[Brooklyn Attitude]

“Everyone should read ‘One Second After’.’

After I read the book I talked to some physicists at work (real physicists who work on DARPA and defense projects not physics teachers). Their opinion was that the threat of EMP is greatly exaggerated and it would take a massive attack to completely blackout the US.

[TalonDJ]

Their opinion was that the threat of EMP is greatly exaggerated and it would take a massive attack to completely blackout the US.

And even then it would not blow up EVERY electrical device in the WHOLE country. Lots and lots of stuff would survive due to random chance and hardening. That book describes a situation as realistic as the Zombie Apocalypse.

[Wyatt's Torch]

I pray that they are right. If not we would be totally screwed...

[Black Agnes]

It wouldn’t have to completely black out the entire country. Just 25% would be enough. What would be the outcome if SoCal were blacked out? What about the NE?

If 60 million people in a region suddenly lost ALL power, it would be catastrophic for the country. Most of the transformers that would be destroyed are made in China. What if they simply refused to sell them to us?

Imagine if the blackout in the NE in 03 had lasted for 6 months.

[editor-surveyor]

>> “I talked to some physicists at work (real physicists who work on DARPA and defense projects not physics teachers). Their opinion was that the threat of EMP is greatly exaggerated and it would take a massive attack to completely blackout the US.” <<

.
True. - A much larger attack than anyone but possibly Russia could ever mount.

[Owl558]

“Their opinion was that the threat of EMP is greatly exaggerated and it would take a massive attack to completely blackout the US.”

People are letting their fear get the better of them.

[Nowhere Man]

After I read the book I talked to some physicists at work (real physicists who work on DARPA and defense projects not physics teachers). Their opinion was that the threat of EMP is greatly exaggerated and it would take a massive attack to completely blackout the US.

I do agree. I'm just an amateur radio operator and general geek, but I think EMP is not the 800 lbs gorilla it is made out to be, perhaps more like a 500 lbs one. For the most part, I think most cars, TV's, radios and so on will be safe. Car have metal bodies and the electronics are housed in metal too so you have a makeshift Faraday cage there. Where it can be a problem is the grid and EBT systems. If you do not have electricity, the only way to pump gas and so on is if you have a generator, a 12 volt pump or a hand pump.