With how much our society relies on electricity, an attack on the power grid would result in dire consequences. As every single process and service that runs on the power grid comes crashing down, the worst inclinations of humanity would be brought to the surface.
Within one month after the power grid fails, law and order will break down, food and water supplies and other necessities will become scarce and many people will be forced to resort to looting and banditry just to survive.
There are a variety of ways that the power grid could go down. Terrorists could launch attacks that can cripple the national electric grid. An enemy nation could launch an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack that will fry anything within its vicinity that is connected to the power grid. A group of hackers or cyber-terrorists could easily take control of several key processes in power grids to make them break down. Worse yet, the sun could launch a coronal mass ejection which would bathe the whole world in darkness.
Prepping for a grid-down scenario is more challenging than, for example, preparing for a natural disaster, which has a definitive end date. When the power grid goes down, there’s no telling how long it will be until the grid goes back up. However, this doesn’t mean that prepping for the aftermath of a nationwide grid failure is impossible. Here are certain supplies you will need to help you get through it.
Lighting
You still need to be able to light your way through the dark when the power grid fails. This means that you need to stock up on a variety of different lighting options that you can use, from flashlights and solar lights to candles, oil lamps and even open flames and solar bottle bulbs.
Batteries
Your flashlights will require a lot of batteries. Start purchasing as many batteries as you can. Consider investing in rechargeable batteries as well if you have a generator that can charge them up once they’ve been drained of power. Batteries are important not just for your flashlights, but for other tools as well such as radios.
Food
Start stocking up on some of the foods that you regularly eat. Focus on items that you can store without the need for electricity. If you’re fond of a certain type of food, such as a granola bar or a cereal, keep some of it around as eating your favorite food during a bad day can help boost your morale.
A majority of your stockpile should consist of foods that do not need to be refrigerated, such as pastas, nuts, beans and lentils, cereals, rice and canned foods. If you have foods that require preservation, consider alternative methods first such as dehydration, salting and smoking. (Related: 10 Hardy vegetables you can stockpile for at least a year, even without refrigeration.)
When you start stockpiling food, build up a three-day supply for everyone in your family, including your pets, and start working your way to a 30-day stockpile from there.
Water
Just like food, make sure you have a supply of water for everyone in your household that can last for at least three days. Work your way up to a 30-day supply of water from there. If you feel like the power will go out soon and it’s too dangerous to head over to the store, start filling up other containers with water, such as plastic containers, bowls and even sinks and bathtubs.
Also, don’t forget to rotate the water you have in storage. Even water stored in bottles and containers will go stale after extended periods of time.
The power grid going down is one of the worst SHTF scenarios a prepper could ever experience. By stocking up on the items mentioned above, and by seeking out a community of like-minded individuals that will be able to help each other out in a time of crisis, even grid-down scenarios can be overcome.
Sources include:
LiterOfLight.org [PDF]