What many preppers don’t realize is that there’s an even greater threat to our tech than EMPs and power outages: solar flares. Here’s what you’ll need to know about how to prepare for a solar flare disaster.
What is a Solar Flare?
A solar flare is a massive explosion on the surface of the sun that sends plasma, or superheated gas, into space. The massive surge of electromagnetic energy released as part of this explosion can do serious damage to Earth’s electronics, particularly satellites, power grids, and disrupt radio communications systems. A large flare could knock out power grids or GPS systems.
Have Solar Flares Hit Before?
Yes, the earth has been affected by solar flares many times. Some flares are small and harmless, but the biggest ones can wreak havoc on Earth. In 1989, a solar flare knocked out power across most of Quebec within 90 seconds — leaving six million people without electricity for nine hours. So, how can we prepare for a solar flare disaster?
The Carrington Event
In 1859, such an event happened in a phenomenon known as the “Carrington Event.” An enormous solar storm caused telegraph wires to spark. Telegraph operators were shocked by their equipment, and magnetic compasses went wild. The northern lights were seen as far south as Cuba and Hawaii.
The Carrington Event is still considered rare; however, it’s believed that there have been about three similar storms since then. There was one in 1921 and another in 1960 — so-called “solar superstorms.”
The difference between 1859 and today is that our society is now much more reliant on electricity. A similar event striking today would cause massive damage to our power grids. In fact, some scientists believe that such an event could take out most of Earth’s power for months or even years.
What to Do During a Solar Flare:
If you’re caught outside when a solar flare hits, try to find shelter as quickly as possible. Stay away from windows and doors, and avoid using electronics like cell phones and tablets. If you’re driving when the warning signal sounds, pull over immediately.
How to Prepare for a Solar Flare Disaster
The best way to prepare for a solar storm is to be ready for the worst-case scenario: at least a week with no electricity and no internet. To do this, you’ll need enough food, water, and other supplies to last at least that long. You should also have an emergency plan that includes ways to communicate with family members in case cell phone service goes down
In a solar flare disaster, you may be without electricity for days, weeks or perhaps even months. Some experts predict that a massive solar flare could wipe out the entire grid system and knock out all power for up to two years.
The good news is that there are steps you can take to prepare for such an event. These tips should help you get started:
Set Aside Some Electronics in a Faraday Cage or Bag
We like to keep a faraday bag in our storage with a basic ham radio, backup digital files, and an old cell phone. We also recommend that people with medical electronic devices keep backups in a faraday bag, box, or container of some kind. A Diabetic for instance may want to have a blood sugar meter and perhaps a spare pump in a faraday bag, just in case.
Faraday Bag
A Faraday bag is an electrostatic shield that blocks external static and non-static electric fields. It can block radio frequency signals and electromagnetic interference. Experts say using a faraday bag can help protect electronics from solar flares. Faraday bags are essentially pouches lined with a conductive metal material that blocks electromagnetic waves and protects devices inside them from interference or damage.
We really like the Faraday Defense multibag kit. These bags are advertised as being military grade. What we really like about them though is the ability to nest one inside the other, that way you have a few layers of defense against a solar flare.
Faraday Defense 15pc Faraday Bag Kit
Faraday Backpack
A Faraday Backpack will be able to hold multiple electronics, and even larger iPad, like the iPad Pro. We’re a big fan of the Barrier Bag. It’s a water resistant faraday backpack that was built with the idea of being a backpack and a faraday bag. That might sound obvious, but what I mean is that there are many “backpacks” that just have a couple of straps sewed onto a cheap bag. The Barrier Bag is a well made good backpack, that also is a faraday bag.
Barrier Bag 20 Liter Faraday Backpack
Faraday Cage
Faraday cage is kind of a generic term for most people. For the most part, they don’t actually look like cages, but some might. For more information, you can check out our article on Simple faraday cages. Most of the Faraday options I’ve mentioned, bags, backpacks, etc. are all faraday cages. Many people think of the faraday cage as being more of a box though. We like the Ticonn Faraday box, if that’s what you’re looking for. It’s probably the most popular faraday option on Amazon, and has really great reviews.
TICONN Faraday Box
A solar flare disaster could lead to a massive blackout lasting weeks, months or even years. It could destroy the power grid and our electric infrastructure, bringing us back to the dark ages.
So what do you need to survive a solar flare event?
Basic survival gear — food, water, first aid supplies and shelter — would help you ride out the storm in your home. In an emergency situation, the key is having enough food and water for you and your family to be self sufficient.
Planning ahead is essential. Here are some ways you can prepare for a solar flare disaster:
Buy extra food and water that does not require refrigeration or electricity for cooking. Canned goods are great for this purpose. Stock up on non-perishable items like rice, beans and dried pasta as well as canned meat (tuna, chicken or Spam), vegetables and fruit.
You may also want to get yourself some candles in case of emergency situations like these. A candle can last up to eight hours if lit correctly.
We also recommend connecting with prepping communities, like ours, so you can continue to learn and prepare. In a SHTF situation like this, the time of learning will be done, and it’ll be time for action and survival, or else. We hope this helps you know better how to prepare for a solar flare disaster.
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