Monday, June 27, 2016

Lights Out


I just finished reading Lights Out by Ted Koppel. The book attempts to answer the question of how secure our electric grid is from a cyber attack and what would result if the grid did, in fact, go down. In my opinion a cyber attack on the electrical grid is something that you can bet is going to happen, if it hasn't already. And I wouldn't be at all surprised if one of these days someone is successful in bringing the grid down. There has already been at least one serious physical attack on a power station in California.

Koppel was able to talk to people in high places who are the authorities on the subject as well as those employed by the government who seem to be rather clueless or oblivious to the severity of the issue even though they'll be the ones responsible for our salvation - "Heckuva job there Brownie". What are you going to do if the power goes out for a month or longer? If you live in the country, that's one thing. If you live in a high rise apartment in a large city, that's something else all together. We all need food, water, sanitation, and security. All of these need to be addressed. The book looks at all these and more. With my borderline paranoia, I probably shouldn't even read this kind of stuff, but God forbid if something like this ever comes to pass, you better have a plan. Things will get ugly quick. You can only go three days without water, don't forget.

Good book. 

Read it. 



2 comments:

Traveling Pirate said...

Thank goodness a third of the chest freezer is jugs of frozen water and I have an an outhouse . . . unless this happens in the winter. Then it will be time to head over to mom and dad's where there are two full freezers, a pitcher pump and pump ready pipe, and a wood furnace.

I probably shouldn't read that book either.

Shop Teacher Bob said...

In your case, you have provisions, shelter and a support system. Plus, you're far enough out the "zombie hordes" from the city shouldn't be an issue. Just circle the wagons and ride it out. However, you're not in the majority, as the book makes clear. If you have to rely on the government riding in to the rescue, I wouldn't count on that working out real well.