Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

The prepper / survival world has some boogeymen that reside in the dark parts of our minds. There are a lot of doomsday scenarios, and that is why we prepare. However, the EMP (electromagnetic pulse) is one of the top-tier terrors of the prepping world. 

Ever since the mainstream media started touting the “END OF THE INTERNET” due to an EMP triggered by the sun, more people have been considering this situation. What would our world look like if it went off-grid in a snap? 

What we fear about the EMP is a MASSIVE surge of energy that is so powerful it destroys most electronics and starts fires at power stations, maybe even on the powerlines themselves. This pulse of electromagnetic energy could be a blast of energy from our sun or a high-altitude detonation of a nuclear weapon. 

The aftereffects of an EMP are what most concern people because digital and mechanical society comes to a screeching halt. There are a lot of terrible places to be in a situation like this. Most places are going to turn into hell. Today we ask: What are the very worst places to be in EMP?  

1. Big Cities 

One of the very worst places to be if an EMP destroys the power grid and most electronic devices is undoubtedly a big city. Big cities only exist because of daily resupply. They do not produce any of the resources the people need to survive. They are almost 100% dependent on the outside world. 

The moment an EMP hits, those delivery vehicles can no longer come pouring into the city each day. This means you have a situation where millions of people are going to run out of food and water in a couple of days.

Beyond the resource problems, electronic security is going to fail, too. Worse still is that the police will either spread incredibly thin or disband altogether, in the face of the chaos. 

Now imagine yourself trapped in your studio eating off the last bits of food you have. It’s a true nightmare. 

2. Cruiseliner

The only thing worse than being trapped in a city is probably being out in the middle of an ocean on a cruise liner with thousands of other people. At least in the city, you have a hope and a chance of getting out alive. Maybe you escape the city through a bridge or tunnel before things get really bad.

However, when that big engine powers down and you are somewhere off in the Atlantic Ocean, well, that’s when things start to get ugly. There is no escaping this situation. There is no way this turns out good for anyone onboard. 

With very limited food, no engine, limited clean water, and thousands of people to fight over the limited resources, this could be one of the ugliest situations that could ever take place following an EMP. 

3. Airplane

All of the electronics in an airplane will be compromised when hit by a powerful EMP. This makes every airplane in the sky during an EMP a steel sarcophagus. The reality of being in a plane when an EMP hits is that no one is going to live. If anyone is unlucky enough to live, they are going to wish they didn’t because, remember, the ambulances are not coming to your aid. 

In the grand scheme of EMP outcomes, though, you might be getting off easy.

4. The Hospital 

If you have experienced some kind of injury or illness and you are in a place like the ICU, all those beeping machines are going to shut down, and whatever they are providing you with is going to be shut off. 

If you are devastated and those lifesaving machines are keeping you alive, then you are going to be a dead person once an EMP hits. 

The only hope you have is the people who have committed to saving lives and what they are willing to do for their patients. Doctors and nurses are extraordinary people. 

5. High Rise Buildings 

Americans are out of shape. There is no getting around it. There is no epidemic of hunger in this nation, rather, an epidemic of obesity now exists. In a crowded city full of high-rise buildings, those people on the highest floors might have to walk down a hundred flights of steps to get out of the building. 

The EMP will destroy the electronics that power the elevators in that building. That means the only way out is through the stairwell. This should bring up nightmarish memories of a time when the nation was under attack on 9-11. 

6. Elevator

Since we are talking about high-rise buildings, you might also shudder at the idea of being trapped in an elevator 80 stories up! If you are riding an elevator when a massive EMP strikes then the machine is going to halt. 

The power needed to keep the motor moving in the elevator will be eliminated and you will be stuck. Some sources mentioned that the momentum from the elevator could allow the cart to come to a stop on the next floor. Of course, that doesn’t mean you will be able to get the doors open. 

7. Living or Staying Near a Nuclear Power Plant

Do you remember Fukushima? This was an incredible nuclear disaster triggered by an earthquake so powerful that it moved the planet off its axis! That is hard to believe, right? What followed was one of the greatest nuclear disasters in history. 

Chernobyl and 3 Mile Island will look like a hiccup when all of the nuclear power plants on the planet melt down. If we are hit with a powerful EMP from the sun, there will be no electronics or safety systems to cool a nuclear power plant effectively.

This will cause a discharge of radioactive materials to spread all over nearby areas. Worst of all, there will likely be no warning. The meltdowns will not all occur right away, and the timing will likely be different for each reactor. 

There are 99 active nuclear power plants in the United States. It might be a good idea to see how close you are to one. 

8. Far From Home

Preppers and survivalists have transformed their homes into survival headquarters’. When we leave home, it can feel like a wound opening up. Some of us have things like food-producing animals and gardens that require attention each day. It makes finding house sitters tough, and then there is the whole trust factor on your OPSEC. 

The further away from home you are, the greater the risk. In the event of an EMP, you could have some serious ground to cover, and all of that ground will have to be covered by foot or maybe bicycle, if you are lucky. 

Getting home could become a near impossibility. Before long, the towns and cities to pass through will erupt into chaos as the food and water run out. If an EMP hits while you are on vacation, then it could be a real struggle to get back to your survival headquarters. 

Final Thoughts on the Worst Places to Be in an EMP

Whether man-made through a nuclear weapon or blasted out of the sun, an EMP is one of the worst outcomes for our modern society. This is one of those rare natural disasters that wouldn’t have even affected our ancient ancestors. 

Before an electrical grid, satellites, wifi, or a public water system, an EMP held almost no power over humanity. It was not a threat. 

Now, the EMP is a serious disaster, but it is also evidence that our modern lives have made us more susceptible to threats of all kinds. We know that humans can exist on this planet without all these creature comforts. We have been crippled by convenience.

My advice, get a lot more comfortable with the tools, systems, and the idea of living off the grid for long periods.