Monthly Archives: February 2014

February 18th, 2014
post by policysup | | 0

Who needs an EMP anyway?

So I ran across this article a couple days ago while reading the news on my laptop. In case you don’t click on the link and check the article, I’ll sum it up: it’s not exactly news, but North Korea is starting to flex its cyberwar fare muscle. The term “cyberarmy” was definitely a new one to me, but that seems to be exactly what Mr. Kim Jong Un is building up. He’s actively unleashing electronic offensives against his neighbor to the south, with what looks to be pretty good results….for HIM, anyway. From the article:

  • A wave of “distributed denial of service (DDoS)” attacks in 2009 struck both U.S. government and South Korean websites. A virus launched from unknown sources (South Korean officials accused Pyongyang) through a series of “zombie” computers sent waves of Internet traffic to a number of websites in the two countries. The U.S. Treasury and Federal Trade Commission sites were shut down for a weekend, but the action crippled a number of government sites and media outlets in South Korea.
  • A DDoS attack on South Korean banks in March 2011 left 30 million people without ATM access for days. At the time, Dmitri Alperovitch, vice president of threat research for McAfee Labs, said the attacks had the mark of a North Korean “cyberwar drill” and theorized that Pyongyang had built an army of zombie computers, or “botnets,” to unleash malicious software. He guessed that the 2009 attack had been a similar operation.
  • An attack in March 2013 was the biggest one yet, infecting and wiping clean the critical master boot records of 48,000 computers and servers associated with South Korean banks and media outlets, using their own networks. Experts traced the “cyber weapon” back through more than 1,000 IP addresses used on different continents, but South Korean officials accused North Korea of directing the attack. Systems were crippled for days.

Now, I don’t know the kind of problems these specific attacks caused in South Korea, but I can only imagine. Can you imagine the pandemonium that would instantaneously evolve if citizens suddenly couldn’t access their money? Their EBT accounts? Retirement funds? Savings? SSI? If people suddenly were unable to pay for heat, fuel, food, clean water, clean clothes, or, God FORBID, internet access or cellphone usage? Especially over an extended period of time, like several months? I can just imagine the wild-eyed look on my wife if she called the propane company to deliver a couple hundred gallons as our tanks draw close to empty and the mercury drops steadily, only to be told, “Sorry, your debit card isn’t working…we’ve been having that problem all day.” Go to the ATM or bank to withdraw cash? Sorry, those are ALL shut down and in non-working condition…..ACROSS THE COUNTRY. No money? No benefits? No communication? Sounds like the possible beginnings of a social decline to me if the Band-Aid doesn’t get put on the boo-boo, lickety-split.

Cyber warfare really doesn’t have to target government infrastructures to be effective, does it? It could target trucking and logistics companies to ensure product doesn’t get delivered. It could target fuel delivery companies, so that suddenly fuel isn’t distributed for the public. Container ships offshore with goods would have no coordination, and circle in disarray or attempt 200,000-ton games of “chicken” as they muscle to dock. Folks, EVERYTHING is computerized these days, online, synced up and hooked to a cloud. We think McAfee and Norton will keep this balance safe and in order…but nothing is certain.

But, as the article says, nobody knows what’s in store.

“While no one knows exactly what North Korea has up its sleeve, a number of hackers who have defected, as well as the increasingly sophisticated attacks on South Korea, suggest that its leader, Kim Jong-un, isn’t limiting his muscle-flexing to nuclear tests in the Pacific.”

His nuclear tests and missile delivery tests haven’t exactly been wildly successful, but it seems that his cyberattacks could be gaining ground and momentum….and nobody really is sure what they are capable of.

Also frightening to think about: North Korea isn’t the only country with some brainiacs behind a keyboard.

“North Korea is certainly not the most capable nation-state threat actor today, but even relatively minor cyber players can sometimes find vulnerabilities in complicated civilian architectures and cause significant disruptions.”

China has certainly been gaining speed in the cyber warfare race, as well. This article I found during a quick Google search on “China cyberwar fare” states that just ONE division (out of who knows how many?), Unit 61398, has been around since 2006, and has been quite active in the arena:

“In February, the private security group Mandiant revealed Unit 61398 of the 2nd Bureau of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Staff Department’s Third Department. The military unit since 2006 has attacked and penetrated networks of at least 141 organizations located in 15 countries and representing 20 major industries, from information technology to financial services.”

15 countries? Well, hell, at least we won’t be alone in our misery, eh?

I don’t really fear monger, but this kind of shit scares the hell out of me. No destruction, no EMP blasts, no H-bombs dropping or martial law being evoked, no zombies shuffling about on the streets. No body counts to begin with. Just a well-paid fellow thousands of miles away clicking “execute” on a program has the possibility of creating disorder across the globe. Yes, I may be completely over-simplifying the issue, but how complicated do things need to seem before you view them as a legitimate threat?

I’m not saying we need to eschew all things connected to any kind of network, but this to me enforces the need to make sure you have a backup barter plan, a way to keep your house warm and your belly full if monetary systems go down. Because I don’t think this new form of warfare isn’t going away due to its effectiveness… no direct casualties, but immense disarray and disorder with the likelihood of complete anonymity if desired.

What do all of you think about the rising of cyber warfare? I’m sure I didn’t begin to touch on all the possibilities and scenarios that could come of this in the future. What are you doing to prepare for this sort of issue? Or do you think it’s just a flash in the pan, and the government and antivirus companies will keep a pin in this?

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: shtfblog

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February 17th, 2014
post by policysup | | 0

5-Gallon Bucket Survival Kit

A challenge was given for a 5-gallon bucket survival kit build-off. There were some really good submissions, and I’m going to highlight a few here.

From looking over them, it was cool to see what people put in them to tailor them to their own needs, yet there were a lot of similarities or variations on a theme. But they all had one thing in common: They were all extremely functional and useful, and anyone with a bit of knowledge could grab any one of them and head out the door, knowing their asses were in good shape.

I’ll tell you, though, it was hard picking a winner. But here he is, and I chose him for two reasons: He took the time to make a video of his bucket and proved that it did indeed fit all his gear in, and also because I thought his idea of including a small .22 pistol was a great idea, on top of his covering all the other basic criteria I’d set out.

The link to T.C.’s video is HERE, check it out, or watch below.


Cool trick with the bucket handle too. The list of his contents is as follows:

Shelter
3 mylar blankets
100′ paracord
tarp
duct tape
trash bag

Compass
1 compass

Knives
CRKT M16
CRKT stiff KISS

Signaling devices
cell phone
ham radio
2 whistles
SR22
2 mags
225 rounds of .22

methods to start a fire
96 matches
2 lighters
fire starter
magnifying glass

small ready water supply
3 water bottles

filtration method
Coughlan’s water filter

Food
2 cans beef
6 cans sardines
1 can pineapple
dried eggs
salt

light sources
Surefire G2
Maglight
Techlight
headlamp
extra Maglight batteries
extra Techlight batteries

Entertainment
card deck
New Testament

First Aid kit
4 Advils
2 pair rubber gloves
2 alcohol wipes
medical tape
3 gauze pads
tweezers
triple antibiotic

Other
2 ski masks
binoculars
fishing line
20′ TP
1 pair leather gloves
a copy of my DL
area map
extra eyeglasses

But, I’ll tell you, it was hard choosing him, especially when there were other great submissions like Bryce’s, who went the simple route, but it was comprehensive….plus he added an ALICE pack to carry the gear in if he needed the bucket for other things. I liked his addition of extra clothes (fresh socks are a godsend sometimes) and the trauma kit. Here’s his explanation:

”

-Small bunch of MREs stripped down to save space, enough for my wife and I to go at least 3 days, not the best eating, but they fill you up unlike most “rations”

-A couple of water bottles for immediate water usage, small bottle of water treatment pills

-Stainless steel “Klean Kanteen”, this is an awesome bottle that I can boil water in, also could work as a nice “club” 🙂

-Some waterproof matches, magnesium fire starter, and a lighter

-A “firecan”, soup can with cardboard and wax, essentially a tiny mobile camp fire, good for warmth or cooking

-One candle in a tin can

-Two flashlights and a headlamp

-Some extra socks and two T-shirts

-Altoids first aid kit, contains band-aids, smelling salts, alcohol swabs, tweezers, gauze, fingernail clippers

-Trauma kit, one CAT, gauze, ace wrap, and a chest seal

-One duct tape bound bible, this one has been through hell and back with me

-A hand rank radio with a light on it

-One multi-tool and a mora knife

-Duct tape, poncho, and paracord

-One watch with compass on band

-One paracord wrapped glow stick, this is for signaling, when you want to use it; unwrap the paracord, snap the glowstick, and spin it above you to create a “buzzsaw light”. I was told by a helicopter pilot that this is one of the best ways to signal aircraft.

-And finally, one medium alice pack to carry it all if I have to leave on my feat, I think this is one of the best ideas I have because most people will be putting all of these supplies in a bucket like this, with no way to carry all of it in a more comfortable way.”

Some of Bryce’s pictures:


This bucket kit came through from Warren, and it’s a great one. I really like how he took a woman’s possible needs into consideration, plus he added some neat ideas like a pry bar (have to get a car door open in an emergency?) and a folding saw to the mix. His plan is to build a couple of these, as well as using empty kitty litter pails (good idea!) to make lightweight medical kits that his daughters can pack. He also noted WHERE he sourced his gear from, which is nice.I really liked this kit, and like I said, it was tough choosing between them all.

”

so here is my list and some pics.  Everything was sourced from harbor freight, Walmart or home depot (or could be found at one of them).  Thanks for kicking me in the butt and reminding me to do this…been meaning to build these for a while.  I have these two general buckets built and am still working on the kitty litter buckets.

 

Sanitation

———————————–

4 toothbrushes

toothpaste

floss

bar of soap

shampoo

10 sanitary napkins (also first aid supply)

20 tampons(also first aid supply)

baby lotion

full roll of toilet paper

first aid

————————————

eye drops

triple antibiotic ointment

10 sanitary napkins (also first sanitation)

20 tampons(also sanitation)

razor (wound prep)

sewing kit (I am capable of stitching a wound)

2 hemostats (HF)

bandage shears (HF)

handful of safety pins (always handy for holding bandage, etc)

chapstick

6 stainless picks (like the dentist would use on teeth) for general probing, etc (HF)

6 thermal “space blankets” (WM)

box of 10 single edge razor blades (in waterproof case holding radio) (HD)

generic basic first aid kit in tight plastic box (WM)

food/water

———————————-

2 bottles of water

water treatment tabs with instructions (WM)

metal soup can (holds tampons and serves as a container in which to boil water)

5 lighters

magnifying glass (start fire from sun…also useful for first aid) (HF)

18 granola/nut/energy bars in sealed bag

shelter/navigation/etc

———————————–

lanyard with whistle/compass/signal mirror/waterproof match holder stocked with matches (WM)

pry bar (WM)

needle nose pliers (WM)

phillips and flat head screwdrivers (WM)

7×9 tarp (HF)

50 feet of nylon clothesline (WM)

am/fm radio with headset + extra battery (in waterproof “cell phone case” with box of razor blades (box and radio – WM)

foldable limb saw (HF)

pair of split leather gloves (HF)

headlamp (WM)

small led flashlight with SOS signal flasher (HF)

100 zip ties (HF)

2 glow sticks (WM)

2 pocket knives

small notebook (4×5 like a composition book made of index cards)

pencil

2 sets of ear plugs

small pair of binoculars

Small roll of duct tape (crushed flat)

HF = Harbor Freight

HD = Home Depot

WM = WalMart

Anything not marked I just had laying around the house”

Some of his pictures:


 

This one is from country79. He didn’t give a run-down list, but he included some good pictures of his kit.

 

He said in his email: “A few explanations may be in order for a couple the pictures.  In the fishing kit may not look like I have any line. But in the small bottle is 50′ of 30# mono. It stays untangled by threading one end through the cap and tying to the bottom of the bottle by two holes just big enough for the line to pass through. Then shoved and poked the rest through the cap of the closed bottle.  The final end is held in place by slot connected to the small hole in the cap. As long as neither end comes loose it stays straight ready for use. The other one may be the orange nalyen bottle. It has some spiced tea and green tea bags in it. Forgive me the limited description on the photos. Doing this off my phone.” By the way, that Mag-lite holder is really cool…be sure to check that out.

 

His pictures:

 



And last but not least of the email submissions (going in order by my inbox!) Craig submitted this kit. His first-aid kit is excellent, and he included a folding stove and fuel in his kit…any one using those penny beer-can stoves (like me!) knows that they can be a PITA to use if things aren’t exactly level and hard-packed…the folding stove is a great addition. It can also be used as a heat source if needed. He used a crusty old drywall bucket for his, so bonus camouflage points. This is a great kit, and I think a model of what would make a killer generic grab-for-anyone Bucket ‘o’ doom.

Obligatory mud bucket w/ gamma seal lid

Water

stainless steel water bottle

Aquamira water straw filter and tablets

flavor packets

2 full water bottles

Chow

2 BackPacker panty meals  (panty meals???? -TRW)

Clif bars

oatmeal

folding stove

canteen stove

ramen noodles

MSR fuel can

First Aid

CAT tourniquet

Israeli Battle dressing SAM splint triangle bandage

misc. bandaids

NPA/OPA

nitrile gloves

triangle bandages

mole skin

H&H compressed gauze

misc gauze pads

Curad Silver ointment

OTC medication: anti diarrhea, aspirin

Hygiene:

Tooth brushes

tooth paste

wet wipes

deodorant

toilet paper

Light”

LED light

Chemlights

LazerBrite light

UVPaqlite

Shelter:

Poncho

550 cord

space blanket

Fire kit:

Jute twine

WetFire tablets

weather proof matches

Bic Lighter

ferrocerium rod

Tools:

Mora Knife

Leatherman Wave

lensatic compaass

signal mirror with face paint

not pictured:

Kindle

It does all fit in the bucket with a bit of finagling.


Craig’s pictures:


The illustrious j.r. guerra in s. texas submitted this great kit outline via the comments section of the challenge post. I hate ticks with the fiery passion of a thousand burning suns, so I like his idea of using cards to pick ticks off! No pictures, but here’s what he has to say:

“I’ve already given this one a little thought. Reviewed contents of these kits and this is what I’ve come up with for ‘Nice To Have’ for our area:

SHELTER – Heavy Duty Space blanket / 55 gallon industrial trash bag (2) / Hammock / Rain Poncho w/ liner. All contained in waterproof ‘wet bag’.

FIRE – BIC lighter(s), Fire spark rod w/ striker, magnifying lens.

HYDRATION – Steel bottle or Steel canteens (2) w/ nesting cups (2) / foldable water bags (2) / water purifier pills / coffee filters (30) / sillcock key w/ washing machine hose adapter for water bags (urban areas).

TOOLS – CS bowie 12″ Machete / belt sheath knife (your personal choice) / pocket ‘Camping’ pattern knife / SAK Classic pen knife / Speedy Sharp sharpner.

MISCELLANEOUS – Folding saw / bank line (100′) / para-cord (50′) / G.I. trip wire (40′) / G.I. compass (w/ button backup) / Leatherman Tool or SAK Multi-tool / toothbrush / soap. Repair Wallet – Sewing needles (2 leather, 1 canvas, 1 cloth, 1 suture) / thread (10′ white – black, 20 heavy duty) / safety pins / heavy duty blanket pins / 5′ duct tape / extra ‘string bag’ back pack.

MEDICAL – TWEEZERS / burn salve / anti-biotic salve / syringe for wound irrigation / Isreali CAT bandage for ‘bad wounds’ / saran wrap / rubber bands (10 various size).

CLOTHING – 1 shirt / 1 pr. pants / 3 pr. socks (wool blend) / leather gloves / boonie or bucket hat. Thermal shirt for winter.

ENTERTAINMENT – cards – picking ticks off one another :^)

SIGNALING / LIGHTING – Signal mirror (2) / UVPaqlite UVO necklace (2) / Gerber -Fenix – other AA flashlight (2, one red light capable).

Pretty heavy bucket – good thing two are there to spell each other carrying it.

 

Some additional comments:

 

The extra clothes are a really smart idea. Being wet from snow or rain can not only be miserable, but cause other life threatening issues.

 

One thing I didn’t see, and perhaps this wasn’t stressed, was that while everything in a sealed bucket is essentially water tight, not everything in those buckets were. I would only add that for the items of hygiene, first aid, food, etc, you would consider either vacuum sealing those things, or putting them into ziplocs, or watertight containers because I know from my own experience with Murphy ‘s Law, just because you put a lid on it, doesn’t mean it won’t leak.

 

I keep a carhart coat and bibs in the vehicle 365 days a year. I’ve seen ice in June for two days. Winter gear always.

 

I am sure there are many other ideas and many things as stated would change for each area and situation.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: shtfblog

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February 16th, 2014
post by policysup | | 0

A Foreshadowing of Future Mass Panic in America: This Is Why We Prepare.

Every year somewhere in our country tens of thousands of Americans experience an emergency resulting from any number of scenarios that may include natural disasters, economic hardship or other unexpected circumstances. And every year we watch with amazement as those in areas that have been affected by snow storms, hurricanes, tornadoes or earthquakes lose everything and have no backup plan to deal with the crisis.

The thin veneer of our civilization should be apparent to everyone, yet it seems that no one really gets it.

Despite warnings from FEMA, as well as the prevalence of popular preparedness TV shows, Americans still don’t seem to understand how susceptible we are to a complete destabilization of life as we know it. It boggles the mind that most people seem to think that when disasters strikes they’ll be able to depend on someone else to provide them with assistance.

Recent disasters, especially those here in the United States, are often limited to a particular city or region, so emergency service personal are often able to get things under control within a week or two. But events like Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Hurricane Sandy on the east coast, and the recent chemical spill in West Virginia often only affect a small percentage of our domestic population.

But what if the next disaster comes in the form of an earthquake on the New Madrid fault line? Or what if the sun unleashes a solar flare powerful enough to take down our electrical grid? Or what if a rogue terror organization were to detonate a nuclear weapon or dirty bomb over U.S. soil?

All of these scenarios would have an immediate and lasting impact on not tens of thousands of people, but millions.

What would it look like in America on that particular day?

If this week’s snow storm east of the Mississippi is any indication, then we can expect widespread pandemonium and panic:

Atlanta residents ransacked neighborhood grocery stores in frantic preparation for their second major snowstorm of the year, waging fights over food items and leaving destruction and empty shelves in their wake, a stunning precursor to what will ensue once a major crisis impacts the U.S.

After three inches of snow shut the city down two weeks ago, causing major havoc and leaving miles of cars stranded on immobile roadways, the residents of Atlanta took heed and shopped early.

According to people who Tweeted photos of barren store shelves, residents went crazy over essentials like milk, bread, water and eggs, and in some cases “people were fighting. Yes fighting,” alleges one user.

Given Americans’ propensity to riot over such inanities as Black Friday sales and winning sports teams, could fights and empty shelves also be expected in the midst of a major crisis?

The pictures and real-time commentary below demonstrate exactly why “preppers” do what they do, despite being ridiculed and laughed at by the myrmidons of the mainstream.

(Pictures courtesy of Adan Salazar & Kit Daniels of Infowars)

@wsbtv
@BradNitzWSB empty bread shelf…people were fighting. Yes fighting. #Atlanta
pic.twitter.com/gyAy70akih

— Muhammad Tipu N (@mrautoclutch20) February 11, 2014

Yikes!!! 7:15pm in #atlantasnow and Publix is out of bread… OMG – that equals a lot of sandwiches.. pic.twitter.com/I6chFaKQjK

— AmFam_Louis4 (@AmFam_Louis4) February 11, 2014

@dcjames5
@rissakris Atlanta is already panicking like a hurricane is coming. I took this pic at target in Dunwoody. pic.twitter.com/geeuwXQyQF

— D.J Jammison (@LordDerrick) February 11, 2014

If a transient winter storm for which we had ample advance warning leads to panic buying, empty store shelves and brawls, then what do you think is going to happen in a worst case scenario?

It’ll start just like Atlanta, with people in panic mode looking for food, water and essential supplies. Once the food runs out, so will patience. Chances are that emergency responders will be overwhelmed or they’ll be taking care of their own families, so calls for help will go unanswered. Government will either be too slow to respond or they won’t show up at all:

“What people have got to know is that they’re on their own, literally on their own,” he said.

Experts say people should be prepared to look after themselves for at least three days after any major disaster.

But Mr Winter says most people have no plans in place.

“If we turn off power and water, how long will you be able to survive?” he said.

“When we put to people, ‘Can you survive for 72 hours without external help?’, the reaction is their jaw drops.”

Three days, maybe less, as we saw in West Virginia last month:

Lesson #1: There will be immediate panic

That’s when the situation goes critical.

The looting and violence will begin. First they’ll target businesses likely grocery stores, warehouses, and restaurants. When those are picked clean, they’ll go door-to-door.

Will you be ready? Because they won’t be knocking.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

via:  shtfplan

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February 15th, 2014
post by policysup | | 0

“Within An Hour the Stores Were Emptied” – Crisis Reality

When toxic chemicals spilled into the Elk River in Charleston, West Virginia a couple of weeks ago we got another glimpse into what the world might look like in the aftermath of a major, widespread disaster.

There were several lessons we can take from this regional emergency and all of them are pretty much exactly what you might expect would happen when the water supplies for 300,000 people become suddenly unavailable.

Lesson #1: There will be immediate panic


Studies have suggested that the average person has about three days’ worth of food in their pantry, after which they would be left with no choice but to scrounge for scraps once their food stores run out. We saw this scenario play out after Hurricane Sandy, when thousands of unprepared people lined up at National Guard operated FEMA tents and temporary camps. That’s what happens when there’s no food.

With water, however, it’s a whole different matter.

Food we can do without for weeks, but lack of water will kill us in a very short time. The events following the Charleston chemical spill highlight just how critical fresh water is to maintaining stability.

A reader at The Prepper Journal web site shared his firsthand account of the events as they played out. In a situation where water supplies are poisoned, whether by accident or on purpose, the anatomy of a breakdown accelerates significantly from three days to mere minutes:

Only recently that ban was lifted, but what if this had happened in your town? Would you be able to live comfortably with no water from the tap for 5 days? The news reports that I read stated that there was plenty of water and the stores never ran out. That is in direct contradiction to what Steve tells me:

Immediately after the announcement, the stores in the area were rushed for any bottled water products. Within an hour the stores were emptied.  Do not let anyone tell you that everything was nice, peaceful and everyone conducted themselves gracefully.  There were fist fights and scuffles for the last of the water.

After the order was issued no one could give any answers as to when drinkable water would be available.  Those with water were either hording it or selling it at enormous prices.

48 hours after the ban, water began to be distributed to the everyday person.  Hospitals and nursing homes received the first shipments.  By the way the hospitals (except one) were not taking any new patients).  If you got hurt or injured you were on your own or had to travel an hour away for treatment.

What if the spill was more serious or the supply of water non-existent? Would you have enough water on hand and the means to disinfect new sources to take care of your family? It is news like this that illustrates for anyone paying attention the importance of storing water.

Full report at The Prepper Journal

If you live an area affected by a water supply contamination and have no water reserves, this report suggests that you have less than an hour to stock up. And during that hour there will be panic with the potential for violence being highly probable.

Lesson #2: Security forces will be deployed to maintain order

This is a no-brainer, but nonetheless worthy of mention.

We saw it after Hurricanes Sandy and Katrina – thousands of troops and militarized police deployed to prevent looting and rioting. The fact is that when the water and food run out people will be left with no choice but to rob and pillage. It becomes a matter of survival. Crowds will unwaveringly stampede to get to the resources they need. They’ll stomp over you if you happen to fall on the ground in a rush, because when the herd starts running nothing will stop it.

Imagine how these people will act when they are desperate for food and water:


There is a reason the government has been preparing military contingency plans and simulations for events that include economic collapse or a massive natural disaster. They know what will happen if millions of people are left without critical supplies.

In Charleston, after water supplies started being delivered to grocery store chains, local government and the companies themselves brought on hired guards to keep the peace.

The Elk River event was limited in scope, affecting about 300,000 people in an isolated area, thus it was not that difficult of a situation to contain as FEMA and government could throw all of their resources and assets at the problem.

But imagine a scenario that involves multiple large metropolitan areas simultaneously in different regions of the country.

There are simply not enough personnel (or supplies) to respond to such a situation and maintain order.

Lesson #3: Despite hundreds of billions spent, the government is ill-prepared

It took emergency responders five days to get water to the Super Dome in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.

Following Sandy, FEMA had enough food and water to provide the absolute basic necessities to about 50,000 people.

In Charleston it took at least two days to get water supplies moving.

If this were a massive catastrophe it could be weeks before help arrives.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has itself warned that it is not equipped to handle large-scale emergencies. It’s for this reason that they strongly recommend a minimum two week supply of food and water.


Considering that the majority of Americans have maybe three days worth of supplies, how many millions of mouths would need to be fed three square meals a day if we experienced a multi-city event?

It was recently reported that FEMA has in its possession about 140 million “meals ready to eat.”

In 2011 a FEMA/DHS organized National Level exercise simulated an earthquake on the New Madrid Fault in the Mid West. The simulation revealed that 100,000 people would be killed almost immediately, and another 7 million would be displaced from their homes.

They would only have one place to go – government managed FEMA camps. Those seven million people eating just two MRE’s per day would  consume FEMA’s entire emergency food reserve within 10 days.

Then what?

You probably already know the answer.

Prepare now, because the last place you want to be in is in the midst of crisis-driven panic.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

Via: shtfplan

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February 14th, 2014
post by policysup | | 0

When the Trucks Stop, America Will Stop (With Immediate and Catastrophic Consequences)


Most Americans take for granted the intricate systems that make it possible for us to engage in seemingly mundane day to day tasks like filling up our gas tanks, loading up our shopping carts at the local grocery store, obtaining necessary medications, and even pouring ourselves a clean glass of water. When we wake up each morning we just expect that all of these things will work today the same way they worked yesterday. Very few have considered the complexity involved in the underlying infrastructure that keeps goods, services and commerce in America flowing. Fewer still have ever spent the time to contemplate the fragility of these systems or the consequences on food, water, health care, the financial system, and the economy if they are interrupted.

A report prepared for legislators and business leaders by the American Trucking Associations highlights just how critical our just-in-time inventory and delivery systems are, and assesses the impact on the general population in the event of an emergency or incident of national significance that disrupts the truck transportation systems which are responsible for carrying some ten billion tons of commodities and supplies across the United States each year.

A shut down of truck operations as a result of elevated threat levels, terrorist attacks, or pandemics would, according to the report, have “a swift and devastating impact on the food, healthcare, transportation, waste removal, retail, manufacturing, and financial sectors.”

So too would events such as an EMP attack or a coordinated cyber-attack that could shut down global positioning systems and the computers responsible for inventory control. Another potential scenario that is more likely now than ever before is liquidity problems within the financial system stemming from currency crisis or hyperinflation. All of our just-in-time delivery systems are built upon the unhindered transfer of money and credit, but when credit flow becomes restricted or money becomes worthless, no one will be able to pay for their goods. Likewise, no one will trust the credit worthiness of anyone else. This is exactly the scenario playing out in Greece right now and the consequences on the health care industry in that country have left many without life saving drugs. When there’s no money, no one will be transporting anything.

The effects of a transportation shutdown for any reason would be immediate (in some cases, within hours) and absolutely catastrophic.

Excerpted from the American Truckers Associations report

Food

  • Significant shortages will occur in as little as three days, especially for perishable items following a national emergency and a ban on truck traffic.
  • Consumer fear and panic will exacerbate shortages. News of a truck stoppage—whether on the local level, state or regional level, or nationwide—will spur hoarding and drastic increases in consumer purchases of essential goods. Shortages will materialize quickly and could lead to civil unrest. (We’re seeing this in the UK right now)

Water

  • Supplies of clean drinking water will run dry in two to four weeks. For safety and security reasons, most water supply plants maintain a larger inventory of supplies than the typical business. However, the amount of chemical storage varies significantly and is site specific. According to the Chlorine Institute, most water treatment facilities receive chlorine in cylinders that are delivered by motor carriers. On average, trucks deliver purification chemicals to water supply plants every seven to 14 days. Without these chemicals, water cannot be purified and made safe for drinking.

Health Care

  • Without truck transportation, patient care within the truck stoppage zone will be immediately jeopardized. According to Cook, many hospitals have moved to a just-in-time inventory system. In fact, some work from a low-unit-of-measure system.  This means that essential basic supplies, such as syringes and catheters, are not ordered until the supplies are depleted. These systems depend on trucks to deliver needed supplies within hours of order placement. Internal redistribution of supplies in hospitals could forestall a crisis for a short time; however, in a matter of hours, hospitals would be unable to supply critical patient care.
  • If an incident of national significance produces mass injuries, truck transportation is the key to delivering urgently needed medical supplies necessary to save lives.
  • Hospitals and nursing homes will exhaust food supplies in as little as 24 hours
  • Pharmacy stocks of prescription drugs will be depleted quickly. According to the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, most of the nation’s 55,000 drug stores receive daily merchandise deliveries by truck.

Transportation

  • Service station fuel supplies will start to run out in just one to two days. An average service station requires a delivery every 2.4 days. Based on these statistics, the busiest service stations could run out of fuel within hours of a truck stoppage, with the remaining stations following within one to two days
  • Air, rail and maritime transportation will be disrupted.
  • A fuel shortage will create secondary effects. Without access to automobile travel, people will be unable to get to work causing labor shortages and increased economic damage. Without cars, many people cannot access grocery stores, banks, doctors, and other daily needs. Public bus systems will cease to operate as well, preventing many disabled and elderly people from accessing these necessities. Without fuel, police, fire, rescue and other public service vehicles will be paralyzed, further jeopardizing public safety.

Waste Removal

  • Within days of a truck stoppage, Americans will be literally buried in garbage with serious health and environmental consequences. Further, without fuel deliveries, many waste processing facilities will be unable to operate equipment such as backhoes and incinerators.
  • Uncollected and deteriorating waste products create rich breeding grounds for microorganisms, insects, and other vermin. Hazardous materials and medical waste will introduce toxins as well as infectious diseases into living environments. Urban areas will, of course, be significantly impacted within just a couple of days.

Retail / Manufacturing / Economy

  • Replenishment of goods will be disrupted. Many of the nation’s leading retailers rely on just-in-time delivery to keep inventory levels as low as possible. Similar to the low-unit-of-measure hospital inventory system, these stores rely on frequent deliveries to replenish basic goods. Often, delivery of a shipment is not triggered until the current inventory is nearly depleted. Without truck deliveries, retailers will be unable to restock goods, including consumer basics such as bottled water, canned goods, and paper products.
  • Consumer behavior during emergencies triples the rate of inventory turn-over. Since many large retail outlets typically keep inventories as lean as possible, problems often arise quickly during truck transportation slowdowns that occur from crises such as hurricanes.
  • Just-in-time manufacturers will shut down assembly lines within hours. Major American manufacturers, ranging from computer manufacturers such as Dell and Compaq to major automakers such as GM and Ford, rely on just-in-time manufacturing. Without truck deliveries, component shortages and manufacturing delays will develop within hours

Financial Sector

  • ATM and branch bank cash resources will be exhausted quickly. In today’s fast paced, high-technology economy, consumer’s access cash 24/7 from 370,000 ATMs nationwide. JP Morgan Chase, the nation’s second largest consumer bank, replenishes its 6,600 ATMs via armored truck delivery every two to three days. Given the increase in ATM activity that occurs before and after any type of crisis, ATMs would run out of cash much sooner.
  • Small and medium-size businesses will lose access to cash.
  • Regular bank functions will cease.

While an event that disrupts truck transportation systems may be unlikely, recent history suggests it is fully plausible and the blowback can be devastating. A day after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, panicked government officials stopped all transportation flow into the region, forcing hundreds of trucks loaded with emergency supplies like food and water to wait for permission before they could enter the area. As a result, thousands of residents of the city were left without items essential for survival. It took days before truck routes were re-opened and supplies were allowed to flow. Government officials acting on limited information, lack of knowledge and personal politics were responsible for restricting the flow of goods into New Orleans, potentially killing hundreds of people in the process.

What this incident demonstrated is that when the trucks in America stop, all commerce and delivery stops with it.

Now consider what may happen if the emergency is more widespread, affecting not just a city, but the population of an entire region or the United States in its entirety.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: SHTFplan

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February 13th, 2014
post by policysup | | 0

Cyber Attack Wouldn’t Take Long to Bring Down the USA- Just 900 Seconds

With our increasing dependence on the internet to transmit everything from emails and electronic payment information to air traffic control and transportation logistics, a properly targeted cyber-attack could wreak havoc in the United States within minutes, says Richard Clark:

In his warning, Mr. Clarke paints a doomsday scenario in which the problems start with the collapse of one of Pentagon’s computer networks.

Soon internet service providers are in meltdown. Reports come in of large refinery fires and explosions in Philadelphia and Houston. Chemical plants malfunction, releasing lethal clouds of chlorine.

Air traffic controllers report several mid-air collisions, while subway trains crash in New York, Washington and Los Angeles. More than 150 cities are suddenly blacked out. Tens of thousands of Americans die in an attack comparable to a nuclear bomb in its devastation.

Yet it would take no more than 15 minutes and involve not a single terrorist or soldier setting foot in the United States.

An enemy of the United States, whether foreign or domestic, wouldn’t need a nuclear bomb. They would simply need to take down the main computer networks. Many internet operations are centralized, especially in the private sector, so taking down something like the national DNS (Domain Name System) databases would put a stop to pretty much any communications used by the general public. An attack on Defense Department networks would be even more serious, potentially leading to a cascading effect across the entire nation.

Utilities, like water systems and electricity, are highly vulnerable, as they are built on very old technologies and are very dependent on each other due to old-style distribution systems. As an example, consider the massive black out that covered the entire north east for several days in 2003 while emergency crews worked to resolve the problems. Roughly one fifth of our country was out of power not because local power stations were taken down, but, according to the official story, because one or two main plants experienced outages due to natural causes (trees on power lines). There is still no definitive confirmation on what happened here, and for all we know this could have been a cyber attack testing our networks.

It’s no secret that hackers in countries like Russia, and especially China, have spent the last decade infiltrating and testing the stability and security of US networks – including the Pentagon and our satellite systems. At the first sign of potential international conflict, the initial wave of attacks will likely occur on the digital battlefield, resulting in downed communication systems, utilities, cable systems, GPS, cell phone networks, hardline networks and transaction processing systems.

Another issue, not related directly to defense computer networks, is that the plans for US water utility, electrical utility, and internet networks are readily available on the internet for anyone to download and analyze for vulnerabilities. We’ve essentially given any potential enemies a road map for how to bring down the United States without even firing a shot.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

 

Via: shtfplan

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February 12th, 2014
post by policysup | | 0

Sunspot Now Larger Than Jupiter – Continues to Unleash Solar Flares

s most Americans go about their daily lives without care or concern for what’s happening around them, 92 million miles away a catastrophic threat may well be in the making.

In January, the NOAA identified a sizable sun spot dubbed AR 1944. Within hours of warnings being issued about the potential for this particular region of the sun to cause earth-directed coronal mass ejections it sent an X-class solar flare our way. While powerful, that particular flare and the subsequent M-class flares were not strong enough to cause any significant disruptions on earth.

But as the spot rotated to the other side of the sun things got interesting… and ever more dangerous for the people of earth.

AR1944 has since been renamed to AR1967, and the region is now more active than it was in January. According to sky photographer John Chumack, AR1967 has grown considerably. It is now wider than Jupiter. That’s big. So big, in fact, that you can fit over 100 earth-sized planets into it.


(Credit: John Chumack – Sunspot AR 1967 – Galactic Images)

 

Space.com calls it a monster:

“The massive sunspot AR 1967 is now wider than the planet Jupiter and is very active,” Chumack told Space.com in an email on Feb. 4. “Yesterday no less than seven M-class solar flares have erupted from this region.”

The sunspot group AR 1967 has continued to unleash several solar flares as it makes its two-week trek across the face of the sun, as seen from Earth.

And while AR1967 is not earth-facing as of right now, it will be in a couple weeks. Last week the sunspot unleashed seven M-class flares in a single day. And though earth was spared from getting hit by a higher-level X-class flare, the potential for such an event certainly exists and is estimated to be around 50% because of the region’s high level of activity.

It doesn’t happen often that the sun unleashes a solar flare powerful enough to cause serious damage, yet in the last decade we narrowly escaped the worst-case scenario twice.

The first instance occurred in 2003, when researchers spotted the most powerful solar flare ever recorded. That one came in at a whopping X-45 class. We got lucky that time, as the flare was not earth directed. But had it been, it could have led to widespread grid-down scenarios all over the planet as power grid infrastructures would have seen surges strong enough to destroy electrical transformers and substations.

The second incident occurred in 2012 and most people didn’t event hear about it. It wasn’t disseminated by the mainstream press until a full year later. That flare was so intense that it prompted one expert to claim the world escaped an EMP catastrophe:

‘There had been a near miss about two weeks ago, a Carrington-class coronal mass ejection crossed the orbit of the Earth and basically just missed us,’ added Peter Vincent Pry, who served on the Congressional EMP Threat Commission.

‘Basically this is a Russian roulette thing,’ he said. ‘We narrowly escape from a Carrington-class disaster.’

A Carrington-class catastrophe refers to an 1859 solar event that lead to surges across the world, which resulted in a (literal) meltdown of telegraph communications equipment.

CU-Boulder professor Daniel Baker noted that the 2012 flare was unprecedented:

“The speed of this event was as fast or faster than anything that has been seen in the modern space age”

And to put into perspective what would have resulted had this flare not bounced off our atmosphere, Baker followed up with an ominous assessment:

Had it hit Earth, the July 2012 event likely would have created a technological disaster by short-circuiting satellites, power grids, ground communication equipment and even threatening the health of astronauts and aircraft crews.

…

We have proposed that the 2012 event be adopted as the best estimate of the worst case space weather scenario…

We came close.

So close that Congressional members are coming around to the idea that we could well experience the end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it should a high level X-class flare be directed at earth.

It’s no longer just an outlier, according to Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (D-NY) who is a senior member of the House Homeland Security Committee.

It’s a certainty:

The Likelihood of a severe geo-magnetic event capable of crippling our electric grid is 100%.

The reality is that one of these days, perhaps even the next time AR 1967 swings around, earth could get hit by a flare similar to what missed us in 2003 and 2012.

The fall out from such an event would be nothing short of a worldwide catastrophe, as electrical power lines, utility plants, GPS systems, telecommunications equipment (including your cell phone), cars, and anything else not hardened against an electro-magnetic pulse (EMP) is rendered instantly inoperable.

What would follow is complete pandemonium as the entire global infrastructure, especially in developed nations, completely collapses.

A security report presented to Congress predicts that such a scenario would be long-term, widespread, and result in the deaths of 90% of the population of the United States.

As retired Congressman Roscoe Bartlett has warned, our ailing grid is simply not ready for it. And no one is willing to pony up the tens of billions of dollars necessary to upgrade our domestic infrastructure.

In the grand scheme of things, the sun unleashes these powerful flares on a regular basis. It will do so again. And chances are that our planet will not be ready for it.

But this time it won’t just be telegraphs or a hydro power station in Ontario that goes down. It’s going to be a massive hit and it’s going to affect anyone on this planet who is dependent on the daily functioning of electrically powered systems.

As highlighted by Tess Pennington, a grid-down scenario is no laughing matter and something to be taken very seriously:

Consider, for a moment, how drastically your life would change without the continuous flow of energy the grid delivers. While manageable during a short-term disaster, losing access to the following critical elements of our just-in-time society would wreak havoc on the system.

  • Challenges or shut downs of business commerce
  • Breakdown of our basic infrastructure: communications, mass transportation, supply chains
  • Inability to access money via atm machines
  • Payroll service interruptions
  • Interruptions in public facilities – schools, workplaces may close, and public gatherings.
  • Inability to have access to clean drinking water

How prepared are you for a scenario in which the grid is non-functioning for an extended period of time?

It wouldn’t take long for society to fall apart if it were to happen. Recent evidence suggests that within three days we’d be in a world of trouble.

With all of the variables at play we can probably all agree that the possibility on any given day is extremely low. But over a timeline of fifty or a hundred years, it becomes a lot more likely.

The last time a major solar event struck earth was 1859.

Are we due for another one?

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: shtfplan

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February 11th, 2014
post by policysup | | 0

10 Ways to Use a Shemagh Tactical Scarf

 

The Shemagh (pronounced Shmog) has been used for years by people in the Middle East who wrap it around their head and neck as protection from both sun and sand. US soldiers also use it extensively when in that region or in other hot, arid places. While it is extremely useful for those purposes, it can be used in numerous other ways as well. Here are ten of them:

  1. As a cool down
    – Instead of just using it to prevent sunburn, wet it before tying it around your head and it will actually make you cooler
  2. As a warm layer – Wear it under a hat or hood for extra warmth in cold weather

  3. As dust protection – Even if you don’t live in a very sand or dust storm prone region, it makes great protection from sawdust, grass clippings, or other flying particles
  4. As a bag – Tie the corners and carry anything in the middle
  5. As a pillow – Wad it into a ball or even stuff it with leaves or grass. It makes a good substitute pillow whether you’re in a survival situation or a long car or bus ride.
  6. As a sling – While it may not be best for long term use in this capacity, it’s great for an injury acquired while camping or hiking
  7. As a bandage – Again, use it for simple first aid while out in nature or otherwise distant from civilization
  8. As a towel – It’s large enough to easily fill in for a towel or even a small blanket in a survival situation
  9. As a water filter – While any water filtered through a scarf should still be boiled if possible, it’s good for filtering both small and large particles
  10. As a fashion accessory – Wear it around your neck without covering your head. It is, after all, a scarf, and it comes in several different fashion friendly colors!

You can buy shemaghs on Amazon as well as other online sites.

How to wear?


 

You can also check out: How to Tie a Military-Style Shemagh/Keffiyeh

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: thesurvivalmom

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February 10th, 2014
post by policysup | | 0

How to Store Fuel Properly

Fuel is one of the most important things that you can use in an emergency. Whether it powers a car, generator, or stove; you’ll need to make sure that your fuel is ready for when you need it.

Handle all fuels with care. Remember that all of these could light at a moment’s notice.

We’ve collected a few tips on how to properly store different types of fuels, where you should store them, and how long they can store.

Containers for liquid fuel
When storing fuel, or other fire-starting material, you’ll want to make sure to put them in a different colored container. Most of the time, liquid fuels are stored in red containers. At a minimum, containers should be obviously labeled.

Make sure that containers are sturdy, reliable and have a good seal on them. You want to make sure that the fuel won’t leak. You should also consider a container that isn’t clear or translucent.

Gasoline

The American Petroleum Institute recommends that you only store gasoline for up to two years. This recommendation does not include gasoline that has been treated with a stabilizer.

There are many types of stabilizers on the shelf that can get your gasoline to store for a few years longer.

While I’ve used gasoline that has been stored for years on my lawn mower, using “stale” gasoline that has been stored for an long time can have some diverse effects on your motor. The recommendation for 1-2 years of shelf-life would provide optimal gasoline.

Diesel Fuel


Surprisingly, diesel doesn’t have a very long shelf-life. It can only last for 6-12 months.

The problem with storing diesel is that it begins to oxidize as soon as it leaves the refinery. Sediments begin to form that would clog the motor. This reaction can be slowed by keeping the fuel cooler and by adding stabilizers. The condensation from the gasoline can also form algae.

Some people who store diesel for a long time (the Navy, gas companies) use methods to stabilize their supply. These methods can be pretty expensive though.

We recommend that you store only a maximum of two-month’ worth of diesel at a time and empty the canisters into your car or generator when you rotate. (Thanks to Oblio13’s blog for the insight.)


Kerosene


Kerosene is one of the easiest fuels to store, and is more versatile than most people think. It does not evaporate as readily as gasoline and will remain stable in storage with no special treatment.

Kerosene has a shelf-life of about three months in a plastic container. Storing kerosene for longer than that can result in bacteria and mold forming in the container.

When you store the kerosene, be sure to label the container properly. You want to make sure that it doesn’t mix with gasoline or another type of fuel. You should store your kerosene in a different color container than gas to ensure that they are not mistakenly mixed.

Be sure to store the kerosene outdoors but protected from direct sunlight. Prolonged sunlight can degrade the kerosene.


Butane


Butane isn’t as popular of a fuel as gasoline or kerosene but many people use the fuel for lighters or other small fire starters. Many backpacking kits use butane fuel.

“Butane comes in pressurized containers and the canisters are required, by law, to have instructions on the label regarding storage and usage of the product. Following the instructions will ensure that you keep your butane supply safe.

Proper storage is the first element in butane safety. Keep it in a safe place at home that is out of any children’s reach. Many containers can withstand even high temperatures. Even if you live in a climate that is rather warm, your butane should still store well … find a dry and cool place, out of the direct sunlight and away from any other sources of extreme heat.

Additionally, also make sure that the tip of the butane container is not damaged or clogged. If the tip is damaged or is clogged through use, remove the clog or throw away the container and buy a new one.“ (Read the Ebay article.)


Propane


You’ll obviously want to store your propane in a well-ventilated area outdoors. Make sure that your propane tank is stored upright – probably on a concrete slab.

Don’t store the propane tank next to anything flammable. Also ensure that it is stored in an area where a large amount of water will not fall on the tank – for example, next to a gutter or in the open under the rainfall.

Never store the propane in a house or garage. Click here to read Propane 101’s article about proper propane safety.


Charcoal


Charcoal is a great option for cooking fuel. They might get your hands a little bit messier but that’s not always a bad thing. The good thing is that you can store this dry fuel inside your home! However, never cook with charcoal indoors!

You can store charcoal in a dry location – like a bin or metal canister. You can also make a waterproof container by placing the charcoal in a bucket and use a gamma lid to seal the top. This should keep the briquets by not letting moisture into the bucket!

Coal
According to the Fireplace Supplier Register, coal can be stored in damp places without harming it. It can also be retained in areas that have little or no protection from the rain and snow. If you choose, so you don’t have to handle wet coal, you can cover it outside with tarps to keep it dry.

Store bagged coal inside the bags until you’re ready to use it. It will be easier to store it and carry it to the stove. Coal either comes by the bag or by the truckload (if you order several tons). Loose coal is easier to contain if it’s stored in wooden bins, but it’s not necessary. (Reference to the eHow article.)

Firewood
Avoid the temptation to keep a lot of firewood in your home. You can obviously carry in a few logs indoors at a time, but the best location to store firewood is outdoors. It’s recommended that you keep your firewood at least 30 feet away from your house – not leaning against the house, next to the door. Ideally, wood should be kept off the ground too.

You can make a simple firewood holder out of two-by-fours in order to stack the wood properly. Be sure to stack the larger pieces of wood on the bottom of the pile. This will help the pile from leaning or falling over.Here is an article on how to build a firewood caddy.

You’ll want to use a cover to protect the wood from getting wet. You can purchase a specific log rack cover or a simple tarp will do. Make sure that the cover is secured so it doesn’t blow away in the wind.

You may notice that there are some bugs in your firewood. Do not spray your wood with insecticide! This can seep into the wood and fume in your house when you burn the log. Instead, the best thing to do is dry out the wood as quickly as possible. This will encourage most of the bugs to leave the wood.

Matches
There are a variety of matches out there. Avoid placing cheap matchbooks in your kits and emergency supplies. They can absorb moisture a lot easier.

Instead, focus on matches that are waterproof and have longer stems. This will allow you to light things from a safe distance and make sure that your matches are safe from moisture.

If you don’t have waterproof matches, you can place your matches in a waterproof container. Make sure that the container is a thick plastic and isn’t stored in direct sunlight.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: survivalring

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February 9th, 2014
post by policysup | | 0

Power Plant Attack: “Most Significant Incident of Domestic Terrorism Involving the Grid That Has Ever Occurred”

Chances are you didn’t hear about it when it happened or the investigation that followed. Last April just outside of San Jose, California the grid system came under direct attack.

Investigators have yet to identify any suspects, but the attack seems to have been well planned. First, someone accessed an underground vault housing fiber optic telephone cables and cut off communications to a large PG&E Substation.

Then, for 19 minutes, someone opened fire from long-range.

The sniper apparently utilized 7.62x39mm rounds, such as those used in an AK-47, to target the oil-driven cooling systems for 17 large transformers. The shell casings found at the scene had been wiped clean of fingerprints. According to Newsmax none of the transformers exploded, but the damage was significant enough for PG&E to force their electricity feeds to reroute through another station in an effort to prevent a widespread blackout.

As of yet police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have no leads. The evidence suggests any number of scenarios with the highest likelihood being a coordinated attack involving a team. But because of its simplicity it’s possible that the attack could have been orchestrated by a lone individual.

Whatever the case, the event prompted the head of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Jon Wellinghoff to call it, “the most significant incident of domestic terrorism involving the grid that has ever occurred.”

The Wall Street Journal reports:

The 64-year-old Nevadan, who was appointed to FERC in 2006 by President George W. Bush and stepped down in November, said he gave closed-door, high-level briefings to federal agencies, Congress and the White House last year. As months have passed without arrests, he said, he has grown increasingly concerned that an even larger attack could be in the works.

He said he was going public about the incident out of concern that national security is at risk and critical electric-grid sites aren’t adequately protected.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation doesn’t think a terrorist organization caused the Metcalf attack, said a spokesman for the FBI in San Francisco. Investigators are “continuing to sift through the evidence,” he said.

Some people in the utility industry share Mr. Wellinghoff’s concerns, including a former official at PG&E, Metcalf’s owner, who told an industry gathering in November he feared the incident could have been a dress rehearsal for a larger event.

“This wasn’t an incident where Billy-Bob and Joe decided, after a few brewskis, to come in and shoot up a substation,” Mark Johnson, retired vice president of transmission for PG&E, told the utility security conference, according to a video of his presentation. “This was an event that was well thought out, well planned and they targeted certain components.”


(Via the Wall Street Journal)

The most significant power grid attack in U.S. history failed to be reported in any detail by officials or the mainstream media, likely because they did not want to panic the populace.

Could this have been a test for a larger scale event? Certainly.

Since then, what steps have been taken to protect the grid from such attacks, or even other potential scenarios like electro-magnetic pulse devices or solar flares that could wipe out the national power grid within seconds? None.

A single individual could have carried out such an attack. Cut the phone lines. Take aim. Open fire. It’s simple, really.

Now consider the potential damage if a rogue terrorist group or state-sponsored initiative launched a coordinated attack across 50 to 100 critical nodes all over the United States. Such an attack could bring the country to a complete standstill, leaving economic destruction and large-scale destabilization in its wake. A couple of days are manageable, but if the right equipment were to be targeted then it’s possible that repairs would take up to 18 months because many transformer components are sourced from foreign nations and have long build times.

The telecommunications systems, power grid, water utilities, transportation systems, oil refineries and other critical industries across America are, as reported by U.S. Cyber Command, completely exposed to attack. It could come in the form of a cyber-vulnerability, as we saw in Illinois when a utility station’s water pump systems overheated due to a reported digital security breach or when our drone fleet was hacked in the middle east. Or, it could be a physical attack like the one in California, with future incidents potentially involving larger transformers and explosives instead of AK-47′s.

The possibilities exist. Our government knows this, as evidenced by the comments of outgoing DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano who recently said that a crippling attack against U.S. infrastructure elements is inevitable.

The fact is that our infrastructure is outdated and exposed. It will not be repaired any time soon because the costs run into the hundreds of billions of dollars.

Thus, the only real option for Americans is to expect that such an event is coming, and to prepare for it.

Congressman Roscoe Bartlett, who has retired and now lives well outside of populated areas, says people should get out of major cities and have a retreat to avoid the fall-out from a grid collapse. His fears are substantiated by a recent report that claims 9 out of 10 Americans would die within a year of the electricity going out.

But whether you head out to the boonies or stay local, even the Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends having an emergency supply because, as they’ve admitted, any response in a catastrophic scenario will be slow to come. This means that having a preparedness plan complete with evacuation strategies, food supplies, water and other considerations will be essential to survival.

The threat is real.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: shtfplan

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