Okay, this is pretty fascinating. I pretty much challenged people to justify preparations for an EMP attack. I still don't think that EMPs are particularly high risk scenario. Although the possibility of solar flares/sun spots wrecking havoc is far more worrying. I think many of the preps centered on an EMP attack are useful. However, worrying about whether your electronics will survive seems a bit superfluous. Besides who really wants to live in a Faraday cage, or have to get their computer out of the grounded copper box every time you use it.

Finally, in terms of terrorist attacks, I don't think the cost benefit analysis of an EMP attack really supports it. A major space program would be necessary to send nuclear bombs into low earth orbit. If you have an atom bomb and an airplane, set the bomb off on the top floor of a sky rise and fly the airplane into the transmission lines for the Niagara falls power plant. Collapse of those transmission lines will cause the same sort of cascading powergrid failure that an EMP would, probably far more effectively then an low grade EMP. Meanwhile a large scale, high casualty attack at the same time would cause total confusion and fear.

How would EMPs affect things like pacemakers and other medical equipment?

Sue

Likely deactivate them, or worse.

You won't see me scrambling to prepare for any EMP attack beyond the basic preps I have already done for generic SHTF situations. Except for a few minor variables, one size of ETS fits all.

Likely deactivate them, or worse.

You won't see me scrambling to prepare for any EMP attack beyond the basic preps I have already done for generic SHTF situations. Except for a few minor variables, one size of ETS fits all.

AROTC,

I completely agree that the risk/cost/benefit analysis when preparing for an EMP makes it seem to be a waste of time. The potential impact is "high" but the likelihood is "extraordinarily low."

The only value to the exercise is that it helped me when preparing for long-term (over 48 hour) events where utilities such as water/gas/electric are unavailable. In Texas this could be caused by hurricane, tornado, massive thunderstorms, ice storm, etc. All of these events are much more likely (perhaps this afternoon in the DFW area).

Thanks for the feedback!

Possibly kill them, but nothing guaranteed. One of the problems with answering this is that most of the research was from NASA and there just aren't that many astronauts with pacemakers. If you're inside, or in a car, or there is enough cloud cover, or you are just a big person, you might be well enough sheilded. You might not.