You can’t protect everything from EMP, so focus on devices that actually matter after an electromagnetic pulse event. A working communication device, a way to charge it, and access to critical information are your priorities.
Everything else is secondary. Most people waste money trying to protect too many things or the wrong things entirely. Your everyday electronics will likely be exposed when EMP hits. What you deliberately store in Faraday protection should enable communication, power generation, and access to essential information during recovery.
The goal isn’t preserving your normal lifestyle. It’s maintaining capability to communicate, stay informed, and help yourself and others until infrastructure recovers.
The Priority Framework That Actually Makes Sense
Think in layers based on immediate needs versus long-term recovery. Layer one covers the first 72 hours when you need information and communication most urgently. Layer two handles the following weeks when you’re establishing routines without infrastructure. Layer three addresses months-long recovery when you’re part of rebuilding efforts.
Most people should focus on layer one completely before worrying about layers two and three. Getting the basics right matters more than comprehensive protection of everything.
Your budget and storage capacity are finite. Every item you protect means resources not spent elsewhere. Choose deliberately based on what actually enables survival and recovery, not what you’d prefer to keep working.
Communication Devices: Your First Priority
A working communication device after EMP is critical. This lets you get information, coordinate with others, and potentially call for help as systems come back online.
Backup Smartphone
Keep an older smartphone in Faraday protection with downloaded maps, emergency contacts, and useful information stored offline. The phone doesn’t need active service to be valuable.
A used phone costs $50-100. Load it with offline map apps, first aid guides, survival PDFs, contact information, and photos of important documents. Store it powered off in a quality Faraday bag.
When infrastructure starts recovering, having a working phone matters. Cell towers come back online gradually. The first people able to make calls have advantage getting information and coordinating help.
Don’t protect your current daily phone. It will be on you or in use when EMP hits. The protected phone is your backup that stays safe in storage.
Two-Way Radios
Handheld radios provide direct communication without infrastructure. FRS/GMRS radios work for short-range communication with family or neighbors. Ham radios work for long-distance if you’re licensed and know how to use them.
A pair of basic walkie-talkies costs $30-60 and provides immediate communication capability within a few miles. Store them with batteries in Faraday protection.
Ham radio equipment is more expensive and requires licensing and knowledge. But it enables communication across hundreds or thousands of miles without any infrastructure. This matters when cell networks are down.
If you already have ham radio gear and knowledge, absolutely protect your radios. If you don’t, basic FRS radios provide more immediate value for less investment.
AM/FM Radio
Information matters during disasters. A simple AM/FM radio lets you receive emergency broadcasts, news, and coordination information from authorities.
Basic portable radios cost $15-30. They’re lightweight, simple to operate, and require minimal power. Store one with batteries in Faraday protection.
AM radio travels farther than FM. During widespread disasters, AM stations broadcasting emergency information can reach hundreds of miles. Your protected radio can receive these broadcasts when other communication fails.
This is one of the cheapest, most practical items to protect. The information access it provides is worth far more than its cost.
Power Generation and Storage
Electronics are worthless without power. Protecting your ability to generate and store electricity is as important as protecting the devices themselves.
Solar Chargers
Small solar panels with USB outputs let you charge phones, radios, batteries, and other devices using sunlight. No fuel required, no noise, indefinite operation as long as the sun shines.
Quality portable solar chargers cost $50-150 depending on wattage. The charging circuits contain electronics vulnerable to EMP. Protect the charger in a Faraday bag when not in use.
A 20-30 watt panel charges phones and small devices in a few hours of sunlight. Larger panels charge bigger devices or multiple items simultaneously. Match the size to your actual needs and storage capacity.
After EMP, fuel becomes scarce quickly. Gas generators run out of gas. Solar keeps working indefinitely. This makes solar charging one of the most valuable capabilities to protect.
Battery Banks and Power Stations
Portable battery banks store power for charging devices multiple times. Larger power stations provide AC outlets and substantial capacity.
Small 10,000-20,000 mAh battery banks cost $20-40 and charge phones several times. These contain circuits vulnerable to EMP. Store them charged in Faraday protection and rotate annually.
Larger power stations with 500-1000 watt-hour capacity cost $300-800. These run laptops, power tools, medical devices, and more. The investment is significant but the capability matters if you need it.
Power storage only helps if you can recharge it. Pair battery banks with solar chargers for a complete system. The solar panel charges the battery during the day. The battery powers devices at night or during cloudy weather.
Rechargeable Batteries and Chargers
AA and AAA rechargeable batteries with a charging system let you power radios, flashlights, and countless other devices. Many items use standard batteries, making rechargeables extremely versatile.
A set of 8-12 AA and 8-12 AAA rechargeable batteries with a solar or USB charger costs $30-60. The charger contains electronics vulnerable to EMP. Protect it along with spare batteries.
Regular alkaline batteries don’t need EMP protection because they contain no electronics. But they’re single-use. Rechargeables with a working charger provide unlimited battery power as long as you can recharge them.
Store the batteries charged. They slowly self-discharge over months, but starting with full batteries is better than empty ones.
Information Access and Storage
Knowledge matters during crises. Protecting your ability to access information helps with medical issues, repairs, navigation, and countless other challenges.
Tablet or E-Reader Loaded with Information
A tablet with downloaded books, manuals, medical guides, maps, and reference material provides a complete library in a portable package. E-readers work too but with more limitations.
Used tablets cost $50-150. Load them with survival guides, first aid manuals, home repair instructions, gardening information, and anything else potentially useful. Store it in a Faraday bag with a charging cable.
The advantage over paper is search capability and volume. One tablet holds hundreds of books and guides that would fill a small library. Finding specific information is faster than sorting through physical books.
Paper doesn’t need charging, which is why you should have critical information in both formats. But the tablet provides access to far more information when you need something specific.
USB Drives with Backed-Up Data
Small USB drives hold enormous amounts of data. Copy important documents, photos, contacts, medical records, insurance information, and anything else you’d need to rebuild your life after major disruption.
USB drives cost $10-30 for 32-128 GB of storage. They contain minimal electronics and are less vulnerable than phones or tablets, but EMP can still damage them. Store them in Faraday protection along with other electronics.
Multiple backups in different locations make sense. One USB drive in your primary Faraday bag. Another with a trusted family member or friend. Geographic distribution protects against localized destruction.
Update the drives annually or when important information changes. Backups only help if they’re current.
Laptop Computer
Laptops provide more capability than phones or tablets. Better for creating documents, running complex software, or dealing with technical tasks during recovery.
This is lower priority than communication devices and power generation. Laptops are larger, need more power, and require more storage space. Only protect one if you have specific needs that require laptop capability.
An older used laptop works fine for basic tasks. It doesn’t need to be new or powerful. Store it with a charging cable and any specialized software or files you might need.
Quality laptop Faraday bags provide protection for larger devices while including padding against physical damage.
Medical and Health Devices
Medical electronics can be life-critical for some people. Assess your specific health needs and protect accordingly.
Glucose Monitors and Medical Sensors
People with diabetes or other conditions using electronic monitoring devices should protect backups of their meters and sensors. The ability to monitor blood sugar or other vital signs matters during extended infrastructure disruption.
Spare monitors and sensors cost varies by device and insurance coverage. Medical necessity justifies the protection investment. Store backup devices with testing supplies in Faraday protection.
Protect extra batteries or charging equipment for these devices too. A monitor without power is useless.
TENS Units and Pain Management Devices
Electronic pain management devices improve quality of life for people with chronic pain. Backup units in Faraday protection ensure continued access during recovery.
These devices are lower priority than communication and power, but for people who rely on them daily, the quality of life improvement justifies protection.
Hearing Aid Batteries and Chargers
Rechargeable hearing aids and their charging cases contain electronics vulnerable to EMP. Protecting backup charging equipment maintains access to hearing assistance.
Traditional battery-powered hearing aids just need battery stockpiles, but rechargeable models need protected chargers to remain usable long-term.
Navigation and Location
GPS satellites might survive EMP but ground-based navigation systems will fail. Protecting navigation capability helps during recovery when road signs are gone and infrastructure is disrupted.
GPS Units
Dedicated GPS units with preloaded maps work without cell service. They’re more reliable than phone GPS and often have better battery life.
Basic GPS units cost $100-200. Hiking or automotive GPS units work depending on your needs. Store with charging cables in Faraday protection.
GPS depends on satellites continuing to function. Major EMP might damage some satellites but not all. Even partial GPS coverage is better than none.
Offline Map Applications
Phone apps with downloaded offline maps provide navigation without data connection. Download maps for your region and surrounding areas before an event.
This costs nothing if you already protect a smartphone. Just ensure the maps are downloaded, not streaming. Test offline mode to verify it works without data connection.
Maps for a thousand-mile radius around your location give you navigation capability for any realistic evacuation or travel scenario.
Tools and Practical Devices
Some electronic tools provide capabilities difficult to replace manually. Protect selectively based on your specific skills and needs.
LED Flashlights and Headlamps
Modern LED lights with electronic drivers and rechargeable batteries provide reliable illumination. Simple lights with no electronics aren’t vulnerable to EMP, but rechargeable lights with charge circuits are.
Quality rechargeable headlamps cost $30-80. The hands-free aspect makes them more useful than handheld lights for most tasks. Protect one with charging cable and spare rechargeable batteries.
Simple non-rechargeable LED lights don’t need EMP protection. Keep several of these with alkaline batteries as backup lighting that definitely survives.
Multimeter and Basic Testing Equipment
Electronic testing equipment helps diagnose problems with devices, generators, solar panels, and other electronics during recovery. A basic multimeter checks voltage, continuity, and resistance.
Digital multimeters cost $20-60 depending on features. These contain circuits vulnerable to EMP. Store in Faraday protection if electrical troubleshooting capability matters to you.
This is specialized knowledge. If you don’t know how to use a multimeter, protecting one is low priority. If you have electrical skills, it’s a useful capability to maintain.
Electronic Thermometers
Digital thermometers for medical use or cooking are lightweight and useful. Medical thermometers help monitor fevers and illness. Cooking thermometers ensure food safety.
These cost $10-30 depending on type. They’re small enough that protecting one or two in your Faraday storage makes sense if you have room.
Old-fashioned glass thermometers work too and need no protection. Having both options provides redundancy.
What Not to Protect
Some items aren’t worth the limited space in Faraday storage. Be honest about what actually matters versus what you just wish would survive.
Your Current Daily Phone
Your everyday phone will be on you when EMP hits. It’s probably going to die. Accept this and protect a backup phone instead.
Trying to keep your daily phone in a Faraday bag defeats its purpose. You need a phone for normal use now. Protect a different phone for emergency use later.
Smart Home Devices
Smart speakers, home automation hubs, smart thermostats, and similar devices aren’t priorities. They depend on internet infrastructure that won’t work anyway. The grid being down makes your smart home dumb regardless.
These devices provide convenience in normal times. They don’t enable survival during disasters. Skip protecting them.
Entertainment Electronics
Gaming consoles, streaming devices, smart TVs, and other entertainment electronics are low priority bordering on worthless. No internet, no streaming. No power grid, no gaming.
A loaded tablet with movies and books provides entertainment while also serving practical purposes. Pure entertainment devices don’t justify the storage space.
Desktop Computers
Desktops are large, heavy, require substantial power, and need monitors and peripherals to function. Unless you have specific business-critical needs requiring desktop computers, protect laptops instead if you need computing capability.
The exceptions are if you run essential software that only works on desktop systems or operate server equipment that others depend on. For personal use, skip desktops.
Extra Backup Devices Beyond What You Need
You don’t need three protected phones. One backup smartphone is sufficient for most people. Two provides redundancy if you’re concerned about device failure, but three is overkill.
Limited Faraday storage space should hold high-priority items, not excessive backups of the same device type. Diversity matters more than redundancy beyond a single backup.
Organizing Your Protected Electronics
How you store protected electronics matters for actually being able to use them when needed.
Separate Bags by Priority
Keep your most critical items, the ones you’d grab immediately in an emergency, in one primary Faraday bag. Communication device, radio, solar charger. This bag should be accessible and portable.
Secondary items go in additional Faraday storage. These are valuable but not immediate emergency priorities. You retrieve these once the initial crisis stabilizes.
Don’t put everything in one massive Faraday container. Multiple smaller bags provide flexibility and redundancy. If one fails or gets damaged, others still protect their contents.
Include Necessary Accessories
A phone without a charging cable is half-useful. A radio without batteries doesn’t work. When you protect a device, include everything needed to operate it.
Charging cables, spare batteries, instruction manuals, anything essential to using the device goes in Faraday protection with the device. Finding compatible accessories after EMP will be difficult.
Label what’s inside each bag. During stressful situations, knowing exactly which bag holds which devices saves time and reduces mistakes.
Test Everything Annually
Protected electronics sitting in storage for years might have dead batteries, corrupted data, or failed components. Test your Faraday-protected items annually.
Charge batteries, verify devices power on, check that stored data is accessible, update any information that changed. This maintenance ensures everything works when you actually need it.
Replace batteries that no longer hold charge. Update software if needed. Refresh stored information with current contact details and data.
Budget-Conscious Prioritization
Most people can’t afford to protect everything they’d like to protect. Prioritize based on the cost of protection versus the value of the capability.
Under $100 Total Investment
For minimal investment, protect one basic smartphone loaded with offline information, a simple AM/FM radio, a small USB solar charger, and a couple rechargeable battery banks. Total cost including Faraday bags runs $80-120.
This provides communication capability, information access, power generation, and energy storage. It covers the essential bases for very reasonable cost.
$100-300 Investment
Add a pair of walkie-talkies for direct communication, a larger solar panel for faster charging, a tablet loaded with reference materials, and USB drives with backed-up data.
This expanded kit provides better communication options, more power generation, and comprehensive information access. It’s still affordable for most people while covering priorities well.
$300-500 Investment
Include GPS units for navigation, larger battery banks for extended power storage, backup medical devices if needed, and potentially entry-level ham radio equipment if you’re licensed.
This level covers essentially all practical priorities for personal preparedness. Going beyond this means adding redundancy or specialized equipment for specific needs.
Storage Locations and Redundancy
Where you store protected electronics matters as much as what you protect.
Primary Location at Home
Most protected electronics should be wherever you spend most of your time. If EMP happens, you need quick access to your protected devices.
Store primary Faraday bags in a convenient location. Not buried in the basement where you’ll never grab them during evacuation. Accessible but secure.
Secondary Location Away from Home
Geographic redundancy helps. EMP damage might be localized. Fire, theft, or other disasters could destroy your home storage.
Keep secondary Faraday storage at a trusted family member’s or friend’s house, in a storage unit, or at a vacation property. Somewhere you can reach within a day or two that’s far enough away to avoid the same localized disaster.
Vehicle Storage
Keeping minimal protected electronics in your vehicle provides capability if you’re away from home when disaster hits. A small Faraday bag with a radio, basic phone, and portable solar charger fits in a glove compartment.
Faraday bags designed for car keys protect key fobs from relay attacks now while also providing EMP protection as a bonus feature. This overlapping protection serves multiple purposes.
Vehicles face temperature extremes. Use devices and batteries rated for automotive temperature ranges if possible. Test periodically to ensure functionality.
Coordination with Family and Community
Individual preparation is good. Coordinated preparation is better.
Ensure Multiple People Have Protected Communication
If only you have a working phone after EMP, you can communicate with others. But if several family members or neighbors have protected devices, coordination and information sharing improve dramatically.
Encourage people you care about to protect basic communication devices. Share information about Faraday protection and why it matters. The more people with working electronics after an event, the better everyone’s situation.
Discuss Plans for Using Protected Devices
Having protected electronics matters little if nobody knows where they are or how to use them. Family members should know what devices are protected, where they’re stored, and how to access them.
Discuss communication plans. If cell service partially returns, what number will everyone try to call? If radios work, what frequency will you use? Coordination in advance prevents confusion during actual events.
Consider Community-Level Protection
Some electronics provide more value when shared than individually owned. A neighborhood might benefit more from one protected ham radio with someone who knows how to operate it than from multiple protected devices nobody knows how to use.
Talk with neighbors and community members about skills and resources. Who has medical training? Who knows electrical work? Who operates ham radio? Coordinate protection of devices that support these skills.
The Psychological Aspect
Protecting electronics addresses practical needs but also provides psychological benefit. Knowing you have working communication devices and power generation reduces anxiety about disaster scenarios.
This psychological value is legitimate. Feeling prepared helps you remain calm during actual emergencies. Calm people make better decisions.
But don’t let preparation become an obsession. Protecting a reasonable set of essential electronics is smart. Spending thousands of dollars on EMP protection while neglecting basic emergency supplies or financial security is poor prioritization.
Balance preparation with other life priorities. The goal is reasonable readiness, not fortress mentality.
Making Your List
Sit down with paper and write out which electronics you actually need protected. Be honest about your specific situation, skills, and resources.
Start with communication. Phone, radio, something that enables contact with others and access to information.
Add power generation. Solar charger, battery banks, rechargeable batteries. Without power, electronics are temporary.
Include information access. Tablet or USB drives with critical data, maps, reference materials.
Then assess specialized needs. Medical devices, navigation equipment, tools that support your specific skills.
Total up the cost including Faraday bags. Compare to your budget. Adjust priority or save until you can afford the essentials.
Buy and protect items systematically rather than all at once. Starting with top priorities means you’re always protecting what matters most first.
The list will evolve as your situation changes. Review annually and adjust based on new needs, changed circumstances, or updated threat assessment.
What Actually Matters
Essential electronics to protect from EMP aren’t about preserving normal life. They’re about maintaining critical capabilities during infrastructure recovery.
Communication with others. Information access. Power generation. These three categories cover most people’s genuine needs. Everything else is situational based on individual circumstances.
Don’t protect electronics just because you own them. Protect electronics because they enable specific capabilities you need for survival and recovery.
The difference between preparedness and hoarding is intentionality. Every protected item should have a clear purpose and role in your plans. If you can’t articulate why you’re protecting something, you probably don’t need to protect it.
Start with basics. Expand deliberately. Test regularly. Coordinate with others. Accept that you can’t protect everything and that’s okay. What you do protect should genuinely enable survival and recovery rather than just making you feel better about hypothetical scenarios.