Grid Down Scenarios: How to Survive a Power Grid Attack

https://thepreppingguide.com/grid-down-scenario-causes/
Grid Down Scenarios: How to Survive a Power Grid Attack
By Ben Brown
A grid-down scenario is a prepper’s worst nightmare. And it is something that preppers and the government share a mutual fear of.
In just one month in a grid-down scenario, services, supplies, and necessities will be so severe that your neighbor would kill you for food, and law enforcement will be so understaffed that they won’t be there to help.

You might think this is the stuff of movies, but it is very possible, and in a very real grid-down scenario, society as we know it would stop to function.

Every single process that is run on the electric grid would come to a sudden halt. Much of what we need to survive, such as the things we eat, what we drink, and many of the comforts we have, are automated. Without a stable electric grid, they would cease.

And it’s not as if someone can just fix a power unit, or flick a switch and the grid comes back on. If crucial components of our power grid go, they need to be made again. But how can you make and repair a grid without electricity? It would be like trying to replace a lightbulb in your living room without light bulbs.

In the modern world, high-powered transformers in power plants convert generator voltage into consumable electricity for the grid. They are the heart of the grid that we rely on every day.

power grid attack

These large power transformers (LPTs) aren’t just any piece of machinery. They cost millions of dollars to make and have an average weight of 200-300 tonnes. They take a minimum of 12 months to create, which is if there is substantial power and economic resources, and transport available. Replacing them alone takes at least a month.

If these are taken out, the grid will go down and an entire country will be crippled, left in the dark ages, and it won’t recover overnight.

What happens if the grid goes down?
Whatever contingency plan a government has in place for a grid-down situation, it will not be able to cope with the pressures of what will occur.

At the initial point of a grid down, power will be out like any normal blackout. Emergency services and recovery efforts will get to work as planned. Most companies will have measures in place to ensure their procedures can work on a temporary outage as they would in a blackout.

But those strategies are for a temporary outage, not for a permanent outage.

If the grid goes bust, every part of developed life will be switched off. The only thing your phone will be good for is looking at old photos, or using the flashlight function at night when desperate hungry people are breaking into your home.

power outage grid down

Everything that is automated and runs on a digital services will stop. The three major necessities we rely on every day are water, food, and money. Without these, after one month, a society would crumble at the seams.

Water – Without access to the grid, city water supplies will stop. There’s no way for pump stations to rely indefinitely on backup generators or emergency power resources if a grid was to go down. This means that public water sources simply wouldn’t run anymore, and sewerage systems would likely fail and backup.

Food – Food is a major concern as many farms and food producers are ran on automated services, feeding and harvesting. Not only that but the refrigeration of foods from providers, and their delivery, all run on a digital system.

The trucks that deliver food from farms to stores run on an electronically-kept schedule, the stores are not able to provide refrigeration to fresh foods, and eventually, supplies will not be able to keep up with demand. Some researchers say that social disorder will ensue after a week of a grid down situation as food shortages will drive tension amongst the large portion of the population.

A grid down will also remove the option of being able to cook food with gas systems, and refrigerating any necessary foods will be impossible.

Money – There’s no way around the cash system we have at the moment. Most of us have the majority of our money kept in banks that we wouldn’t be able to touch, or use, if our electric grid was attacked. We live in an almost cashless society, and all of of our plastic money, ATMs, card services, and credit systems run on electricity.

After a week of a grid-down, the majority of people are not going to have enough money to purchase food or services, as they would not have had that lump amount of cash in hand.

The majority of these shortages will be caused by a lack of transport and a lack of access to electricity. But it is not what will kill us. The biggest danger is what will come a week, or a month, into a grid-down scenario, when the large part of the population is starving, fighting for food and water for their families.

How a lawless world can happen in a blackout
With these three services shutting down, and our society reversed to the dark ages, no matter who you are, or what role you play in society, you will be affected. There is no doubt that after a week, or a month, as supplies, systems and services are beyond stretched, that people will refuse to work. Instead, they will focus on their own survival and the basic provision of their families.

grid-down hunger

This means that emergency workers, military, and a majority of police will also be affected. They won’t have pay, which means if they do work, they work for the service, not the pay. In this respect, emergency services, law enforcement, and military will be completely understaffed and undermanned.

Meanwhile, society’s crime levels will no doubt rise as desperation sets in.

After a month of a grid-down scenario, your neighbor would kill you for your food and there will be no law enforcement to help.

In this timeline, a world without rules or laws can happen in 30 days.

Let’s look at the four ways that can happen.

4 likely causes of a grid down scenario
You have seen how desperate and dangerous a grid-down scenario can make the world we live in.

It is not the stuff of fantasies either. A grid-down scenario is a very real threat for a lot of preppers. In fact, it’s a large reason why the prepper movement exists. And it’s not only preppers and survivalists who are worried and taking actions. Western governments regularly trial grid-down scenarios to test their departmental responses and action plans in order to develop counter strategies against the hell that happens as society starts to collapse.

But what could trigger a grid-down scenario? It is likely to be caused by an EMP, cyber attack, terrorist attack, or a coronal mass ejection. Let’s take a closer look at how each one of those would happen.

1. EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse)
emp bomb

An EMP is the worst-case scenario for any country. It doesn’t just disable a country’s grid, it renders almost all electrical items useless and will shut off the grid indefinitely.

The power of an EMP can vary. However, its effect will largely fry anything that is connected to the grid. There are some things that it won’t destroy, such as large battery units that are made with large thick plates and smaller gadgets such as smartphones that have internal EMI shielding (the thing that stops interference). The problem is everything that you would use with these (anything you’d plug into the battery) would be dead. And the phone would be useless, given cell towers would be fried and there would be no power.

A majority of vehicles that use computer processors would also come to a dead stop, which would see most of the vehicles on the street stopped in their tracks.

It is a situation like this that worries preppers to the extent of researching off-grid methods from cooking to transport, as these will be skills that will greatly increase chances of survival, as well as the rebuilding of communities.

According to the US EMP Commission designed to assess the threat of an EMP attack:

A single EMP attack may seriously degrade or shut down a large part of the electric power grid in the geographic area of EMP exposure effectively instantaneously. There is also a possibility of functional collapse of grids beyond the exposed area, as electrical effects propagate from one region to another…

Should significant parts of the electrical power infrastructure be lost for any substantial period of time, the Commission believes that the consequences are likely to be catastrophic, and many people may ultimately die for lack of the basic elements necessary to sustain life in dense urban and suburban communities. In fact, the Commission is deeply concerned that such impacts are likely in the event of an EMP attack unless practical steps are taken to provide protection for critical elements of the electric system and for rapid restoration of electric power, particularly to essential services.

– Report of the Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse.

While there are a number of causes of an EMP, the Commission points out that the most likely cause of an EMP is one resulting from a nuclear detonation.

The electromagnetic pulse generated by a high altitude nuclear explosion is one of a small number of threats that can hold our society at risk of catastrophic consequences.

A more exact measure of the possible toll on American lives that an EMP could inflict was heard in US Congress earlier this year. If a high-altitude electromagnetic pulse was created over US soil the “result could be to shut down the U.S. electric power grid for an indefinite period, leading to the death within a year of up to 90 percent of all Americans”.

This would have a worse effect than a nuclear weapon where unnafected home soil areas that have not been struck would be able to provide assistance. With an EMP detonated at a high altitude, almost the entire US electrical grid could be shut down in a single strike.

An EMP is one disaster that not avoidable by preppers. You simply cannot move away from it, or live in another area that is unlikely affected by it.

Two preparations to prepare is to research more methods of conducting daily life ‘off-grid’ methods to survive without the need for electricity, and supplies from services such as grocery stores and public water pumps. These are homesteading practices that are widely adopted by preppers. The second prepper strategy for an EMP attack is to develop a faraday cage and protective covering for necessary devices against EMP damage.

2. Cyber attack
cyber attack grid down

Another weakness to the US grid, and a likely cause to a grid-down scenario, is from a more invisible war that is being fought online. Hackers have, for the past few years, been waging a war against many developed countries in a bid to test, penetrate, and attack the power grids of many countries.

The US power grid has been the target of a major campaign of attacks led by Russian hackers in the last two years which has proven to be very successful. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Russian operatives have successfully hacked their way into the US power grid earlier this year.

The breach into the US power grid system was a show of force by an unidentified hacker group with the simple goal to show that they are capable of taking down the US grid. And this is just an individual. Imagine if a Government was to commit to a hacking war against another country? It could cripple and destroy a country’s electrical grid.

When people hear the term hacking, it is easy to assume that the worst that could happen is some information or email passwords are obtained. Wrong. Hackers can do a lot more damage than just that, and can even cause harm or death.

Many of a power station’s large power transformers are controlled by terminals that decide how they operate, and at what levels they function. Those controls are connected to a grid, accessible through the internet, meaning hackers could essentially change the settings of a power transformer and cause it to explode. At this point, hacking becomes a weapon to cause physical harm to others as well as to destabilize a country’s grid.

While many preppers fear a grid-down situation, for Ukrainians, this has been a real situation caused by hackers. In what is believed to be a concentrated effort by Russian hackers, Ukraine’s power grid has been hit several times, as well as their transportation systems, energy, media and financial systems. Many of these attacks have been attributed to operations ran by the Kremlin. But there have also been intrusive measures by both Chinese and North Korean hackers as well.

It is a very real and very frightening concept – hackers have already obtained access to the controls of power stations in the US. They have shown the world how they can cripple a country’s grid as they did in Ukraine. If there was a more concentrated effort to make an act of war, hackers could destroy many of the power plants in the US and effectively wipe out the grid in one swift attack.

3. Terrorist attack
attacks on the power grid

While an attack by Russian hackers and a possible Government-led attack would cause a grid-down scenario, radical terrorism is also a large threat to the grid.

“There is an imminent threat from ISIS to the national electric grid and not just to a single U.S. city,” says Dr Peter Pry, Executive director of the Task Force on National and Homeland Security. He says “inadequate grid security, a porous U.S.-Mexico border, and a fragile transmission system make the electric grid a target for ISIS”.

A report from the National Research Council stated that a concentrated terrorist movement would cripple the grid.

A terrorist attack on the power system would lack the dramatic impact of the attacks in New York, Madrid, or London. It would not immediately kill many people or make for spectacular television footage of bloody destruction. But if it were carried out in a carefully planned way, by people who knew what they were doing, it could deny large regions of the country access to bulk system power for weeks or even months. An event of this magnitude and duration could lead to turmoil, widespread public fear, and an image of helplessness that would play directly into the hands of the terrorists. If such large extended outages were to occur during times of extreme weather, they could also result in hundreds or even thousands of deaths due to heat stress or extended exposure to extreme cold. 

And those attacks need not just be from overseas Islamic-based terrorism, but can also be terrorism on home soil. Terrorism poses both a physical and digital threat to the power grid, as they are growing more and more capable of digital attacks (as above) as well as crafting weapons on home soil to be used to destabilize power factories.

Homeland Security experts have said that a terrorist attack on the grid would be well-planned and researched. Some have identified that an attack on the grid would be the start of a two-pronged approach, where lights, communication, cameras, and security would be shut off with a grid-down scenario, then a group would likely use this as an advantage to launch a secondary attack with bombing essential structures.

One Senator said this was a way for terrorists to “create chaos on top of chaos.”

Like many of these attacks on the grid, there is no way to tell when they might happen. Only that if they do, there is going to be a lot of chaos as a country settles into darkness.

4. Solar flare and coronal mass ejection
preppers coronal mass ejection

A different threat to the power grid is one that is not posed by human, but rather, by nature and science, and is an EMP from a coronal mass ejection.

In 2012, our entire planet was on the brink of a doomsday apocalypse. That’s right, we were about to be sent back to the stone age from a massive solar storm. The cause was from our hot neighboring star, the Sun. It had one of its biggest solar flares and coronal mass ejections ever seen since scientists have been watching the Sun.

What on earth is a coronal mass ejection you might ask? A coronal mass ejection (CME) is when a giant cloud of energy and solar plasma is blown away from the sun in a very large and violent eruption. This is a little different to solar flares which are bursts of light eruptions. Whether it affects us is largely based on where and when it happens, as it could completely miss Earth, or it could be directed right at us.

When it happened in 2012, it just missed us. Had it have been a little closer, you would not be reading this. Why? Because a CME causes a gigantic rush of electrons through the atmosphere destroying everything electronic. The strength of a CME is likely to be far more effective than a manmade EMP from a bomb, and thus would have a much larger impact area.

While we might have plans for grid down scenarios such as ones caused by hackers, a manmade EMP, or terrorism-based, when it comes to a CME, if directed at Earth, can have the EMP power of 20 million nuclear bombs.

In 1989 a geomagnetic storm hit Earth, yet there was much less of an impact given we had less of a reliance on technology. But it still had its effect. For instance, Canada’s power grid collapsed within 90 seconds of the EMP arriving.

If it were to happen today, the costs would be crippling. According to the National Academy of Science, the potential damage of a storm similar to the 1989 CME would cost between $1 trillion to $2 trillion in the first 12 months of recovery. The report says a full recovery for the power grid would take four to 10 years.

Preparing for a grid down
There is no doubt that the power grid is a weak spot for a country. With one swift strike, or EMP, it can destroy a country and a recovery would take longer than 12 months before the heart of our power plants can be replaced again.

Prepping for this possible scenario is not easy. In fact, you will find it would be much easier to prep for a storm or natural disaster. These events are temporary in how long they last. One week into a grid-down scenario and you are likely to see poverty, starvation, lawlessness and a societal collapse.

Preparing for this type of event doesn’t involve just having a simple food supply and a bug out bag. It requires knowing how to live without technology, and power, and develop sustainable methods of harvesting water, and providing food.

In this worst-case prepper scenario, your best method of survival is to work with a community of like-minded individuals that are able to share the workload of food growing, water collection, security, and rebuilding a society.






The Best Satellite Phones For When Sh*t Hits the FanBy Ben Brown SHARE TWEET SHARE SHARE 0 COMMENTS
Iridium Go Sat Phone
Even as cell reception areas grow, there are still numerous parts of the world that remain without proper access to coverage. A key component of prepping for a SHTF scenario means having the ability to communicate whenever and wherever. Not knowing if, how, or when you’ll be able to communicate and get in touch with those closest to you is not a position you want to be in.

Having access to barrier-free global communication is one of the most important elements you can secure for you and your family. Through the use of products on the Iridium satellite network, you will always have the lifeline contact you need.

Why Satellite Communication is Necessary for Prepping
You may be wondering why your cell phone isn’t enough for continuous communication. Consider that your cell phone requires a terrestrial cell tower within a particular frequency range. Urban use is generally reliable. Movement beyond city limits, however, will often find you with a lost connection.

Being prepared for any situation means having the ability to communicate without limits. Cell phones can’t give you that. Satellite communication, on the other hand, allows for seamless contact even in the most remote areas. And in a situation where a local cell tower may be compromised, the satellite phone continues to function.

For preppers and survivalists, having the ability to communicate needs to be guaranteed. Even in times of disaster, you can have peace of mind that clear communication in multiple forms will continue. The additional navigation and immediate SOS capabilities are other features preppers will be thankful to have.

With the various satellite networks and products, it can be difficult to know what to choose. Read on for our best recommendation in the satellite world for all of your preparation needs.

Why is the Iridium Network is a great choice for limitless communication? Iridium is the only satellite communications company that provides a truly global connection. It is the most far-reaching satellite communications service available across land, sea, air, and even the polar regions. This unmatched connectivity comes from the interworkings of 66 cross-linked Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites.

Being able to know and transmit your location, as well as reach a lifeline in the event of an emergency, is of utmost importance. Iridium offers a variety of products to ensure your safety, and these two are top of the line to ensure all types of communication avenues continue to be accessible.

Iridium 9575 Satellite Phone
Iridium 9575

Considered “best in class” the Iridium 9575 Extreme is everything you would expect from a satellite phone and more. Though there are other options available, the most important aspect of having a satellite phone is its reliability. You need it to work no matter what. This model allows its users to trust the device worldwide.

Iridium Sat Phone 

Functioning on the Iridium network, this phone benefits from the world’s only truly global service. This means you’ll be connected wherever you go.

With this phone, you’ll find durability and dependability.

Additional features include:

location awareness
customizable GPS – transmit positions when on the move
Built-in Emergency SOS button
market-leading toughness (military-grade)
reliable voice and data capability
Up to 30 hours of standby time
Where it works: Everywhere in the world

Who needs it? Whether you find yourself in a man-made or natural disaster, preppers who want to be ready for anything can utilize the Iridium 9575 for unparalleled reach.

Iridium GO Satellite Wi-Fi
Iridium GoThere will be times that the outside world is beyond the reach of terrestrial networks. But staying connected remains vital for safety as well as accessibility to information. A satellite phone can be an excellent option, but what if you’re just wanting more from your phone or tablet? With the Iridium Go, users have the ability to create a Wi-Fi connection through the Iridium satellite network. If it has a clear path to the sky, it will work anywhere in the world. Never be concerned about maintaining a proper connection ever again.

Iridium Go Sat Phone

With this unit, you can extend the reach of the devices you use every day.

Additional features include:

small enough to fit in your pocket
no roaming charges
text messaging and voice calling
enhanced data capabilities through optimized apps
for anyone on the move – land, sea, or air
compatible with both Apple and Android operating systems
military-grade durability
Where it works: With the flip of the antenna, you’ll maintain Wi-Fi capability anywhere in the world with a clear path to the sky.

Who needs it? For those not wanting an additional phone or to replace their cell phone with a satellite phone, the Iridium Go is the perfect option. This versatile Wi-Fi hotspot is best for preppers wanting to turn a “cellular-only” option into a far-reaching communication device.

Be Prepared Via Satellite
It’s not enough to rely on your cell phone alone for continuous communication. A Satellite phone (or tool that transforms your phone or tablet into a Satellite hub) is one of the most important tech tools a prepper can have. It provides reliable connectivity in remote areas for everyday communication. It can also become a literal lifeline.

 




https://commonsensehome.com/when-the-power-grid-fails/
When the Power Grid Fails - 12 Things You Need to Prepare [2019]
https://commonsensehome.com › Preparedness
29 Jun 2019 - If the power grid goes down, water and natural gas will fail soon thereafter, ... If you suspect the power will go out, flush your toilets right away ...

When the Power Grid Fails – 12 Things You Need to Prepare [2019]
June 29, 2019 By August Neverman 90 Comments

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In this post, we’ll discuss why the power grid fails, and how to prepare for a power outage that disrupts electricity and basic services such as communications, water and trash pickup. If the power grid goes down, water and natural gas will fail soon thereafter, so planning is critical.

power grid fails

The power grid is one of those things that most of us take for granted, but it’s time to acknowledge that it’s getting older, reaching capacity and under attack. As of 2019, the average age of the power grid is 30 years old.

In the article “Bracing for a big power grid attack: ‘One is too many’“, USA Today states “About once every four days, part of the nation’s power grid — a system whose failure could leave millions in the dark — is struck by a cyber or physical attack.” Without a plan in place, most of us would be in bad shape with an extended grid outage.

California is experiencing outages and brownouts this summer (2019). (Utility companies are cautious after power lines sparked wildfires in 2018.) The site PowerOutage.US shows current outages, aggregating utility company data from around the United States.

12 Things You Need to Prepare for When the Power Grid Fails
#1 Lighting
Make sure you can see when the power grid fails! Could you find your way out in pitch black with elevators not working at home or work or when traveling? The power will probably fail when you don’t expect it.

Even a small flashlight can make a huge difference. Consider a flashlight for your car, each bedroom, each bathroom and in your kitchen, garage, and one near your electrical panel and a couple spares (especially if you have kids who lose them). Consider a flashlight for your key ring, your pocket and/or purse and one at work.

Candles or hurricane lamps are other possible lighting source, but keep in mind they create a fire risk and fresh air may be a problem if you are in a tightly sealed building. One advantage of candles and lamps is that they do provide heat, which is useful for cold climates.

A crank powered flashlight is great for kids and serve a double function as a flashlight and backup charger for emergencies. Plus you can get them relatively inexpensively.

Multi-function crank flashlight/radio/USB phone charger
Kaito Voyager $59 Flashlight with AM/FM NOAA /2 band shortwave Radio, Cell Phone Solar / Crank Charger
iRonsnow Dynamo Emergency Solar or Hand Crank FM Radio with LED Flashlight
Best inexpensive flashlight – pack of AAA Kootek XPE-Q5 LED flashlight with adjustable focus zoom for more info on this flashlight see the “Best Cheap Flashlight” post.
Good small work flood light (has a magnet so it can stick to car while changing a tire) the AAA NEBO COB flashlight is a great option.
Solar Camp Light under $20 – Camping Lantern 
Crank Camp Light under $20 – Camping Lantern
Best mid-priced 1000+ lumen flashlight – 18650 LED Flashlight Thrunite TN12


#2 Batteries
Flashlights are great, but when is the last time you checked them? Get batteries – a lot of them. Do you have long life batteries? You can get 10 year to 20 year life AA batteries.

If possible, standardize your flashlights and other battery gear on AA or AAA. Consider rechargeable batteries and a good charger. They cost a bit more up front but can save you a lot over the years.

There are crank and solar battery chargers, plus your car can charge batteries while you travel using a 12 volt adapter.

Tenergy AA and AAA batteries are very good but less expensive than the Panasonic
Lacrosse BC-1000 Battery Charger 
See Best Rechargeable Battery and Best Battery Charger for a detailed review of the best AA, AAA and 18650 rechargeable batteries. We also review a 21 watt solar panel that provides 5 volt USB power and emergency radios with built in solar and hand crank chargers to charge USB devices.

#3 Water
Keep a couple cases of water bottles around for emergency power outages. Rotate your water storage. Even water will go stale after extended storage. We have a 55 gal drinking potable water drum with a pump and roller base for emergencies.

If you suspect power might go out, fill your bathtub, and your sink, and flush your toilets. So its good to take action if the power flickers a few times. Dish water should be used in a bucket or plugged sink. That dirty water is just fine for flushing toilets — see #6.

Finally, consider good water filters such as Berkey and/or Lifestraw. These can take questionable water and make it drinkable.

Big Berkey
LifeStraw Personal Water Filter
See Emergency Water Storage and Filtration – What You Need to Know for a more detailed list of water storage and filtration options.

#4 Toilet
Nature still calls whether the power is out or not. If you suspect the power will go out, flush your toilets right away (before the power is out). When power grid fails, follow the rhyme “if its yellow let it mellow, if its brown flush it down” for short term outages.

Flushing water is likely to be limited. Water used once for hand washing can be used again to flush the toilet. Don’t forget to stock up on extra toilet paper.

With longer power outages, toilets aren’t like to work. Gravity handles the flush, but the sewer or septic may rely on power to pump sewage. Know where your poop goes.

It might be easier to poop on a newspaper, or in a DIY Emergency Toilet and store refuse in a black plastic bags. Have some wet wipes available for clean up.

#5 Garbage 
You need a lot of garbage bags (consider keeping 3 boxes). Plan for garbage management in advance. Stock paper plates and plastic silverware so you have less or no dish washing. But disposable paper plates and silverware means more garbage.

How many large garbage bins could you set aside for water, or refuse, or cleanup, or garbage? What about critters coming around (rats, possum…) if you have a lot of garbage? Work out a plan for garbage for dealing with disrupted garbage pickup. If you need to burn garbage, build a burn barrel that burns safe and clean.

BONUS TIP: Garbage bags can also be makeshift tarps if a window is blown in, or you need to make something partly waterproof temporarily. But how do you hold the tarp or garbage bag in place? Duct Tape!

#6 Backup Power
If you have the funds and space available, consider purchasing a generator and learn how to use it. We purchased a Champion Dual Fuel (propane and gasoline) generator. You will need a heavy duty extension cord to power your appliances, or you can hire an electrician to hardwire to your home’s electrical system.

Solar panels are another option, but for short term power needs, a generator will power more at a lower cost.

See Emergency Power Options for Your Home for more information on providing your own power.

Refrigerators & Freezers – What to do if you don’t have backup power
If the power does go out, keep doors of freezers and refrigerators closed as much as possible. They will keep food cold longer if they stay closed.

A full freezer stays cold longer than an empty freezer, so if you have a freezer that’s not normally full, keep frozen jugs of water in the extra space.

Choose sturdy bottles (2 liter soda bottle work well because they need to be tough enough to hold carbonation). Don’t fill the bottles all the way to the top. (Water expands as it freezes.) These bottles also provide a backup source of potable water.

FDA Food Safety guidelines note:

Before using any foods, check your refrigerator and freezer thermometers. If the fridge is still at or below 40°F (4°C), or the food has been above 40°F for only 2 hours or less, it should be safe to eat.
Frozen food that still has ice crystals or is at 40°F or below can be safely refrozen or cooked.
If you’re unsure how long the temperature has been at or above 40 degrees, don’t take a chance. Throw the food out.
Produce is more forgiving than meat and dairy. Use your common sense.

#7 Off Grid Cooking Supplies
Figure out how to cook a meal without power before the power grid fails. Make sure you practice with your cooking choice regularly, so you know how to use it and have needed equipment.

Outdoor grills work well if the weather cooperates. Have extra charcoal (2 to 10 bags depending on space and family size) or propane on hand. Grill meat that would go bad first.

Indoor gas stoves may or may not work when the power is out. Many have electric ignition.

Small butane stoves are great for cooking simple meals indoors, and store in a space about the size of a briefcase. Other camp stoves may not be safe for indoor use. Check before you fire up.

See Emergency Cooking – 10 Ways to Have a Hot Meal When the Power Goes Out for more information on cooking without electricity.

#8 Food
Start by stocking extra of what you regularly eat, focusing on foods that store without electricity. If you like a specific type of granola bar, or cereal or soup, keep a few extra of them and keep eating the oldest ones. It doesn’t cost a lot more, and your day to day activity keeps the food fresh and you automatically restock.

Consider purchasing a 72 hour kit or MRE type foods. Buy small sample sizes and taste test before you buy a bulk supply. If the budget allows, a home freeze dryer may be a worthwhile investment. That way you can store food you know tastes good that your family will eat.

The MINIMUM goal is enough food for 72 hours for everyone in the family – including pets. A longer stockpile is better, especially if you can stock a bit more of the food you are eating already, and supplement it with MRE, Freeze dried or other canned food you find palatable.

Mountain House 3 day (72 hour) food kit for 1 adult Mountain House Just in Case 72 Hour Kit – Buy one per adult. **Try buying and eating one meal with the family before you decide.   You might like Auguson Farms, Mountain House, MREs, Wise, Legacy (or others).
5yr Emergency food bars such as Emergency Survival 2400 Calorie Food Bar are ready to eat, but you need to buy a lot of them if you are going to feed a family
See also – Home Food Preservation – 10 Ways to Preserve Food at Home.

#9 Heating and Cooling
Check out Emergency Heat During a Power Outage and other Winter Storm Preps for cold weather survival tips.

For hot areas, read 12 Best Tips for Keeping Your house Cool Without AC.

#10 Communications
Your cellphone battery will die. Get a solar charger, and/or car charger, and/or crank USB charger. Communication when the power grid fails is critical, so make sure your backup charging option works. Test your backup charger when you change your clocks at daylight savings in the spring and fall.

Assume you might not have 911 or internet. Have a list of key phone numbers written down or printed out. Have LOCAL PAPER MAPS, so you can get where you are going even if a few roads are out and your GPS isn’t working. (See Maps for Preparedness.)

A crank powered radio is good too. Get one that can listen to emergency broadcasts, and even better one that can listen to TV broadcasts.

Walkie Talkie 5 to 30 mile = Midland GXT1050VP4 36-Mile 50-Channel FRS/GMRS Two-Way Radio (it can also use 4 AA batteries)
Also consider HAM radio or multi-pack handheld radios.
See also the Best Battery Chargers and Batteries post

#11 First Aid Supplies
Either make your own first aid kit or buy one. Have one kit for home, one in the car/truck, and one for work.

You should have enough to be able to hold yourself over if the police/fire/rescue cant show up for roughly a week, so that means:

OTC medications
insulin
prescription medications
inhalers
adrenaline
whatever you need (or might need) to take care the basic medical needs of yourself and your family
Ideally, you should get CPR training and basic 1st aid BEFORE you need it, and get the entire family through it, even the squeamish ones.

See also – Best First Aid Kit Recommendations for Home, Car, Office and Travel

#12 Everything Else
This list highlights critical items, but there are many more that will improve comfort levels if the power grid fails for an extended time.

Money. Businesses that are open may only be able to take cash, or only take credit. It’s good to have both on hand, especially small bills.

Supplies. Do you have a stash of one or two changes of clothes relative to the season set aside? (The power outage might occur right before your weekly laundry day.) What about a pair of gloves? An emergency stash of fresh socks and underwear can make a world of difference in comfort.

Paper is handy to take notes. A deck of cards or a couple board games can help to pass the time. Do you have a box of matches to light a candle or start a charcoal grill? Do you have hand wipes, alcohol swipes and sanitizing hand wash so you can clean up without using drinking water?

Don’t forget the duck tape!

Know How to Get in and Out of Buildings without Power
Know how to get in and out of buildings at home, work and frequented buildings if the power is out, and elevators aren’t working. This seems simple but try it at least once, just to make sure you can find your way with the building black and you only having a flashlight.

Team up when the Power Grid Fails!
A prepared group is much better than a prepared individual. Plan with your neighborhood, and with your friends and family. Maybe one person is good at first aid, another is a camper, another is a hunter and so on. A team has far more resources than the individual.

Think about group communication, like local walk-talkies or ham radio for talking to the team. Maybe there’s a designated gathering location, or different people in the group prep for different things, like off grid cooking or water filtration.

when the power grid fails text over lightning hitting power lines

Why Does The Grid Go Down?
What causes brown outs (partial power loss) and black outs (full power loss)? Weather, Cyber Attacks, Earthquakes and other natural disasters, human error and the aging power grid. See below for information about each of these.

Weather
Snowstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes can generate damaging winds or debris that take down transmission lines so the power grid fails in a local area.

Cyber Attacks
Cyber attacks are moving from theory to reality. The US utility grid is attacked constantly, it is likely the hackers will eventually succeed and do something bad. Airports have also been hacked numerous times but so far no bad guys have caused problems … YET.

A police shooting in Madison Wisconsin in March of 2015 resulted in an “Anonymous” attack against police services. The individual paid hackers to disrupt 911, fire, rescue and police for the entire City and County. This caused emergency services outages endangering civilians. It was a small attack, but it had significant impact.

During Christmas 2015 and again in 2017 – Russia successfully cut power to 250,000 people in Ukraine. This included a denial of service on the Ukraine version of 911 services. It has happened and likely will again and not just in Ukraine or Madison.

Earthquakes and Other Natural Disaster
In 1989 Canada experienced a power outage related to a solar flare. Brownouts and storm related power outages are more common. Earthquakes damage infrastructure, which may take significant time to repair.

Human Error/Disasters
In 2003, there  was a “software bug” power outage, which affected an estimated 10 million people in Ontario and 45 million people in eight U.S. states . 9/11 is another example of a disaster that impacted services including regional phone services and transportation.

Aging Power Grid and Increased Demand
This is a map of the aging US power grid zones. There are 100s of things that can cause a small local outage, a regional power outage or even an national grid power outage.

Get the essential information you need to prepare for a nuclear or solar EMP. Learn what an electromagnetic pulse is and how it affects you.
United States Power Grid Zones – Source

 
Recent articles about power grid risks and failures:

Heat wave sparks major power outages around Los Angeles
‘Massive Failure’ in Power Grid Causes Blackout in Argentina and Uruguay
Start prepping! Electric grid ‘prime target’ of terrorists, ‘profound threat,’ says DHS
Over a Quarter of the U.S. Nuclear Plants Are at Risk for Retirement
The article “Aging US Power Grid Blacks Out More Than Any Other Developed Nation” notes:

The United States endures more blackouts than any other developed nation as the number of U.S. power outages lasting more than an hour have increased steadily for the past decade, according to federal databases at the Department of Energy (DOE) and the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC).

According to federal data, the U.S. electric grid loses power 285 percent more often than in 1984, when the data collection effort on blackouts began. That’s costing American businesses as much as $150 billion per year, the DOE reported, with weather-related disruptions costing the most per event.

“The root causes” of the increasing number of blackouts are aging infrastructure and a lack of investment and clear policy to modernize the grid. The situation is worsened by gaps in the policies of federal and local commissioners. And now there are new risks to the grid from terrorism and climate change’s extreme impacts, Amin said.

Also, demand for electricity has grown 10 percent over the last decade, even though there are more energy-efficient products and buildings than ever. And as Americans rely increasingly on digital devices, summers get hotter (particularly in the southern regions of the U.S.) and seasonal demand for air conditioning grows, the problem is only getting worse.

The video below shows a recent PBS special discussing just how vulnerable the grid is:


As you can see, for most of us it’s not a matter of if the power grid fails, it’s a matter of when and for how long. We all need to prepare for power grid failure. Many of the tips shared here are a good idea for general preparedness as well as power outages. We always need food, water and shelter.

Has grid stability been a problem in your area? What’s your biggest concern if the power grid goes down for an extended time?

More Preparedness Information
The Common Sense Preparedness page lists over 100 preparedness articles, all sorted by category. They include:

Before the Hurricane – The Common Sense Hurricane Guide Series (Part 1 of 3)
Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) – What You Need to Know
Solar Emergency Gear – Lights, Power, Radios, and Ovens
August Neverman

This post was written by August Neverman IV. August is the Chief Information Officer and Information Security Officer of Brown County Wisconsin. August served on several emergency preparedness teams during his tenure at a local hospital, as well as undergoing emergency response training during his time with the Air National Guard.

Originally posted in 2016, last updated in 2019.