Millions would die due to exposure and panic, looting and so on. Most of the USA is grossly ill prepared for a true extended outage. A planned outage won’t happen. Unplanned-still very possible.
Scenarios in an emp attack expect 90%! of our population to die.
But that's the figure in government reports from years ago. Without electricity, the stores close down. Deliveries stop, and groceries stores quickly empty. Without traffic lights, the cities turn into parking lots. If the city people try to march out into the countryside, there will be countless cases of lead poisoning.
You should plan on life without electricity at all, as neighbors would hear your generator and come calling. Hidden solar panels or a small generator hooked up to a bicycle could power small things, like a laptop or tablet. You don't need lights at night, if you're in bed asleep. Lights would also attract unwanted attention.
If there is a nuclear EMP, a blackout would last for months or even years. Our infrastructure would be ruined. All of the huge electrical transformers would be toast. We don't manufacture them in the US any more. It would take years just to get them replaced. And that's even if they could be replaced. In one test case, a replacement transformer couldn't even be delivered because the railroad had been removed, and the transformer was too big to be trucked in.
I studied this subject over 20 years ago in depth.
Rice, Beans, Meds, canned goods that you usually eat, but more. Don't go buy survival foods if you aren't used to eating them. A small generator and some gas set aside would be good to keep the food cold in your fridge, like hurricane preps. Water Bob for your bathtub water if you are in the city. If you are worried about heat, get a kerosene heater with extra kerosene, get LED flashlights and batteries. Bleach is good for long term water sanitation. TP if you can manage that, but flannel cut into 6 inch squares is a good family cloth option. I had tons of those made up, TP shortage didn't affect me.
In addition to food, water, ammo. Batteries, medications, radio, a way to cook, lighters or matches, first aid supplies, solar phone/ battery charger, flameless candles or lamps and oil. Start making ice for perishable food. Think camping.
Great advice below redoubtrenee and others. I would also make sure you have an AXE for chopping wood in case you need fuel. Also handy for self defense but if we go dark for an extended period or there is an EMP attack-you’re going to need every resource possible for survival.
What will you and yours need to survive for a couple of weeks? Food, water, shelter.
Food can be canned or dehydrated. Propane and a camp stove for cooking / boiling water.
Water and water filtration. So fill coolers, Cleaned milk jugs, hell even a water bed. If you have good camp filters you don't have to worry about it being clean. Fill your tub up.
Shelter means thinking about heat and cold. Wool is best, many layers for cold.
Practice. Tomorrow think about what you would do / need if the stores closed, power went out.
The way I look at our money is it is all fake anyway. Could be taken/ lost at any time. If stores close you won't need money. Barter is best. So booze, bullets etc. Silver coins might get you through a bribery situation if you need to move. Know where your neighbors stand but watch your back. People get desperate in desperate times. Oh and keep a low profile, Do not advertise your preps or location. Loose lips sink ships.
I've heard that the internet and ATM networks could be down for up to 5 days. So, you'd need enough cash on hand to get you through that period.
If power was out, your refrigerated/frozen food needs consideration. This happening to you could vary greatly by location.
Consider if your furnace/heat source needs electricity to run. e.g. I have a gas furnace but the fan is electric.
If you loose heat to your house and it drops below freezing before power is restored, you probably should turn off your water supply as some pipes are likely to have burst. Having your home flooded after the loss of heat would be really not fun.
Fill your gas tanks in your vehicles. In a pinch you can get warm in the car.
A candle can keep an enclosed room above 32 degrees. In the boy scouts, we'd sleep in snow caves with a single candle keeping it above freezing.
Hopefully you don't face this extreme but is good survival knowledge to have.
Honestly I doubt they would literally blackout the entire us. What would be the point in that? Cities where people are held sure
You can shut down telecom for internet etc - id say the most important thing to have out be CASH
hmm, I had always taken it to be a communications blackout
same - that means credit cards wont communicate - stores will still take cash
Millions would die due to exposure and panic, looting and so on. Most of the USA is grossly ill prepared for a true extended outage. A planned outage won’t happen. Unplanned-still very possible.
Scenarios in an emp attack expect 90%! of our population to die.
90% is a bit drastic
But that's the figure in government reports from years ago. Without electricity, the stores close down. Deliveries stop, and groceries stores quickly empty. Without traffic lights, the cities turn into parking lots. If the city people try to march out into the countryside, there will be countless cases of lead poisoning.
Fuel and generators if you're able to get them. Not sure how long the blackout will last.
You should plan on life without electricity at all, as neighbors would hear your generator and come calling. Hidden solar panels or a small generator hooked up to a bicycle could power small things, like a laptop or tablet. You don't need lights at night, if you're in bed asleep. Lights would also attract unwanted attention.
If there is a nuclear EMP, a blackout would last for months or even years. Our infrastructure would be ruined. All of the huge electrical transformers would be toast. We don't manufacture them in the US any more. It would take years just to get them replaced. And that's even if they could be replaced. In one test case, a replacement transformer couldn't even be delivered because the railroad had been removed, and the transformer was too big to be trucked in.
I studied this subject over 20 years ago in depth.
Make a plan in case you need to contact family or friends, e.g. Where/when to meet if there is an emergency. Walkie talkies are your friend.
If martial law is declared nation wide you’re not going anywhere.
Martial Law isn't the same as a blackout. They can happen independently of each other.
Martial law isn't big enough to stop everyone. There won't ever be troops or police on my road.
Rice, Beans, Meds, canned goods that you usually eat, but more. Don't go buy survival foods if you aren't used to eating them. A small generator and some gas set aside would be good to keep the food cold in your fridge, like hurricane preps. Water Bob for your bathtub water if you are in the city. If you are worried about heat, get a kerosene heater with extra kerosene, get LED flashlights and batteries. Bleach is good for long term water sanitation. TP if you can manage that, but flannel cut into 6 inch squares is a good family cloth option. I had tons of those made up, TP shortage didn't affect me.
In addition to food, water, ammo. Batteries, medications, radio, a way to cook, lighters or matches, first aid supplies, solar phone/ battery charger, flameless candles or lamps and oil. Start making ice for perishable food. Think camping.
Great advice below redoubtrenee and others. I would also make sure you have an AXE for chopping wood in case you need fuel. Also handy for self defense but if we go dark for an extended period or there is an EMP attack-you’re going to need every resource possible for survival.
Everyone needs an assortment of hand tools, not electric or battery powered. Also, there should be at least two of each in case one gets damaged.
I have all that stuff and more. I was a computer worker in 1998 and knew the real possibilities of Y2K. We're lucky that it wasn't a whole lot worse.
What will you and yours need to survive for a couple of weeks? Food, water, shelter. Food can be canned or dehydrated. Propane and a camp stove for cooking / boiling water. Water and water filtration. So fill coolers, Cleaned milk jugs, hell even a water bed. If you have good camp filters you don't have to worry about it being clean. Fill your tub up. Shelter means thinking about heat and cold. Wool is best, many layers for cold. Practice. Tomorrow think about what you would do / need if the stores closed, power went out. The way I look at our money is it is all fake anyway. Could be taken/ lost at any time. If stores close you won't need money. Barter is best. So booze, bullets etc. Silver coins might get you through a bribery situation if you need to move. Know where your neighbors stand but watch your back. People get desperate in desperate times. Oh and keep a low profile, Do not advertise your preps or location. Loose lips sink ships.
I've heard that the internet and ATM networks could be down for up to 5 days. So, you'd need enough cash on hand to get you through that period.
If power was out, your refrigerated/frozen food needs consideration. This happening to you could vary greatly by location.
Consider if your furnace/heat source needs electricity to run. e.g. I have a gas furnace but the fan is electric.
If you loose heat to your house and it drops below freezing before power is restored, you probably should turn off your water supply as some pipes are likely to have burst. Having your home flooded after the loss of heat would be really not fun.
Fill your gas tanks in your vehicles. In a pinch you can get warm in the car.
A candle can keep an enclosed room above 32 degrees. In the boy scouts, we'd sleep in snow caves with a single candle keeping it above freezing.
Hopefully you don't face this extreme but is good survival knowledge to have.
You can also set up a tent inside to make a smaller space to heat, or drape sheets over a dining table.
A secondary heat source would be good. I have a propane heater and a portable kerosene heater with a large supply of kerosene.