Survive an Electrical Outage in a Large City or Get Out

Ever thought about what would happen if a large city would be like without electricity? Electromagnetic Pulses, Solar Storms and Nuclear Bombs can produce surges and power spikes that can burn and short out power grids, components, transistors and power transformers. The sun produces sun flares that can throw tons of electrically charged particles toward the earth and hit the earth, charging any thing metallic, including power lines, railroad tracks, copper coils, cars, water lines and metal buildings. Countries have found out that one of the most efficient weapons of today is that of an EMP or electromagnetic pulse bomb. One bomb could be sent into the atmosphere at the height of about 65 miles above Kansas City and when it would burst, the effect of the pulse would go coast to coast, destroying critical electronics, power grids, computer systems and communications.

The electrically charge particles hit the wires, the steel railroad tracks, metal water pipes, copper wires, coils, transistors and anything that is metal and is collected. This in return, melts and overloads the circuits and melts key components of the electrical systems. Anything that is copper, brass, steel, aluminum and anything metal is susceptible to being charged with these highly charged particles. Any appliance, car, truck, vehicle, transformers, phone, satellite, power lines and anything composed of metal can be affected.

What does the Electricity have power over? Electricity runs this United States and the industrialized nations of the world. Electricity is used for the production and irrigation of food, the pumping of fuel and gasoline, the lighting of cities, the refrigeration, freezing and cooking of food, transportation, the communication systems, satellites, manufacturing, elevators, subways, computer systems, and just about any modern convenience that is available.

Without electricity, the large city virtually becomes like a dying fish out of water. The food, water and the sewage functions stop and the life functions from the electricity cease. The lights, houses and buildings become like dark caves and caverns. The streets become like massive, confused masses of snarled cars, buses and trucks. If an Electromagnetic Pulse is strong enough, it would even wipe out the computer systems in the cars, trucks and buses, so the vehicles would be not only stopped by the lack of traffic lights, the vehicles would become dead in the streets, unable to be started again.

The sky scrapers would become dark towers of awaiting danger. No lights, no air circulation systems, no fresh water supplies and no sewage disposal systems would be part of the impending dangers awaiting those who are living in the high rises. More than this, the muggers would ravage the streets, the hallways and the stairwells waiting for their chance to steal, mug and rape the unsuspecting. Without communication, vehicles and police protection, the streets and buildings would be targets for the gangs and savages.

Back in the 1980s, the companies, corporations and industries started what they call, "JIT", which stands for "JUST IN TIME". This relates to the production, ordering, warehousing, using, and selling the product. This relates to even the grocery and retail stores, as being efficient and productive. The money tied up in storing is the key factor. The stores only order what they need to fill the shelves and what they believe that they will sell in a certain time. When the stock gets low, they order by computer and then, by computer, the amount needed is ordered to be on the next available truck for delivery to the store. In this way, there are no overages, no extra warehouse space and no extra money is tied up with the overages.

Now comes the sad part. If the electricity goes out for an extended time in the large city, the JIT goes out too. There are no new items coming into the city. No food, no water, no nothing new coming into the city. Think about this! When the lights and electricity disappear in the large city, the supermarkets, the stores, the markets and gasoline stations go down too. No new orders could be placed and with no transportation, nothing is expected to arrive.

Three days!!! 3 days! That is all that is a safe rule for safety for you, your family and your loved ones. The best thing to do is to get out before an EMP hits because if the cars and vehicles get hit, there will not be safe passage out of the city.

After the 3 days, chaos, civilian unrest and social upheaval will surely take place. Shortages of fresh drinking water, food, sanitation and health care will be on top of the list for all that are still trapped in the large city and not prepared for the events.

Before the EMP, nuclear bomb or Solar Storm hits is the time to leave. Trying to leave during may subject you to attacks, breakdowns, stoppages, burns, radiation exposure, and fallout. A person can not out run a nuclear blast, so at the time of the blast, the people should try to underground, in a well protected place, with plenty of food and water. Underground shelter should protect people for some time, while, if in the open, may be certain death by the blast, by shattered glass or by the radiation. The EMP and the Solar Storm effects may or may not be as severe as the nuclear bomb, but can still bring about radiation burns if intense.

So, if caught inside the large city, realize that there is only a 3 day supply of food in any given large city. If the power outage is state or country wide, there might not be any help for days, months or even years to come, so every person could be on the survival mode to live as long as they can. The gangs will take over and the most powerful will survive or try to survive, by taking from the ones who have food, water and supplies. The 3-day rule is how much everything is available in the large city, but in the time of crises or disaster, the shelves will be depleted in a matter of hours, if not minutes.

When the sun releases the powerful solar flares, there are warnings posted on the Internet, news and media sources that alerts the citizens of the strength of the solar flare and solar storm that will hit the Earth and approximate timing. The EMP and Nuclear Bomb blasts will have almost no warning, but could explode with in seconds from the launch, if from a fishing trawler or cargo ship that is docked in a harbor. A missile on a ship docked in the New York or Georgia harbor could take out the whole East Coast Electrical grid and communications with in seconds, when deployed from these ships, giving almost NO reaction time to the military, government officials or the citizens.

You have options. Stay put in the city where you are, try to find a safe retreat or try to get out of the city. There will be major considerations to each action.

What do you do if you are in a large city when an EMP, nuclear bomb or a massive Solar Storm hits? First thing do do is take cover. The EMP and Solar Storm may not be as bad as a nuclear bomb, these may still result in radiation and burns. The best place is underground and then stay there. Some of the EMP's from nuclear bombs will still have the fall out that may cause radiation sickness. The EMP's from the sun may not have the fall out, but some can still have the radiation that can cause the skin to burn. The Earth does have protective barriers and shields that protect the inhabitants from this deadly and potent radiation, but the shielding is being destroyed or is disappearing in certain areas. The magnetosphere is one of those protecting the Earth, but for some reason, is down or faulty at times.

After securing an underground area, there are some essentials that you must have. One, being fresh, drinkable, non-poisonous and non-contaimated water. Second, you must secure some food. You will need about one gallon of water per person per day. The food must be editable and should be in high energy content. The third essential would be of shelter and the fourth being security. It will not be long before other people will be thinking the same thing. With lots of people and animals in the city, the shortages of water, food and essentials, the hunt will be extended with each passing hour, trying to hunt and take the water and food that will be in very short supply.

If you are secure, well fed and have plenty of drinkable water, it might be best to stay hid and secure for a time, until things settle down, but as things settle down, the more organized gangs will reign and rampage the streets and communities. The above the streets may be very dangerous and going through underground pipes and sewers might be the safest way out of the cities. Being in a large city with no electricity poses many deadly and threatening problems and different situations.

If you are caught in a high rise or sky scraper, the situation will get serious very quickly. The elevators stop, the lights are out, the heating/air conditioning/ventilation systems are not working and the water is not being pumped to the building any more. Getting out in a totally dark building will be a almost endless task especially the very high buildings. Staying behind will create more problems in that you would have no food, no water, no facilities and no fresh air. When you finally get out, everyone will be in the same problems, being without water, food, shelter and medical treatment. With the 3 day supply, these very essentials will be either shared or fought over.

Although you might be caught in the city, the chaos and upheaval might not unravel for two or three days. This would be the time to try to get out if conditions warrant. If not, hunkering down might be the best consideration. If there are neighbors that would be supportive and would be willing to become your ally, this would be great.

As with Katrina, the help did arrive, but many deaths later. With a massive EMP or Nuclear Bomb blast, part or the whole country could be damaged, so the likelihood of anyone coming to the rescue would be at the least, minimum. The agencies and institutions that are already in place would be able to help in the first few days, but when the food and necessities would run out, there would be mass hysteria and confusion. Remember, there is only a three day supply of food and essentials in any given city.

The food kitchens would try to function, but with the loss of electricity, the refrigeration and freezer units, the ovens and the ways to keep and prepare food would be useless. When the realization that the electricity is going to be out for an extended time, there would be riots, looting and mass civilian unrest. Without clean drinkable water, food and medical attention, situations would get worse and the soup lines and kitchens would be abandoned.

If there is advanced notice to the EMP, Nuclear Device or Solar Storm, it would be wise to try to get out of the large city, being without electricity can create dangerous situations in the large city and can multiply each hour.

There have been studies that try to determine what vehicles that would be affected by the EMP's, the Nuclear Explosions and a massive Solar Storm, but the results are dependent on the strength, the altitude and the makeup. Some vehicles were determined to still function while others were completely disabled.

In the time, like anyone trying to get out of Florida during a Hurricane evacuation, all the roads would be packed and almost at a standstill for hours. Getting out of a large city would be like trying to go over the Washington Bridge in New York City, all at the same time. Hours and hours would be waiting in the vehicles and at this time of escape, time would be so very precious.

At this time, any form of travel would be better than trying to survive in the large city or getting blasted while waiting in the vehicle trying to escape. Walking, biking, motorcycles, horses or anything that could be used would be to an advantage to escape.

The following are answers to the EMP's, the Nuclear Bomb Blasts and the Solar Storms.

First of all, all these are uncertain as to happening, but the probability of at least one of these will happen in the near future is increasing greatly.

Second, being prepared would be the first action. Having a bug out or get out of dodge essentials bag packed and ready would be advisable. see:

http://laurenswright.hubpages.com/hub/Creating-an-Emergency-Survival-Reserve-Supply

and

http://laurenswright.hubpages.com/hub/Answer-to-the-Question-What-Should-be-in-a-Bug-Out-Bag

For important information about what should a bug out bag and get out of dodge bag is for and what people would consider what essential items should be included.

The third thing is to be informed. Listen to the news and research to the happenings and events. This could save your life.

Fourth thing is to have more than 4 escape plans. Also have backup plans in case these do not work out.

The fifth thing is the most important!! Have a backup of at least a 3-day supply of water and food. A person needs at least a gallon of water a day to survive. Find out where there is a plentiful, safe, non-polluted supply of water on the outside of the city, safe from sewage and contaminates.

The Sixth, is to have a safe retreat, outside the city to meet with some other relatives or friends.

The answer would be no. No place would be safe anymore, if a major electrical outage happened. Everyone would be in the same boat. This is a highly modern, highly mechanized and technological society and to take away the electricity would be throwing it backward 200 years.

The outside of the Large City would pose problems with muggers, thieves and robbers, as well as organized gangs. The weather would also pose potential problems, being that the North is very cold and the South is very hot and humid.

If the area hit was farmland, the tractors could also be affected, which in turn, would affect the production of food and crops. The transportation to get the food and crops to market would also be disabled.

All mankind would be scouring for food, shelter and security, which there would be none.