Civil Unrest Preparedness
Civil unrest often occurs when a group wants to gain attention for something they feel is unjust. And there are a lot of people out there now feeling those wants and ideas. Would it not be so far fetched or unwarranted for you to have a Civil Unrest Emergency Plan in place for the safety of yourself and your family?
There’s a possibility that no one will be safe outside of their homes. If you need tips to make sure you have everything you need while staying safe, here is a checklist for you.
- Stay Home
- Have Your Most Basic Needs
- Know What’s Going On
- Keep a Low Profile
- Have an Exit Plan
What Does Civil Unrest Mean?
Civil unrest or civil disturbance means acts of violence and disorder detrimental to the. public law and order and safety. It will include acts such as riots, acts of violence, insurrections, unlawful. obstructions or assemblages.
Make no mistake about it, there is a very real possibility that civil unrest coming to America is a very real possibility. And maybe right outside your door. Events of recent months have seen disturbances throughout the country bringing up the question of having a civil unrest emergency plan in your back pocket.
And know the difference. Both riots and rebellions are forms of civil unrest. Civil unrest often occurs when a group strives to gain attention for something they feel is unjust. Riots are characterized by unruly mobs, often engaging in violence and mayhem.
Civil Unrest Emergency Planning
There was a divisive election on November 2. Whichever side you are on, there is a possibility that within the next week there will be several cities with rioting and protests throughout the nation.
To prepare for the worst possible outcome, you must think about the worst possible outcomes. There’s a possibility that the protests that took place in the summer of this year were just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to civil unrest.
The storming of state capitols could happen across all 50 states, attempts to assassinate political figures is a possible outcome, along with other potential disasters. There’s a possibility that no one will be safe outside of their homes. For those who need tips and tricks to make sure they have everything, they need while staying safe, here is a checklist for you.
Know Your Surroundings And Risks
The Internet, TV, and radio are critical sources of information. The radio may be the best source for local information and alerts. The same is true for local TV and any local newspapers that have an Internet presence. It’s important to stay up to date on the status of events, especially if you need to travel for any reason to help a friend or family member or take someone to the hospital.
National and global news may give a good indication of the current state of events but rarely offer real-world, real-time information regarding the immediate area where you live. It doesn’t matter really what is going on overseas. You must need to know what’s happening in your city and neighborhood for your best Civil Unrest Emergency Plan.
Your Best Move Is None: Stay Home
Ironically, due to a pandemic, we all have a good deal of practice with this behavior. Some of us who have had a prepping mindset for some time are well stocked and know how to manage this style of living. Others are somewhat prepared and are probably starting to realize that more stocking and preparation would be a good idea.
Still, others are encountering this kind of situation unprepared for the long-term and this may indicate the reason for some of the hoarding and runs on common things like toilet paper and bread.
Regardless of your level of preparation, now is still a good time to take an inventory and think not only about how long the pandemic will keep us homebound, but how civil unrest may keep us home for an entirely different set of reasons.
Have an Exit Strategy
Just in case.
There are people who will be in the heat of the civil unrest whether they want to be or not due to their home location. If you have an apartment in downtown Manhattan, there’s little to no chances of you not witnessing the civil unrest. If you have family or friends that are willing to give you sanctuary during this time of emergency and they are in a safer location than you, I would recommend taking their offer.
This is essentially an evacuation plan. If you think you won’t be safe in your own home during this emergency, then evacuation is your best chance of staying safe. Make sure you gather all of the possible essentials that you might need for a few days and make sure you have safeguards like cameras, locks, and alarm systems for your home to prevent possible break-ins.
Have Your Most Basic Necessities
Regardless of your level of preparation, now is still a good time to take an inventory and think not only about how long the pandemic will keep us homebound, but how civil unrest may keep us home for an entirely different set of reasons.
An emergency is an emergency, whether it’s a natural disaster or a possible civil war. There are some basic things that you would need in all emergencies. Enough drinking water and enough non-perishable food for about a week or so are a good start to your emergency plan whether you’re planning for a hurricane, tornado, or civil unrest.
I would recommend getting all your necessities before tomorrow night when the votes for the election are being tallied. Though if you’re a little behind on that part of your plan, there are multiple apps like _Amazon Prime Now_ and _Instacart_ that can deliver your groceries to you after the election.
Along with food and water, there are other necessities that you must think about for your emergency plan. If you must drive your vehicle in the next few days, make sure you are on a full tank of fuel.
If you’re unable to do your laundry due to the power being out or if you feel uncomfortable heading to a laundromat, there are multiple videos that teach you how to hand wash your clothes in a pinch.
If for some reason the power goes out after the election, then make sure you have candles and blankets. Mother Nature will not stop because the power won’t turn on your heater for you. If you have a fireplace, make sure you’re stocked up on firewood. If you have a generator for backup power, make sure you have enough fuel for the next few days.
If You HAVE to go Anywhere, Have Safeguards in Place
Though we do have people still working from home due to the pandemic, there are still millions of Americans who have to travel to and from work every day. For your civil unrest emergency plan, one of the best things to do would be to avoid the peak areas of civil unrest.
Avoiding danger is a great way to get out of danger, right? If you are aware that there will be protests in your city’s downtown area, you should not go to the downtown area if you want to be safe.
An easy and effective thing to do while going anywhere during possible civil unrest is to make sure you are being aware of your surroundings.
If you notice someone following you on the road or on the sidewalk find a place that you know is 100% safe and stay until the person or people following you have given up. This turtle-like strategy might seem pointless, but it’s effective.
Another easy thing to do would be to put apps on your smartphone that would let others know where you are while you’re out.
There are safeguards in most Apple and Android smartphones that are able to contact your emergency contacts and let them know that you’re in an emergency.
There are multiple apps that provide a similar service if your particular smartphone doesn’t have that function.
A great strategy would be to travel in groups during this emergency. The classic buddy system tactic has always been used in emergency situations because staying in groups is an effective way to stay safe. If you are having to travel in areas with civil unrest like riots or protests, make sure you have a person with you that you can trust to have your back.
If you are unable to travel in a group and you have the other safeguards through your personal smartphone, a great tip is to only go to the locations that you absolutely have to go to. Make sure you make no detours and stay focused on your goal of getting from point ’ to point ’.
Those detours offer more opportunities for people to act out negatively towards you. The key is to limit the number of times you’re a possible target for anyone targeting you.
Emergency Stay At Home Supplies
Food – You can still go to the grocery store, and online retailers like Amazon are still offering and delivering just about anything you could need. Take the time to determine what and how much you should have stocked and stored in terms of food.
Medicine – OTC medicines for treating all manner of symptoms are important to have on hand. Pharmacies are still open, and it’s easy to order OTC medicines online. Stock up. Civil unrest can cause stores like pharmacies to close and remain closed even though they are essential services. If you rely on prescription medications for a chronic condition, ask your doctor for a 90-day refill and look into receiving your prescriptions by U.S. Mail.
Medical Supplies should also be stocked, and you might want to think about how you would manage a serious medical emergency at home in the event that you can’t get to a hospital.
Personal Care – From brushing your teeth to doing the laundry, walk around the house and think about what you need in order to take care of your family, and make sure you have enough on hand. An inexpensive hair trimmer might be a good idea, and a lot of us have already figured that out. A family meeting to discuss what everyone needs may be a good place to start.
Clothing stores and even the clothing sections of department stores were the first to close during the lockdowns. Think about sewing kits, fabric, and other things you may need to repair and maintain clothing. Here again, you can still shop online with other retailers, and there may not be a lot of delivery trucks showing up during a lengthy period of civil unrest.
If you have a well-supplied bug out location in an area that is not affected or as affected by civil unrest, you should definitely pursue that option. The key is to get there before civil unrest occurs or at least spreads. Stranded on a highway blocked by rioters and gangs is a bad place to be.
Leave quietly and only tell immediate and trusted family members who are not accompanying you that you are bugging out.
Lay Low During Times Of Civil Unrest
If and when you do leave your home, avoid any groups, demonstrations, or activities that have potential for problems. Do what you have set out to do and return home as soon as possible.
Avoid clothing, yard signs, bumper stickers, or any other outward communication that affiliates you with a group, organization, religion, political party, or any other hot buttons that seem to be fueling the unrest. Some people choose to do this as part of the protest. Once again, that’s your decision. But it may be that the best way to avoid trouble is to not ask for it.
Don’t espouse opinions that could be perceived as confrontational. There’s nothing wrong with simply being polite and concise with communication. Some people are looking for trouble and it’s best not to give them an excuse to start it.
Bragging about a well-stocked and supplied home or bug out location is a not to smart. In the same way that everyday burglar’s case a property based on what they see, a desperate mob in a time of civil unrest will be looking at things the same way.
Lock your doors and, if possible, reinforce locks and any other entry areas to your home.
Do not give your home an ‘unlived in look’. You will be just inviting trouble into what will look like an uninhabited house.
Remove any items in the yard that are visible. Put them in the garage or at least the back of the house, covered.
It makes sense to share what you have with family and friends who don’t live with you, however, remind them to not tell the world where they got a 20-pound bag of rice or 5 gallons of gas.
If you are bugging out, only tell immediate family and keep that off of social media as well. Someday you’ll return home and it would be nice to know it wasn’t robbed because people knew you wouldn’t be there.
Mind your Own Business
Regardless of how strongly you may feel about an idea or an issue, joining a demonstration or angry gathering will put you at risk. In a time of civil unrest, even the most benign gathering or protest can quickly take a turn for the worse especially if there are agitators in the group intent on making trouble.
Protest if you must, but if part of your responsibility is taking care of your family, you have to consider who needs you more.
The Power Of Your Own Numbers
This is a tough one. Stores are encouraging people to shop alone rather than with another person or group. Anyone traveling during a pandemic is at risk and the more people traveling, the greater the risk. But one person makes an easier target for an angry or unruly mob.
If you must travel, consider having a person accompany you but ask them to remain in the car while you go into a pharmacy or grocery store. Make sure they lock the car doors.
If the person is living with you, there’s a good chance you won’t get infected from them just walking down the street or sharing a car. It’s more likely they would infect you at home. You should both practice social distancing with others but going it alone in a time of civil unrest brings an element of risk to your personal safety.
Stay In Touch During Civil Unrest
This applies to any survival situation. Whenever someone goes off into the wilderness, standard practice is to inform people where you’re going and when you expect to return. During a time of civil unrest, even the most civilized town becomes its own wilderness.
You should also discuss what to do if you don’t return. Ideally, you have a way to communicate either via smartphone or some other communication setup like a CB radio or long-range walkie talkie. It’s nice to believe that wireless phone service will still be operating, but if some of the past civil disturbances in other parts of the world are any indication, that may not be the case.
It also makes sense to mutually agree on a meeting location in the event that civil unrest occurs suddenly and without warning. The easiest agreement is “go home,” but if that’s not an option, you should determine how and where you’ll gather especially if cell service is down.
You should also communicate closely with neighbors and work out ways that you can all help each other. It’s a tribal mentality and when there is the potential for violence in the streets, you’ll find that an organized group can defend and protect itself better. Think of it as creating a survival network with an agreement on how you will help and support each other.
Another interesting recommendation is to park as many cars as possible in your driveway. Locked of course, but if three or more cars appear in a driveway, it not only says somebody’s home, but there are many people present to defend themselves.
Defending Yourself For Civil Unrest
One unfortunate indicator of the concerns about civil unrest is the recent spike in sales of firearms and ammunition. Using a weapon to defend your home is the worst-case scenario, but may be necessary if the rule of law totally collapses.
Arm yourself to the degree that you feel you need based on the situation.
Take the time to familiarize yourself and all members of your family with firearm operation and safety.
Understand the laws that apply to self-defense.
Discuss scenarios with adult members of your family that could cause you to need to defend yourselves and a basic plan.
Practice your plans, not only for defense but to prepare for other dangers. Deal with medical emergencies or any other scenarios that you feel need quick and timely decisions.
Determine a safe room where children or the elderly can be safely isolated in the event that violence comes to your front door.
And yes, you should call 911 if you feel violence against your home is imminent, but there’s a good possibility that help will take a long time to reach you.
You Might Be All Alone During A Civil Disturbance
In summary, there’s a high chance of there being an emergency civil situation within the days of and after the United States election. And with these tips, you will be able to make sure that you are the most prepared you can possibly be.
When the rule of law breaks down and civil unrest fills the streets, law enforcement will be overwhelmed. Martial law is an inevitability in those cases but even then, few places will be safe.
