An atomic bomb exploded high over the center of the North American continent would damage delicate, unprotected electronic devices from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the middle of Canada to the middle of Mexico.

So what would the United States truly look like after an atmospheric EMP blast?  Let's consider this for a moment...

It's 3:47, Tuesday afternoon and you're at work.  Your significant other is at their place of business and it's just another average summer day.  You're finishing up some paperwork while listening to a co-worker's radio play in the background and you notice it's almost time to go home!  You can't wait to pop open a cold beer after the slow-moving, aggravating 17 mile drive home.

Within a split second of that vivid thought of frosty goodness, the lights go out in the office and your computer zaps off.  There is a loud, collective moan from everyone on your floor followed by expletives and curses for the backup power not protecting their important, unsaved work.  What just happened?

You sit patiently for a moment, slowly drumming your fingers on your desk, expecting the power to turn back on - but it doesn't.  The emergency floodlights didn't even come on.  The office is lit only by the sun glaring through the large glass windows.  Hmmm.  I guess you'll go home early today!  After a few moments, you grab your cellphone to call the spouse and pass on the good news but it's screen is black and lifeless.  Did you forget to charge it?  Impossible.  You're an iPhone junkie.  It had at least 87% battery the last time you checked Facebook.

An odd feeling sinks in as several other people begin to murmer about their cellphones not working, either.  Several of your co-workers are staring out the windows, wondering what happened while others are grabbing their purses and bags in an effort to leave early, oblivious to the potential seriousness of the situation.  Those looking down from the 7th story windows can clearly see that traffic is frozen in place and traffic lights are not functioning.  Some of them begin to get worried in their state of confusion.

But you, being an avid and dedicated internet news reader, remember an article that talked about a mid-air explosion... a nuclear blast.  What was it called again?  An Electro-Magnetic Pulse! That's it!  You faintly recall that it spelled out just how devastating an EMP could be and some of the initial tell-tale signs.

Cellphone completely dead or zero signal.  Large scale power outage.  Most vehicles would fail to start.

Your car!  Maybe this is just a power outage and you'll be headed home in just a few minutes, ready to sip on that frosty beverage.

You make it to the garage parking area and immediately notice Jen from Accounting cursing at her Toyota while Matt has the hood up on his brand new, still sparkling Charger with a puzzled look on his face.  You look at your car - a 2002 Jeep Cherokee 4×4.  Maybe it will start?  You toss your bag in the passenger seat as you hop in.  With fingers crossed and eyes closed, you turn the key.

Nothing.

The starter is fried.  Your worst nightmare is actually coming true.  The liklihood of being a victim of an EMP blast is just about at 100% now and your 17 mile drive home is now a 17 mile hike.

How is your spouse coping with this situation?  What about your kids, if you have any?  Will they stay at school or start hiking home, as well?  Do they realize that 17 miles might take several days to walk?  Do you?  Where will you meet up with your significant other?  Do they plan to wait at their office for you to rescue them or will they likely start walking home?  Do any of you have some sort of food or snacks with you?  Emergency rations in the vehicle's first-aid kit?  Do you have the capability to carry some water?

Now, imagine what the streets will be like within about 15 minutes of the EMP blast.

If you remember the LA riots, multiply that by several fold within the first hour or two.  Continue escalating this mob mentality with each hour that passes as more people realize how truly screwed they are in the urban areas.  After several minutes of talking with co-workers you decide the best course of action is to get home and form a plan from there.

So, let's start our journey home, shall we?

With any luck, your significant other will have the same idea and start hoofing it towards your home.  If only the two of you had talked about this scenario - or any emergency scenario - beforehand!  You could have created rendezvous points along the route home.  You would have known that she would be waiting at the first planned location for an hour before moving on to the 2nd location.  You might have even discussed leaving a familiar sign or symbol at that location to show the other you had been there and moved on to the next point for whatever reason.

Within an hour of walking in your leather office shoes or high heels (or no shoes if you've already ditched them!), the idea that you should have kept a pair of comfortable hiking boots or running shoes in the Jeep does not fail to amuse you.  Your bottle of Aquafina is empty and you're beginning to get a headache from the powerful sun beating down on you.

You finally get to the open highway just north of town and it looks like the worst traffic jam you've ever imagined.  And much like the typical 5 o'clock gridlock, these cars are not moving.  Ever again.  The road is littered with vehicles.  Most of them sit directly in their respective lanes of travel while some are halfway on the shoulder in a last ditch effort to steer the car as it suddenly coasted to a stop.

The people straggling down the highway in both directions are no longer motorists.  They are refugees now.  And you fall into this category at the present moment.  You notice some of them still sitting in their car, waiting for something to happen or some authority figure to come by and sort all this out for them.  Many are walking in between the cars like lost sheep and several are fighting with each other over simple things such as a can of soda and a bag of fresh groceries.

Then you hear it.  That familiar crack of a gunshot.  A small group of people in a heated argument 20 yards in front of you have taken it to the next level.  One man is on the ground, screaming in pain and cursing while another man stands above him with a small revolver in his hand looking terrified.  The two men are still arguing with each other as everyone in the immediate area flees in different directions and ducks behind vehicle hoods.

You have 13.8 miles left to go.  Is your spouse in front of you or still 3 miles behind you?  How bad has it already gotten in the city you just hiked out of?  Is it worse further down the highway?

A cursory check of your bag or purse reveals 2 pens, a cigarette lighter, credit cards, random receipts... nothing of real value in what has suddenly become a radically different world.

To be continued...

Source: TRUTH IS TREASON