As Worries Over the Power Grid Rise, a Drill Will Simulate a Knockout Blow ( Nov 13-14, 2013)

The New York Times ^ | August 16, 2013 | MATTHEW L. WALD

[Yosemitest]

As Worries Over the Power Grid Rise, a Drill Will Simulate a Knockout Blow


MATTHEW L. WALD, August 16, 2013

WASHINGTON — The electric grid, as government and private experts describe it, is the glass jaw of American industry. If an adversary lands a knockout blow, they fear, it could black out vast areas of the continent for weeks; interrupt supplies of water, gasoline, diesel fuel and fresh food; shut down communications; and create disruptions of a scale that was only hinted at by Hurricane Sandy and the attacks of Sept. 11.

This is why thousands of utility workers, business executives, National Guard officers, F.B.I. antiterrorism experts and officials from government agencies in the United States, Canada and Mexico are preparing for an emergency drill in November that will simulate physical attacks and cyberattacks that could take down large sections of the power grid.

They will practice for a crisis unlike anything the real grid has ever seen, and more than 150 companies and organizations have signed up to participate.

“This is different from a hurricane that hits X, Y and Z counties in the Southeast and they have a loss of power for three or four days,” said the official in charge of the drill, Brian M. Harrell of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, known as NERC. “We really want to go beyond that.”

One goal of the drill, called GridEx II, is to explore how governments would react as the loss of the grid crippled the supply chain for everyday necessities.

[txhurl]

Here in Austin a few years ago we had our grid ‘tested’ by two plant outages up North in Feb, and the grid went down hard. Pipes froze everywhere. And we have our ‘own’ grid!

[Marcella]

“And we have our ‘own’ grid!”

A number of years ago, I thought our separate Texas grid would save us, but now Texas is so interconnected even though the grid is “supposed” to be independent, I think we are sunk with the rest of the country. Could we “fix” ours after it's down and start it up without the rest of the country? Likely, we could, however, if the big transformers are out, it will take many months to years to get any.

I have researched that to death, and if those go across the country, we are back to the 1800s for a long time, years. I won't argue that point with those on here because I've done my homework and know what will happen.

My personal opinion, is, power is going out likely because intelligent hackers from an enemy country is going to take it out and no one can stop it happening. I've done what I can to minimize the effect it would have on me and that's all I can do.

[TADSLOS]

Thanks for the clarification.

[GOPJ]

My concern is there’s too many ‘people of action’ and not enough ‘people of thought’... Is this drill primarily to deal with ‘citizen control’ rather than ways to restart the grid?

[GOPJ]

Here's the solution - bring in the Walmart supply chain management people. And ask them how to make things work until the grid is up again. Walmart got trucks and food into NO after Katrina - while the 'old so trained' people of federal, state, and local sat on their hands not knowing how to get the pump primed.

If we leave it up to government they'll come up with solutions similar to the ObamaCare websites.

[Marcella]

“Is this drill primarily to deal with ‘citizen control’ rather than ways to restart the grid?”

It is both. In the past, the assumption was the grid would come back on within hours so it was specialized to get the grid back up. This time, the assumption is the grid is NOT coming back on for a long period of time. That is why there are hospitals and delivery systems of food and delivery of water systems and other businesses delivering necessary items of life, involved. The drill will last two days.

[The Mayor]

That’s why I have been working with EMPact America, this is a serious threat.

[GOPJ]

Without electricity to pump gasoline or power electric vehicles, just exactly HOW are they going to deliver food?

In the fifties some southern schools practiced evacuations to get kids out of town in the event of a ‘atomic bomb’ attack. Parents would come to the school, kids would get in the cars (five kids to a car) parents would drive around the block and drop the kids back off at the school. Even then some of us wanted to know what ‘the plan’ was... We were told in the event of a real attack kids would be driven to a field out of town and left there. Period. No parents, no food, no water, just ‘out of town’.... Back then planning was done by men of action: 'We gotta do SOMETHING' types.

My suggestion is a two week drill. The teams arrive at their destinations and there's no gas in their cars, no water beyond a 2 day supply, no heating or air conditioning. No electricity. Their goal is to move 8 tons of food 400 miles...in 6 days. Oh, and no cell phones or computers beyond 5 days... and no internet...

[Marcella]

“Without electricity to pump gasoline or power electric vehicles, just exactly HOW are they going to deliver food?”

And, water will stop flowing. That is the criteria, which you just said plus no water, no delivery of medical supplies to hospitals, for this drill so it will be interesting to see what they will do.

I expect this drill will give them numbers as to how many people will die immediately and in days after loss of power. We can always “imagine” the numbers, but I expect hospitals in the drill will come up with their numbers of how many patients died and when they died.

It’s already a given that millions will die as the premise is power cannot be restored soon. Can anything be done to lessen the numbers? Hospitals could store more critical medicines and have more backup power and develop a way to keep water flowing even if it is in stored containers.

Those of us in individual houses will be on our own as there is no way, as you say, that food or water distribution can happen. They are going to have to admit that.

[GOPJ]

It’s already a given that millions will die as the premise is power cannot be restored soon. Can anything be done to lessen the numbers? Hospitals could store more critical medicines and have more backup power and develop a way to keep water flowing even if it is in stored containers.

If a person was having a heart attack how would they get to the hospital? Cars and ambulances use fuel that must be pumped - that takes electricity.

Generators run on fuel... again, fuel that must be pumped after being transported to a station. How would that happen?

To keep a hospital going with a bare minimum (lights, refrigeration, medical machinery... you're looking at days - with modern building designs - windows that don't open, elevators that won't work etc... rescue vehicles that won't run... doctors and nurses who live 'on average' 8 to 30 miles from the hospital... how will they get to work? Or home?

Isn't the estimate that over 90% of the population will die the first year if the grid is down?

[GOPJ]

Americans outside the areas may want to help but the government will stop them just like they did with hurricane Irene and Sandy.

Police department all over the country were suited up and ready to help New Orleans. But they couldn't go in without an invitation... and no one thought that one through ahead of time. Walmart got in because they weren't legally required to ask... thank God.

This drill will be like the ObamaCare roll-out... lots of crap signifying nothing.

[grumpygresh]

As the grid goes down, fires will be a growing risk. Fires for cooking, fires for heat, and fire used as a weapon. Better get more more extinguishers, I have to be my own fire dept.

[Marcella]

“If a person was having a heart attack how would they get to the hospital? Cars and ambulances use fuel that must be pumped - that takes electricity. Generators run on fuel... again, fuel that must be pumped after being transported to a station. How would that happen?”

What will happen is a matter of degrees at the beginning. People who have bad heart attacks and can’t get to the hospital will die. Hospitals could last a period of time if they already had extra fuel for generators and used them to keep medicines cool/cold, like insulin. Some people could walk to a hospital that is close.

Hospitals would become emergency first aid due to wounds/accidents and medicine for illness and it takes place on the ground floor. I don’t see operations happening anymore. I say this because that is what happened to our regional hospital after Ike when their generator would not come on. The emergency room did not shut down although the hospital part of the hospital did.

These are all individual cases meaning some people could be helped. I don’t see any hospital keeping open after a month. By then, doctors and nurses who live within walking distance to the hospital won’t be there and supplies will be gone.

You said, “Isn’t the estimate that over 90% of the population will die the first year if the grid is down?”

I have read that and this drill may allow them to come up with a more accurate count of what may happen in terms of the death count. Lack of water will be the first killer of millions. If they don’t take that into account, their number means nothing.

[Jane Long]

Bookmark.

[Yosemitest]

"... and I fear a shut down, an actual shutdown, will kill many people like me
who are already under the shadow of death with no way to compensate. "

Obama does NOT care !
I don't know WHY anyone would ever believe a word he says.

Remember this ( ? ) Obama's Friend Ayers: Kill 25 Million Americans, 31 October 2008 and read We Are Preparing For Massive Civil War, Says DHS Informant", Mathaba News, May 06, 2012.
Also, read Glenn Beck's DHS Insider: It’s about to get ugly and be sure to watch his 9 minute and 27 second video.

NEVER FORGET:
Don't let anyone deceive you in any way,
for [that day will not come] until the rebellion occurs
and the man of LAWLESSNESS is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.
He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped,
so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?
And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.
For the secret power of LAWLESSNESS is already at work;
but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
And then the LAWLESS ONE will be revealed,
whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth
and destroy by the splendor of his coming.
The coming of the LAWLESS ONE will be in accordance with the work of Satan
displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders,
and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing.
They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
For this reason God sends them a POWERFUL DELUSION
so that THEY WILL BELIEVE THE LIE
and so that ALL will be condemned
who have NOT BELIEVED THE TRUTH
but have delighted in wickedness.

[Yosemitest]

"Is this drill primarily to deal with ‘citizen control’ rather than ways to restart the grid?"

BINGO!
That ... and installing a 'nation-wide' or 'selected-area' "cutoff switch", so you can increase the pressure on the "sheeple" when they don't go quietly into their graves, after you've "taxed them dry" !

[NELSON111]

BFL

[Yosemitest]

" ... working with EMPact America, this is a serious threat. "

I agree.
The ILLEGAL ALIEN IN CHIEF serves "Arab Interests" and not ours.

My brother worked in "Tech Control" for 6 years in the military, and then was out at Kwajalein working for a civilian contractor, and is well aware of EPM Testing done in the mid 80s.

He told me about one test that had a 'large' result area' than expected.

"The nuclear explosion, "Starfish Prime," which was detonated in the Pacific Ocean 800 miles from Hawaii, caused an EMP that disrupted radio stations and electrical equipment throughout Hawaii."

North Korea May Have Helped Iran Test Sea-Going Scud

Israelies are buying gas mask faster than we can ship them.
The smart people already own them.
Iranian freighter ship (with hidden nuclear-tipped scud missiles ) traveling up the Potomac, anyone?

Do I have your attention, yet?

[skinkinthegrass]

thanks, for the ping/post.

[logitech]

ping