EMP security

Electromagnetic Pulse A triggering catastrophe that could prompt nationwide blackout, civil war

...Electromagnetic pulse [EMP] can take two forms: the first comes from, he explains, the results of a natural or man-made EMP and would be very extreme solar activity;  the second from an enemy detonated nuclear weapon above the atmosphere in the purposive attempt to create an EMP. different, but either could be catastrophic for the U.S.

” Research also determined that our systems are unable to respond effectively to an event that knocks out power to a large region or the nation as a whole… Because virtually all financial transactions and communications are now conducted electronically, without electricity regions would lose the ability to buy, sell,and communicate instantly… Most individuals would lose access to food and medicine after around three days. Law enforcement would cease to exist in most localities within a week… Over a year the effects of a nationwide blackout would approach the level of a limited nuclear war.”

Prof.Andres concludes that because the Grid is owned and regulated by so many different companies and groups, it is the individual states rather than the federal government, that are responsible for protecting against EMP.

It is not easy to assess the probability of EMP occurring in the future, and no one likes to imagine the effects. So it is probably easy, with so many other detectable problems, to ignore this disaster possibility. It is also not hard to recognize that this could be an enormous mistake.

What are the implications for action? First and foremost, as the National Defense University analysis contends, it is up to state and local governments to enact regulations to protect against EMP threats to the Grid. Companies should be required by law to protect themselves.