Here are the options for self-protection that most people think. We explain why they each falls short. (Our recommended solution is on a separate page.)
Options that do nothing
- Denial. Saying you don’t have enough information or proof. [There’s plenty of proof on our Information Resources page.]
- Denial, saying that the chances are too small, or that it’s just one of many unlikely mega-disasters. [The odds of all other mega-disasters are small (killer asteroid, super-volcano, bio-terrorism, all-out nuclear war.) But the odds of a grid collapse are in the same range as other insurance-situations that people buy insurance for.]
- Saying you’ll trust in God, and then doing nothing to prepare for a grid collapse. [Most people of faith still buy insurance.]
- Putting it out of your mind because you feel it’s too awful to contemplate.
- Hoping that FEMA will arrive with enough supplies. [We already explained on the Problem webpage that the threat is too large and that at this time the government does not have a ready-to-go plan with enough food and medicine stockpiled.]
More unsatisfactory options
- Deciding that you don’t want to live in that world. In other words, accepting that you will probably die, or deciding that you will end your life.
- Hunting for food in the woods or being a survivalist. [There will be too many people out there. The woods would be hunted out in a week or two. Hunting also wouldn’t take care of other needs, such as heating, cooking and medical needs.]
- Deciding that you will join a gang to loot and kill others. [It’s unpleasant and you might get shot yourself. Killing others is still murder. Taking their food would lead to their deaths, too.]
Partial solutions that are inadequate
- Conventional advocacy to get the government to pressure utilities to shield their part of the grid. [It may take years and would probably not prevent cyber-attacks.]
- Conventional advocacy to get the government to create a rescue plan and be fully ready for a grid blackout. [It will probably take years.]
- Form a neighborhood civil defense group. [You’d probably face many “outsiders” begging or fighting for supplies.]
- Get your whole city to stockpile and create a civil defense plan. [You’d still face outsiders.]
- Storing some supplies and emergency equipment, and not telling anyone. [It would be very hard to keep it secret, especially if your family isn’t losing weight and everyone else is. So you’re likely to lose your supplies.]
- Off-grid solar power for your home.[(This doesn’t solve the problem of protecting yourself and your supplies. Also, in the case of a super-EMP, your solar power system would get fried and permanently damaged.]
- If you live on the border, or have a car, boat or plane, trying to go to another country – Mexico, Cuba or Haiti. [You’d be one of many refugees. These countries will be likely be affected by a worldwide economic depression.]
Expensive options (that work)
- Move out of the country ahead of time to a place with a more resilient infrastructure.
- Become a serious “prepper” and get a well-defended hidden location. But it will require thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of learning and work. [Preppers that do not have hidden locations will likely be facing ongoing attacks from desperate people, attacks that involve weapons and setting fires.]
- Join a prepper community. [This would requires a major lifestyle change, and would be costly in both time and money. Again, if the location is not hidden, the community will likely face ongoing guerrilla action.]
- If you have a big-enough boat or plane, going to Europe. [Most people don’t have this option. In the case of a super-EMP, however, your electronics may get fried and permanently damaged.]
What’s wrong with all these options?
- They either don’t work, are too expensive or would probably take years.
- They don’t protect the great majority of Americans.
- The survivors would experience a long, painful economic and societal recovery. (Our solution dramatically shortens the recovery period.)
- Many of the survivors would still be traumatized.
[If you can think of solutions that we forgot, please email us and we will add them to the list!]
Now, read about the GridEmergency solution if you haven’t read it yet. Otherwise, go on to the next step, Commitment, to learn about staying motivated as you prepare and tell others.