Grid Down: A Strike against America – An EMP Survival Story- Book One Read Free Page A

that organizing such an effort would fall on his shoulders, but he didn’t mind. He was happy to help as long as everyone pulled their own weight. At camp, everyone looked out for each other. They had to.
    A light breeze blew through the screen of the open kitchen window. It was quiet outside, peaceful even, and the cabin smelled of pine and fresh maple. In a few months, there would be several feet of snow and bitter cold to go with it. They would need to plan accordingly. 
    The cabin was made entirely of wood, floor to ceiling. An outside well and pump provided running water, and their portable septic tank and water heater made their conditions livable. The limited amount of electricity from their 640W off-grid solar system was an extra bonus. 
    As the owner and operator of Pro-Survival, a small hunting and prepper shop, Rob had sold solar units to each camp resident. He hadn’t seen his shop in two months, and hoped that when he did venture into downtown Nyack, it would still be standing.
    Their cabin was minimally furnished, but they didn’t have a refrigerator, television, washer or dryer. Their cell phones and laptops were of no use. Those were luxuries from another time and place.
    His thirteen-year-old son, Nick, and eleven-year-old daughter, Kelly, had their own rooms; Rob and Mila shared the master bedroom. The thousand-square-foot cabin was a tight fit for a family of four, and the idea of hunkering down seemed simple enough, but Rob longed to return home—if that was ever an option.
    Such decisions would rely heavily on news reports broadcast intermittently over the emergency radio. It was resting on the kitchen counter, and Rob turned the knob, hoping for an update about the power grid being restored or news that the National Guard was being deploying to the area. Anything that offered hope.
    The Emergency Alert System hadn’t broadcast a new update in over a week. Their earlier reports confirmed that an electromagnetic pulse had been responsible for the power grid shutdown. But they hadn’t confirmed whether the cause was solar flare activity or a deliberate attack. Seventy-five percent of the nation’s power grid had been disabled, and emergency services had long been overwhelmed. That was the latest news, and it was getting old. The radio began humming, then crackling with static, and finally came in clearly.
    “This is a report of the Emergency Alert System,” the broadcast began. Rob turned the knob up in heightened anticipation.
    “The North American Aerospace Defense Command has reported on some thirty-five national black spots that are in the process of receiving sustainment aid from FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers, and various other emergency response and military agencies. People are discouraged from traveling lengthy distances on foot despite hardships where they have found themselves stranded.”
    It was a different broadcast from before—something new. Pencil in hand, he scribbled onto his notepad, trying to keep up with the announcer.
    “Emergency responders are currently distributing maps to local emergency centers where food, water, and limited power are available for displaced residents. Those with missing family members can also register names with the National Missing Persons Database. Fresh from his seventeenth emergency summit meeting with law makers and department heads, President Taylor delivered a message on Thursday, saying that the American people should know that the federal government, in conjunction with state and local officials, is doing everything in its power to bring support and relief to hundreds of millions of Americans going through the largest crisis in modern history.
    “In addition to the president’s words, FEMA has released a list of guidelines to people waiting for assistance. These leaflets have been distributed to many affected areas. The guidelines provide stranded residents safe directions to the nearest emergency centers.
    “They also provide