copper tape provide better security.

STEP 5
Line the inside of the box with cardboard to ensure that your electronics do not contact any of the foil or metal tape.

STEP 6
Place your items inside and close the lid firmly.

While not a long-term solution to loss of the power grid, this DIY battery system can charge a cell phone enough to give you several days’ worth of phone use. Sometimes, just that much can be a lifesaver.

Note that this system requires a marine battery, which is similar to a car battery but safe to use indoors (car batteries give off harmful fumes). Purchase a 55-aH 12-volt “advanced glass mat” (AGM) battery, widely available at home improvement or boating stores.

You’ll also need: a battery wall charger, a cigarette lighter adapter, a cell phone car charger, and a voltmeter.

Always wear safety goggles and take great care when working with batteries. While AGM batteries are less toxic than car batteries, they do contain acid and will hold a charge.

STEP 1
Be sure your battery is fully charged using the voltmeter (basically just jumper-cable style clips that go to an electrical plug). When you store your battery, be sure to check it every three months with the voltmeter. If it drops below 12.4 volts, charge it up so it’ll be ready to go when the lights go out.

STEP 2
Attach the clip-on cigarette lighter port to your battery (it’s easy—the port is attached to wires with jumper cable–like clips).

STEP 3
Plug in the phone charger, just like you would in your car, and charge your phone. Results will vary based on your phone and the battery, but you should be able to recharge your phone fully for more than a week with this system.

STEP 4
Periodically insert the voltmeter into the cigarette lighter adapter to check on your voltage, as you don’t want to run your battery down too far. As when it’s in storage, never let it drop below 12.4 volts.

Sometimes you’re stuck in a situation where you need a D-cell battery, but all you have are Cs. These tricks will get you through until you can stock up.

INVEST IN SOME COINS
You can pad out C-cell batteries to fill in somewhere that D-cells are needed—just place some quarters into the space between the battery’s terminal and the contacts.

FOIL YOUR FLASHLIGHT
If you need to power one of those long flashlights, wad up tinfoil as tightly as you can and use it to fill the space between one of the C-cell batteries and the contact on the flashlight’s lid.

During horrific storms and tornadoes, all of your preparedness can be irrelevant. Bodily harm is often the biggest danger from these intense natural disasters. Have all the supplies as directed in this book, but keep in mind that they could all be blown into the next county. Head for a basement, root cellar, or, ideally, a buried storm shelter if you hear about an impending storm. If those locations aren’t an option, hide in a closet in your home’s interior, keeping the clothes there with you as protection from storm-driven projectiles. You could also lie in a bathtub, covered in protective piles of towels, clothes, or bedding.

Getting ready for a hurricane can be a little intimidating, but it accomplishes two vital things. First, preparing for trouble removes some of the helplessness that many people feel when an emergency is imminent, putting you in the right mind-set: to be a survivor, not a victim. Second, prepping forces you to gather the supplies and make the plans that can help you adapt to the changing environment of a disaster. This can even arm you with the security and resources to help others as you put the pieces back together after a storm.

As you prepare for a hurricane, consider that you may lose power, which obviously takes away many of our modern conveniences. Make sure you have plenty of easy-to-fix, no-cook foods on hand and ample sources of lighting. Lean toward battery-operated lights instead of candles to reduce the hazard of fire. Also, make sure you know the routes to evacuate inland, away from the hurricane’s path.

Gather at least a 72-hour supply of water and food for each person in your home, plus flashlights, first-aid supplies, hygiene items, and something to pass the time for each person (books, board games, coloring books for the kids, and other electricity-free items). Get your cell phone charged up, and have a backup power source for it, like a car charger or external battery packs. Also have a battery-powered radio so you can stay alert to evacuation notices, disaster news, and other instructions.

Staying safe during a flood takes a combination of proper planning and quick thinking. Be aware of flood hazards no matter where you live, but especially if you’re in a low-lying area, near a river or bay, or downstream from a dam. In low-lying or flood-prone areas, a NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) weather radio with an alarm can be a lifesaving investment.

BE READY
If you have a day or more to prepare, move important things to the highest and driest location in your home. Pack any and all important and irreplaceable papers, photos, files, and data to take with you if you evacuate.

BE AWARE
Stay very alert to flood watches and warnings for your local area and the areas upriver and upland from your location.

MOVE FAST
If you only have minutes to get out, don’t waste time gathering possessions. Things can be replaced—lives cannot. Don’t wait to be told to move to higher ground if authorities say flash flooding is possible.

STOCK WATER
Contamination can be a big deal during and after a flood, so make sure you have a safe supply of a gallon of water per person per day—both in your home and if you evacuate.

BUG OUT RIGHT
Prepare to evacuate well in advance, and be sure your car is stocked with plenty of cash, no-cook foods, spare clothes, sanitation items, your cell phone charger, rain gear, and other essential supplies in case you have to provide for yourself and your family for some time.

DON’T DIG IN
Never decide that you’re smarter than the experts and that you can ride out the storm. If you are told to evacuate: DO IT! And as you go, beware of streams, ditches, drainage channels, canyons, and other low-lying areas. Flash floods can happen in these places even far away from the rainstorms.

DRIVE SAFELY
Never drive through even shallow floodwaters—turn around and find another path. Even seemingly safe water can pick your car up and sweep it away.