After an EMP Attack – How To Get Home When it’s 700 Miles Away
I sometimes have to go out of town on business just like millions of other people each year. The distance and locations all vary with the need, but in a lot of cases, I am unable to be as equipped as I would normally be around my home town. In some cases I travel internationally, but that is rare. Sometimes I only travel an hour or two by car so I opt to drive. In this type of situation, I can take my Get Home Bag and usually a firearm (or two) with me. Most often it is several hundred miles away from home and to cities where firearms are not allowed. On business trips, it is harder to pack your survival supplies in sufficient quantities to last if some disaster happened and you needed to get home.
I started to consider what a person would need to think about and could possibly face if they were in a situation where an EMP was exploded over the US, total chaos ensued and you were forced to make it back home over a considerable difference. In my scenario, the distance would be about 700 miles and the assumptions with an EMP would be that there were not many electrical devices working. All cellular communications would be down as well as landlines were out of commission. TV and Radio networks had been taken offline even if some of the TV sets and radios themselves still worked. I don’t imagine every single electronic device in the world would go out forever, but it would be enough to create massive confusion, fear and panic.
In addition to communication and access to news all access to money was cut off. Banks would slam shut and a bank holiday would be declared. Hospitals would quickly fill with the sick and injured and you would be on your own. How would you get back home and what would you need to consider if your home was 700 miles away and you had no survival supplies and no way to procure them.
Plan before you travel
The average, healthy person on level terrain can comfortably walk about 20 miles in a day. In our scenario above, with no issues whatsoever, it would take you about 35 days to walk back home if you didn’t stop anywhere to take pictures. That is a very long time to be walking. There are a myriad of issues to consider in even starting a challenge like that. Most back country hikers, who have plenty of gear and some expectation they are going to be roughing it, rarely set out on trips that long. Even backpackers, who hike the Appalachian Trail stop into towns, eat hot meals and pick up packages of goods they have stored along the way. How will you with minimal supplies even begin to hope to make it home alive? There are some items that I think you would need to have squared away in your mind first.
- Should you stay in place or set out on foot?
- What gear will you need?
- How will you eat?
- What route will you take?
Should you stay or should you go?
This will be the first mental challenge that you will be faced with and could determine if you will live or die. In all seriousness, the plans you make and more importantly your actions affect the situations down-line that you find yourself in. We have all probably heard stories about travelers who had a “gut-feeling” that they shouldn’t get on a plane and the plane ended up crashing. Similarly, your “gut” is going to be screaming at you in a disaster. It is the well-known fight or flight response and you will need to figure out for yourself what you will be capable of doing mentally and physically before you set out on any expedition.
Hiking for over a month is a very monumental task that not a lot of people (including me) have any experience with. In days long past, a travel plan like this wasn’t so far out of the norm. We haven’t always had cars, trains and wagons to get us around and people walked. This is certainly doable, but for a lot of very good reasons, people didn’t live as long back then. Journeys of this scale take time, planning and skills.
Deciding whether or not you would even consider a trek like this is something you can do now. I know that I personally would. I don’t know if I would make it, but I would be on the road somewhere. In my situation above, I would stick around a couple of days most likely to procure supplies, get any information I could, plan and prepare. I think that a couple of days after an EMP attack everyone will be in shock, but that won’t last long. Eventually, people will panic and that is when you don’t want to be around. My wife already knows that if something like this happens, I am headed home but it might take me a while.
What gear will you need?
As I said in the introduction, if I am driving anywhere, I pack a lot of supplies that would help me get back home in a disaster scenario like this. If you weren’t able to pack your Get Home Bag or any firearms, what would you do?
It helps to consider the journey back home and the different factors that you will encounter. Is this winter or summer? Will you have extreme temperature that needs to be planned for. What will you use for shelter? Security?
A good exercise if you find yourself in a scenario like this is to take stock of what you have. Empty your pockets of everything and conduct a simple inventory. When I travel, regardless of where I go I always have a bandanna, flashlight, multi-tool and small hank of paracord. These items can really come in handy, but they wouldn’t be the only things I would count on to get me back home over 700 miles away. Depending on the season, I would try to acquire additional clothing if I needed it, but usually I pack appropriate clothes for wherever I am going. What I don’t normally pack are clothes designed for living out in the woods for a month. Some modifications might have to happen.
A simple tarp and rope/bungie cords will provide shelter for you and will keep the elements off your head while you sleep. A big sheet of plastic would do the same. Is it the same as a nice backpacking tent? No, but it works and is lighter and speaking of lighter… You need an easy way to start a fire also.
Great walking shoes that are already broken in would be a huge advantage. Actually, I think sturdy leather boots would be the perfect choice, but some people might have to hike back in dress shoes. If possible, I would look for boots as quickly as you can after deciding you are walking.
For security, you have to take what you can get if the grid crashes like this. At a minimum I would find a large stick or pole. Baseball bat would be my second choice but may be harder to find than a good old wooden stick. This needs to be sturdy enough to use as a walking stick or club to crack someone’s head open with if necessary. Additionally, it can be used to support your tent.
Money could either be worthless or crucial to you getting supplies in an EMP event. If you have your head screwed on tightly and have cash on hand, you may be able to run down to the sporting goods store and buy some needed supplies before you make your trip. When I travel I always try to have cash in my wallet. It isn’t enough to buy out the store, but could get me some crucial supplies.
I would caution you though to try and maintain a low profile. If you are all set up for a big backpacking expedition with the latest bag, gear and clothes you may be a target. Someone might want what you have (because they can’t get it) and try to take it from you. It’s better to keep a low profile and low weight will help the trip too.
I would try to fit everything I needed into a standard size backpack that most everyone has. This way you will look just like everyone else headed home.
How will you eat?
This will probably be the toughest part about a journey like this in my opinion. I think most people can walk long distances. Most people will be able to carry or find some relatively decent source of water, but most people won’t be able to find food. What do you do?
There is no way you could ever pack enough food to last you your entire journey. You more than likely won’t be able to set up traps like Bear Grylls and catch rabbits or fish from a stream with your pocket survival kit, but I could be wrong. I think a lot of people are going to be going several days at a time without food. Could you hole up somewhere and catch wild game? Of course you could and I am not knocking those skills. What I am going to try to do though is to get home as quickly as possible.
This may be where timing comes into play. Food from grocery stores will be wiped out in days. You could be one of the early birds and grab enough food to last you a week or so and set out. After that week, you will need to find food along the way. Will people have any to sell you or will there be some form of bartering set up already? I don’t know, but I think the sooner you can get home the better. As the realization that the power isn’t coming back on hits, people will be stingier with their food I imagine. The old rule is you can go 3 weeks without food but I don’t want to try and put that to the test.
What route will you take?
The final item to consider is how will you get back home. What route are you going to take to get there and this is where having maps will be invaluable for a couple of reasons. First, you want to plan your route and make sure you know which way you are going. I have on more than one occasion gone the wrong way and had to turn around and backtrack. Its easy to do this for twenty miles in a car, but if you are walking and realize you took a wrong turn, that could waste a day.
The second reason is I would use secondary roads as much as possible and not highways. I would also try to steer clear of major cities in my path. A highway is faster if you are traveling 70 miles an hour, but it might not be the most direct route you can take. Maps that show the secondary roads to your home will be good to have. Some may even be able to help you determine good places to stay. I would personally camp outside of cities and avoid people as much as possible, but I would want the flexibility to change that plan if needed. Everyone’s circumstances will be unique.
Hopefully this was useful and gave you something to think about as you plan for your next trip. Please let me know if you have other suggestions in the comments below.
Delivered by The Daily Sheeple
Contributed by Pat Henry of The Prepper Journal.
2013-04-13 10:47:33
Source: http://www.thedailysheeple.com/after-an-emp-attack-how-to-get-home-when-its-700-miles-away_042013
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Whistler Blowers, Insiders
*A lightweight but large sturdy poncho should be considered as part of your pre-EMT traveling kit. Many fold down into a pouch. This would protect from all the elements — even serve as a tent. Simple patterns are available. Make with lightweight nylon found in most discount fabric stores. They can go over your backpack.
*Some backpacks fold down small too.
*Emergency pocket blankets are likewise easy and compact to stow. Have two or three or four.
*Leathermans are confiscated by TSA in a carry-on. Found that out the hard way.
*Small pack of babywipes — one per day for simple comfort and hygiene.
*A small first-aid kit (mostly bandaids) and small sewing kit are part of traveling necessities too.
*Consider those pricey dress shoes (Orvis.com) that can double as a boot. Wear them on the plane that might have to land awkwardly and who knows where. Your feet will be glad of the prime support. Two to three pairs of non-bunching walking socks.
Probably find a bike, a horse, a cow, a donkey, a mule, a jackass, a motorcycle, a tricycle, a scooter, a skateboard or something along the way other than hiking the entire distance on foot. Why go back home? Shack up somewhere instead. Go back home to what, unless off the grid on in rural area, ain’t gonna wanna go back to a city or suburb.
/spirit/2013/04/who-are-the-nicolaitans-2477046.html
Water.
Water, water, water, water, water.
Wouldn’t get far without it. Would need ways to purify it from creeks, and such; and ways to carry it.
I read this article and come to the conclusion your SOL if your 700 miles away and you flew. I really don’t fly anymore, but I do take three one thousand mile trips annually by car. I tell you what, I will be rethinking what I pack with me. I always take a Charter Arms 6 shot 38 snub nose with 7 extra rounds, a flash light and a leatherman, this is totally insufficient. There has to be a way to insulate your engine compartment from a EMT blast, something worth looking into.
You will still need fuel and the highways will be gridlocked with dead vehicles and angry people
in the event of an EMP.
Follow the big power lines if you know the layout-
a good bike may be best.
Canoes are good at night.
Keep in mind, that the illustration shows snow.
Ideally, then, you would either be able to carry that canoe for 700mi, or the streets would be like Venetian waterways.
This effort is equivalent to telling people they can build a log cabin with a Swiss Army knife and open a steakhouse. Let’s be clear about the difference between resourcefulness and fantasy.
Realistically, even short trips away from your family should be expected to separate you, in case of ongoing emergency.
The light reading, here, might be considered infotainment, at best. At worst, it is insulting.
As a general rule I try to keep rollerblades or a child’s folding scooter in my trunk- get the first half of the trip over in a week or so before people catch on that the help is not coming. You may have to cough it at up at some point but better to be half way home than walking the 300 or better miles that you just covered. Also, side note I travel as an investigator also, so I steer clear of gun free states and meet on borders of those states if need be. Or I send another out to said city if Skype is out of the question. Or just hire out the job for 80% but that’s a benefit to being in charge. I also in my go home bag keep barter items that can be used for my rule of three. Never carry anything that can’t be used for three separate uses. Be safe out there. Email me if you want executive protection training which is a good skill to have in these times. I offer it at no charge and only ask for donations to various organizations that make it possible to be a full time missionary.
It’s a interesting problem being in the wrong place at the wrong time and not having any special equipment or gear.I think one item that is lightweight and useable on the road would be a gold necklace i.e. religious medal or gold ring on a string.It could be used for barter or lodging and a meal.If such an event happened in the winter and you were in a cold climate movement would not be an option.Maybe a fractional gold coin or two in your wallet would buy you time as you plan your next move.An address book with the closest friends and familly members in the area your visiting would help, how many of us can remember all those addresses and directions.My last suggestion is a strong Garrison type belt,it can be used for carrying wood,a hobo bundle and a makeshift brass kunckles if it came to that.Good luck and I hope if anything happens it will be a day that your home with your family.
Hey like someone else said if your 700 miles away or more you ARE SOL. So if traveling for business, you know beforehand where you are going to be so before each trip, do a bit of homework, for example you are going to be in city XYZ, scope out where you will be staying on internet, print out a street map that shows immediate surroundings–you know the google street view type. Then cross check and mark out a sporting goods store in the range of where you will be heading towards home. Get a larger map and dbl check your route. On it highlight points where you might be able to stop over, family friends even business associates. Highlight with one color primary route and with a another color your secondary route. Then fold that map and keep it with your business suitcase, takes up no space. The poncho idea was great also because it folds well in with your business stuff, an empty fanny pack folds in nicely as well and get one of those one pocket knapsacks, sure wont hold alot but will carry something more than having your arms tire out.
Will make for comfort , you know when and can use as kleenex as well—-hey might be a good barter item—hahahaha.Then you can put a pair or two of clean socks and undies in the ziplocs-keep them clean and dry—wouldn’t want to be caught in a downpour and have nothing dry to put on. Oh and one more thing, sports stores sell waterproofing sprays—suggest you do that with the fanny pak, knapsack and suitcase if it isnt already. And carry superglue with you at all times, aside from it gluing properties, if you get a cut you can use a Styptic pencil (which you can find in a beauty supply store) and the super glue to close the small wound—burns like…..but better than nothing. Oh gosh a whole article can be written on how to travell light but be well equipped. Just takes a bit of organizing before you leave—yes a real pain–but what is the alternative?
And throw in a very long belt that you couldnt wear but when worse comes to worse you hook it to the handle of your suitcase and can carry it across your shoulder. will keep hands free. There really is sooooo much that you can bring with you even on a business trip that will help along the way and doesnt take up space. Fold a few freezer type ziploc bags, various sizes, will keep your stuff dry and can use to put water in and carry if need be. AND take out the cardboard from the toilet paper mash it down and stick in a ziploc bag.
I hate to be a pessimist, but at 700 miles/30 days away from your home, the odds of you ever seeing your family again are quite slim. Even if you did manage to walk there in a month (speaking from a man’s perspective here) your wife/kids may have been attacked or removed from where they were staying. Themasses are about a week away from cannibalizing one another; unless your family has access to a supply of food, water and firearms, they’ll be in a lot of trouble in a month’s time.
Its called destiny. Sometimes it is better not to worry about it,because if SHTF you will perish sooner than later. Why worry about prolonging the Agony.
Sure its more comforting for you to die with your Family,I can understand that.
If it is an all out nuclear War or Fema Camps I would like to be the first one to go quickly.
Get drunk and freeze to death perhaps.
As a Christian I will not commit suicide otherwise there would be more possibilities.
I believe that there is a better World somewhere else without an Elite.
700 miles away from home Your Not going to make it Back Home
At least there is a plan for the effort. Reliable information will be crucial for the final decision. IOW, if your hometown is nuked, besieged, or … etc. best stay put. Emotions and adrenaline will be running high everywhere. A pre-determined plan can give focus. Probably best to be a loner in this kind of scenario. Trust nothing, no one — except for what was mentioned above — any relatives or friends in the area. Hopefully, they are preppers too.
Have a network of people at home to look in on your family while they wait for your return.
how about a car or truck that has no computer – you remember those right
a hand pump for fuel
a good water filtration device that fits in your pack, ie, Katadyn
If you find yourself afoot why not try to find a horse somewhere like at a farm; that you could purchase, or even just take if nobody is the obvious owner? In my younger days I worked as a guide and wrangler so I might have a head start ,but it’s worth a try for anyone who really wants to survive.
How about getting a pilot license and a small plane for your 700 mile trips?
How long can you survive without food? Most people know little or nothing about fasting, including the U.S. medical industry. In 1981, ten Irish Republican Army members FASTED THEMSELVES TO DEATH in a Northern Ireland prison. The most famous of the group, Bobby Sands, was 5ft.9 1/2 in. and weighed 155 lbs. at the start and DIED 66 DAYS LATER at 95 lbs. He refused all food and drank only water. That’s 60 lbs. in 66 days for a person of slender build.
The average overweight American would last much longer. True, walking 10 hrs. a day @ 2mph would burn more calories than sitting in a cell, but someone 20 or 30 lbs. overweight could easily make it 35 days on water only and be healthier for the effort at the end of the march!!
It’s a TOTAL MYTH that after a few days w/o food your body will start digesting its own protein, including the heart muscle. One only needs to look at pictures of concentration camp prisoners who were little more than skin and bones but still had a BEATING HEART. Your body would first digest stored glucose (glycogen) and in 2 to 3 days begin working on the fat, starting with the unnecessary fat (e.g., external fat on arms, legs, mid-section) before proceeding to the necessary fat (fat supporting the intestines, for example). Only until then would it begin digesting protein, and the heart muscle would be the absolute last to go. In the case of those who perpetuate the anti-fasting myths, I would surmise they would survive a week or two just on the FAT BETWEEN THEIR EARS. (Herbert Shelton, M.D., wrote a good reference book on the topic many years ago)
There are also those emergency food bars that don’t make you thirsty that are recommended by the Coast Guard for boats. They come 18 to a pack for ~8 bucks. One 3600 calorie bar sustains for three days with protein, fats and carbs. No need for cookware.
You can always buy/borrow a bike, you could even bump start an older type car or motorbike, it’s only the starter motor and electronic ignition that would fry with an emp.
Proving that knowledge is far more valuable than anything else.
Some really good suggestions here, you simply have to narrow down a manageable carrying weight . I would add to the list a pair of Army combat boots that can take many miles of rough country instead of flimsy tennis shoes.. Learn how to catch and ride a horse, motorcycle to loud, runs out of gas, attracts attention which you don’t want. Some good general purpose antibiotics Cipro is good but what you can get is better than nothing. I have also thought of this same problem, if possible I may use a raft of small boat and stick with the rivers.
After thinking about it for awhile,I believe following the railroad tracks would be the right move.Consider this, you wouldn’t be on anyones personal property.(2) You could procure food and material from the halted boxcars.(3)The stopped train could provide shelter and a place to have a small fire.(4) Foreknowledge of the train routes would give you a certain path to your destination that would be less traveled by the average person especially along the routes outside the cities. And lastly your presents would attract less attention then say walking on the road in front of homes and stores.
I suggest packing some wide suspenders in your gear. I normally carry a 1911 concealed with two spare magazines. In a SHTF scenario I would be adding a fixed blade knife, leatherman, maglite, additional magazines and who knows what to that. I frequently wear suspenders under an over sized shirt with no one the wiser to the fact that I’m armed to the teeth.
Another lightweight but useful addition is unlined windbreakers. They can be layered for warmth or changed out to change your profile in the event of checkpoints. I recently found some in five different colors which compress to the size of a walnut and weigh next to nothing.