By Michael Mabee
In the U.S. we are literally on life support, plugged into the electric grid. If somebody unplugs us, everything necessary to sustain life stops: food, water, fuel, transportation, medical care, communications, financial – everything.
The grid is vulnerable to numerous threats. The U.S. Senate said that in a long-term nation-wide blackout, millions of citizens could die. After a few weeks, we would die in droves from waterborne diseases, starvation, and societal collapse. What if the grid went down for longer than a few weeks?
Why isn’t anything being done about this threat?
We have known this for over two decades from numerous federal reports and hearings, but nothing has been done about it. Why?
“The grid is self-regulated,” author Michael Mabee explained. “The only federal agency with the authority to act, FERC, is run by industry insiders.”
For the past 15 years, commissioners of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission have been cut from the same bolt of cloth. All but two were lawyers. Most go on to high power positions in law firms representing the utility industry. Some actually go to the utility industry itself. FERC is a stepping stone to a lucrative future position in the industry or representing the industry.
FERC Commissioners don’t want to upset the industry by requiring it to protect the grid from cyber attacks, electromagnetic pulse (EMP), geomagnetic disturbances (GMD), physical attacks and untrimmed foliage. The industry fights efforts to harden the grid. FERC Commissioners do not want to antagonize an industry dangling lucrative positions following their FERC terms.
The federal government has no plan for a long-term power outage. FEMA recently admitted this:
“Current planning does not include any contingencies for very long term or extremely widespread power outages.” –FEMA National Preparedness Symposium May, 2018
How do we take matters into our own hands?
Mabee has assembled a comprehensive website with information on the threats and actions we can take. (You can subscribe to his email list here: https://michaelmabee.info/subscribe/)
“I became a prepper because of my research into the threats to the electric grid,” Mabee added. “I became involved in trying to secure the grid because I love our country and want to protect it.”
Preppers are people of action, who are more aware of threats than average citizens. Preppers are also patriotic. Many are veterans or the family of veterans. Mabee advocates a return to the civil defense concept of community preparedness. Preppers can play a key role in their communities. Find out how: www.michaelmabee.info
“It is not enough to be the only prepared family,” Michael cautions. “If we experience a societal collapse or ‘WROL’ scenario – your family will not be safe if everybody around you is starving.”
Most people do not have the resources to “bug out” to a cabin in the woods hundreds of miles away from civilization. For many, sheltering in place is the only option. If we are forced to flee or “bug-out,” we may become refugees. Thus, it doesn’t matter how prepared we are, if society around us collapses, it places us in grave danger.
This is a critical point: FEMA’s number one goal in its 2018-2022 Strategic Plan is this: Build a Culture of Preparedness.
“Where does this culture already exist? Preppers. We already have a culture of preparedness,” notes Michael. “And we also have a great tradition of sharing our knowledge. Some of my inspirations are people like Survivor Jane, Rick Austin, Southern Prepper 1, Zion Prepper – these are people who want to teach Americans to survive.”
Preppers can play a key role in saving this country.
There are two areas of focus that Michael Advocates we are involved with:
First, the federal government must fix the failed current regulatory scheme which has proven unable to protect the self-regulated electric grid.
Second, we need 35,000 towns and cities across the United States to build a culture of preparedness.
On each of these items – which are critical to U.S. national security as well as our individual and family security – preppers are uniquely qualified to get involved and make a difference.
- We have the situational awareness to hold our government accountable for protecting the grid. We can accomplish this by engaging our elected officials, the press and the federal government. We can participate in changing federal regulations!
- We have the knowledge and expertise in preparedness that we can bring to our communities. We can be part of the solution and help to “build a culture of preparedness” in the U.S.
And remember, the reason the U.S. electric grid is such a fat juicy target to Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea is precisely because they know we are not prepared. When preppers help their neighbors and communities, they are increasing the resiliency of the U.S. from a long-term catastrophe. Thus, preppers can contribute to the national security of the U.S. in a substantial way.
Find out more on Michael’s website: https://michaelmabee.info/
I don’t know Michael Mabee. I’ve never received an email from him or received a phone call from him, that I know of. However, I support his efforts to get the government to do something about the risk of an EMP or CME event. Thank you Daisy for bring this Mr. Mabee’s efforts to our attention!
My approach has been to seek to preserve knowledge, primarily technical, that would be useful in restarting a failed civilization. Certainly an EMP event is at or near the top of disasters that could bring down America and possibly the world (a CME event). A better approach would be to make government and industry make honest preparations for the event.
You go Michael Mabee!!!
” I support his efforts to get the government to do something ”
Successful strategy and tactics will presume “no government”. Actually, elimination of government (or reduction to 1/10th its present size) will be a vast improvement. Run the numbers: Government systematically and continuously takes 3/4ths of the fruits of your labor. Are you alright with that? Every defense you see is for “defending government”. Every safety precaution is for “safety of the government”. To “protect and serve” is to protect and serve government. We can do better without it.
I think the easiest way is to start hounding your state utility regulatory agency, then go after your State Congressional Representatives as well as your US Senators. Do that and flat out ask them at a public town hall how much money they got from the Utility Company’s in Campaign Denotations both Democrat and Republican. Get your local news medias attention to this subject at said town hall and follow through. Go to Everytown hall meeting they have and hound them in front of the Press eventually the press will themselves begin to investigate and ask them the same questions. What are they doing to protect our Electrical Grid, and dig deep don’t be afraid to hound them.
“Although all primary sources of energy are important, the Olduvai theory identifies electricity as the quintessential end-use energy of Industrial Civilization…[A]ccording to the Olduvai schematic, world energy production per capita will decrease…[then] there will be a rash of permanent electrical blackouts worldwide. Consequently the vital…functions—communication, computation, and control—will be lost.
…Mother Nature then solves for us the (apparently) insuperable problem of the Tragedy of the Unmanaged Commons, which the human race seems either incapable or unwilling to solve for itself.
Governments have lost respect. World organizations are ineffective. Neo-tribalism is rampant. The population is over [seven] billion and counting. Global warming and emerging diseases are headlines. The reliability of the electrical power networks is failing. And the instant the power goes out, you are back in the Dark Ages.”
Richard Duncan, 2001
World Energy Production, Population Growth, and the Road to Olduvai Gorge
http://www.hubbertpeak.com/duncan/road2olduvai.pdf
The only problems i see with becoming involved in community preparedness is that 1) Totally blows your op-sec once people know about your being a prepper. 2) There are always people who don’t want to do the work but are the first ones to show up with their hands out and expect you to give them everything they need. This gives predators and mooches a list of who’s got resources, and also who will be an easy mark. 3) If the government for some reason decides that private citizens should not be allowed to stockpile resources, as in #2, this will let them know exactly who has what and where. Also, who is likely to be armed. If the government wanted to institute martial law, seizure of weapons, medical supplies and food is a quick way to get the population under the control of the military.
I don’t know if this will happen, but I don’t know if it won’t, either. Why risk it?
@MissKitty, I agree. Why do preppers seem to feel the need to step up, speak out and become community leaders? Why do preppers feel this need to organize, educate, and lead their neighbors? Let the neighbors figure stuff out for themselves, while the neighborhood prepper looks on and acts just as ignorant and helpless as they do.
Hi Miss Kitty,
I understand what you are saying, it just seems like there is a way to have your security and community also. Every neighboring household is different. So you cannot communicate with each one the same way.
I’m not an expert in this field. But I have been thinking about this issue too and keeping it in mind in my interactions with my neighbors.
My thought is that no matter where you are, you have to be a little close to the vest getting to know anyone.
Conversations are great so the more you get to know them the more you’ll know how much or if to trust them.
You all have something at stake here, it’s not so easy to just pick up and move.
So talk about something in context ie if there’s a big thunderstorm warning and everyones putting away their lawn chairs you can say something like: “if the power goes out I have a bar b q grill/ propane stove” (kind of low risk) and see where the conversation goes… and day to day get to know their and your own strength and limitations little by little. You can build some sort of a positive functional connection of trust even with somewhat flawed individuals (which we all are anyhow).
Sometimes something’s better than nothing and no one says you have to give up any information you don’t feel comfortable giving up.
If you have the time energy and inclination you could start a small group not centered around prepping, get to know people that way. Whatever you’re interested in… growing roses, book club, bible study, bicycle riding, walking around the block, you name it.
You could also start a neighborhood watch if the organization is available. Keep your eyes open for resources, and use your imagination!
One thing to remember… you may be the person your trustworthy prepper neighbor isn’t sure whether to trust or not… so if youre too scared to talk with them you will find it much more difficult to rely on them and they on you when the time comes. And they too are neighbors with your other possibly non prepper neighbors.
Keep in mind that even if your neighbors are not “preppers” they may be very decent and have valuable talents and strengths that benefit everyone. Your households set a tone and a standard of behavior while times are good, while keeping a low profile unless it’s ok and necessary to share more info. Just little by little, feeling things out along the way. “Small talk” can be a great tool for this… it’s kind of a less used art form these days but certainly not extinct!
If there are households in the neighborhood you would consider not very trustworthy, you can at least make sure you keep things as positive as possible, something’s better than nothing. This is a good time to get to know what type if crazy you’re dealing with and take the opportunity to set strong boundaries without making the situation worse. Then you can learn more about whatever it is about them that poses a challenge for you. It’s also helpful to keep praying for them no matter how freaked out you may be feeling lol ???? This all can also be considered prepping!!
“Small talk” conversation can be oh so helpful in building bonds and protections between people in a measured and responsible manner.
Practice makes conversations between neighbors even more effective and strengthening, and being neighbors can be fun too. Life is serious but it also can have some nice surprises ????
Wishing you neighborhood blessings ????
Acea ????
I am OK with a collapse of our aging, unmaintained grid. We should not attempt to prevent it. I think it is the only way to regain our freedom from the politically correct Orwellian nightmare we live in. High-tech tyranny depends upon the magic of electricity. Without electricity, the government, the courts, the mainstream media, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, George Soros, the social justice warriors, the tax collectors and the police will be unable to enforce their wishes. My concern is surviving the first 90 days.
I’m with you on that being the only way to end surveillance, and surviving the first 90 days. And looking just as desperate as everyone else BUT.
Unless it is a worldwide grid-down situation we will have “someone/country” rushing in to take over where the present crooks left off.
No, no, no! Being ok with allowing the electrical grid to collapse sounds like suicide talk to me, national suicide!! Like suicide, that is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. 90% of the population dying is NOT an acceptable solution. Not to me and not to 99.999% of the 90% who will die! We must do everything we can to prevent that from happening!
I repeat, You go Michael Mabee!!!
I really enjoyed this post, and all the comments. You can lead a horse to water, but can’t make him drink. We have been thru many weather related incidents, and I’ve taken note of the neighbors who do and don’t need help. That has given more info to more ppl than I am comfortable with, but also given me insight on my neighbors. There are ways to help out without giving up OPSEC, like donating to your local food pantry as you rotate your stores,, sharing the bounty of your harvest from your garden; And if you tru;y want to get involved, start with your county CERT team. That and your local HAM radio groups are a great way to get involved at a grass roots level.
There are so many ways that preppers can make a difference. In addition to the recommendations by Michael Mabee, preppers can write to the CEO of their electric utility and ask that their utility take the steps necessary to harden their equipment against EMP, toughen their cybersecurity defenses, and review the physical security of their facilities. They can also write to Senator Ron Johnson, Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Senator Lisa Murkowski, Chairman of the Senate Energy Committee and urge them to find ways of getting some method of cost reimbursement to the utilities for hardening the grid. Senator Johnson in particular is ready to act and act now. Give him your support. Preppers can lead the way. They are a resilient group of Americans.
It is a real catch-22. Getting neighbors to prepare, too, is vital for our own survival. But talking about this blows op sec. I gave a brief talk about prepping at my apartment complex. A week or two later, a hungry neighbor showed up at my door, begging. I was terrified. It was no immediate threat, and I could have helped him a little, but I don’t really have enough for myself, and that is what I said. No beggars since.
Helping one neighbor is one thing–but I cannot feed the whole city of Denver. I understood that if I prep very much at all, I will be MURDERED for those preps.
But all this op sec is no answer, either. Fewer than 1% of Americans prepare at all. Preppers have an advantage in natural disasters and other SHTF for a week or two. Often huge. But in a really major scenario, most preppers will die because of the unprepared.
We are told all the time to write to or call our congresscritters. But bureaucrats matter as well, and you pay their salaries. Write or call your local FEMA or other agencies and volunteer to give talks to them and to people at least 10 miles from your home.
We need to find out discreetly what does cause individuals to prepare and figure out how to get media to discuss the Boy Scout motto. It used to be simple common sense. It had better become so again.