If you are like most people, you have contemplated a SHTF ("S**t Hits The Fan") scenario unfolding in the coming months, years or decades. It really does seem like the world is collapsing day-by-day. Things could unravel to the point of anarchy within a couple of years or less. If civil unrest breaks out, you need a plan of action. Follow the advice set forth below and you will greatly increase the odds of making it through the riots and looters unscathed.
Remain Inconspicuous
Do your best to blend in with the crowd and your environment. Those who remain inconspicuous stand a much better chance of going unnoticed long enough to hatch an escape plan. As the old saying goes, “When in Rome, act like the Romans.” Do not stir the pot. Do not attempt to sway public opinion in any particular direction. Replicate the behavior of your peers and no one will question your motives or allegiance. If this means partaking in protests, hitting the streets with the masses or chanting an anti-establishment slogan, go ahead and do it until you have developed a foolproof escape plan.
Go With the Flow for as Long as Necessary
Follow the “social current” to avoid the attention of rioters, looters, protesters and others. Make them think you are on their side until you have devised a means of exiting. Hover around the perimeter of the group and look for a side-street, alley or other safe route to flee.
Be Mentally and Physically Prepared for Combat
If all chaos breaks loose, you might have to defend yourself and your loved ones. Though violence is a last resort, you might not have any other choice but to take up arms to preserve your well-being. Stock up on self-defense weapons ranging from guns to knives, body armor, brass knuckles, mace and beyond. Keep an easily concealable weapon on you at all times so you can thwart an attacker. Keep a survival knife or handgun in your pocket or a bug out bag when venturing into public settings. The beauty of keeping a survival knife on your person at all times is that it has multiple uses. From self-defense to hunting, rope making, carving tools and beyond, survival knives do a little bit of everything.
Stay Indoors at Night
Just about nothing positive can happen after the sun goes down, especially in a SHTF scenario. The nighttime hours inspire illicit behavior from the impoverished, the angry and those who are simply bored. Human behavior changes when there is less visibility. People are much more inclined to act in a menacing and violent manner when nighttime rolls around. Stay inside after sundown and keep weapons of self-defense within reach at all times.
Remain Calm
Don't panic! There is plenty of drama going on around you but you don't have to let it seep into your mind and emotions. Stay cool even if you observe violence or theft on the streets. If people are acting in an unsavory manner, don't look them in the eye. Continue moving and let the miscreants sin. If you speak out against their actions or attempt to stop them, you will likely be savagely beaten and possibly killed. Remember that your ultimate goal is survival. Key in on remaining safe, protecting the assets you have left and eventually finding your way to an area without anarchy.
Steer Clear of the Leader of the Pack
Just about every gang, mob or group of unsavory individuals has a hierarchy. Most of these groups have a leader who directs the troops. This is the individual you must steer clear of at all costs. Stay out of the leader's sight and you will stand a better chance of going unnoticed and unharmed. Though a group member might attack you or verbally abuse you, the outcome of such a conflict will likely pale in comparison to a tiff with the head honcho. Also, consider that the entire group is willing to fight on behalf of their boss. One or two members might fight on behalf of a fellow member. The odds are clearly not in your favor if you opt to take on the boss.
Plan Ahead
Looters and rioters have a “mob rule” mentality. It won't be long until their message spreads to fellow disgruntled individuals who view anarchy as a solution to a failed economy and plutocratic government. If you don't assimilate to their culture and cause, you will inevitably be singled out and “dealt with”. Start planning your escape route for such a scenario right now. Think about where you might go to find safety. Consider how you would get there. Would you contact certain friends, family members or colleagues for assistance in fleeing the chaos? What would you take with you? Consider how long it would take to get everything together to exit for a safe space.
Your Own Safe Space
If leaving your town amidst social unrest does not sit well with you, consider building a bunker on you property. A bunker allows you to escape the social chaos that will inevitably unfold at some point in the future. Take some time to research exactly what a survival bunker requires. Your “safe space” will require an abundance of food, water, weapons, sources of entertainment, furniture and all sorts of other items.