Article Out Loud – Imagining the U.S. Without Power: A Dual-World EMP Exercise

Charles (Chuck) L. Manto is the chief executive officer of Instant Access Networks LLC (IAN), a consulting and research and development firm that produces independently tested solutions for EMP-protected microgrids and equipment shelters for telecommunications networks and data centers. His company holds the data rights package for its SBIR program for EMP-protected microgrid systems. He received seven patents in telecommunications, computer mass storage, EMP protection, and a smart microgrid controller—the core of IAN’s “Resilient Adaptive Modular-Microgrid System." He is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and is chairman emeritus (and founder) of InfraGard National’s National Disaster Resilience Council. Additional publications, patents, and interviews can be found on his profile page on LinkedIn. He can be reached at cmanto@stop-EMP.com.

Major General (Ret.) K. Luke Reiner is the chief of staff for the Foundation for Infrastructure Resilience, a nonprofit focused on strengthening the resilience of the nation’s critical infrastructure, and the chief executive officer of Resilient, Safe, Strong, Secure and Survivable Infrastructure, a consulting/development firm focused on creating islands of resilience at the individual, business, or community level. He retired from the Army/Wyoming National Guard in 2019 as the state adjutant general (TAG) after 36 years of service. He then served as the state’s director (secretary) of the Department of Transportation for four years. In each role, he prepared for, responded to, and recovered from disasters and was well known for his proactive approach. He became a recognized leader in the arena of preparing for and surviving a long-term power loss based on his efforts as TAG to formally plan for the event and synchronize efforts of multiple governmental and civilian organizations. He is a Federal Bureau of Investigation InfraGard member, serves on various boards and committees, and is active in his church. Additional information can be found on his LinkedIn profile page.  He can be reached at lreiner@fir.foundation.

Dave Hunt, CPP, FBCI, president of Homeland Security Consulting, LLC, has a 36-year background in law enforcement, terrorism response, national preparedness planning, and exercise development. He was part of the team that developed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program. Over the past 25 years, he has worked in every area of national preparedness, defining capabilities for response, including the development of the nationwide terrorism threat assessment tool with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He is a national subject matter expert in active assailant prevention and intervention and led the revision of the DHS active shooter preparedness training program. Mr. Hunt developed and facilitated solar electromagnetic pulse (EMP) exercises for the Congressional EMP Caucus and the National Defense University, evaluating the cascading impacts of a nationwide electrical grid collapse. He has worked for several federal agencies in the development of nuclear and radiological response plans and piloted public preparedness and public education for nuclear incident preparedness. He was a lead author of the FBI InfraGard National Disaster Resilience Council’s first book Triple Threat EMP Exercise Playbookon developing and conducting electrical grid collapse exercises.