Vacation and Riot Culture: How To Prepare For What Could Happen

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While I have rock solid views on the events taken place in 2020, this post is not about discussing those relating to COVID or the recent riots, protests, or political views and any comments inciting fighting on such subjects will be deleted.  The purpose of this post is to educate and empower individuals how to prepare and what things to consider when traveling to or through areas of unrest or potential for unrest to maximize survival and safety. 

My dad has always made a point in instilling in me a strong survival mindset.  Growing up he would always ask us about complex situations or life-threatening scenarios and ask, "What's the first thing you do?".  While, I would often lead into what physical steps I should take to eliminate whatever threat we were hypothesizing he would always correct me saying, "No, the first thing you do is decide to survive."  As a youth, this was so annoying and I would laughingly agree, but as an adult and mother, I definitely see the wisdom in the survival mindset.  Decide to survive, live to fight another day, live to love my husband and children another day.

I think we all can say we need a vacation, 2020 has not been easy and a getaway or time to recharge is just what we need.  Maybe you're needing to travel to see family or for an event, whatever your reason for travel is, risks exist and planning for the possibilities is key in getting a leg up to survive.  I've compiled a list of tactics to avoid danger or to survive the danger during this time of riot culture.  The last thing I want is to be in danger in an unfamiliar place with my family.  Weather you're traveling or not, the information in today's blog will help you be prepared in today's age of riot culture.

Things to consider when planning travel:

• Food/water/necessities:  pack rations, enough to survive a few days if you become cut off or have to flee to the wilderness for safety.  Think about baby food and diapers if you are traveling with a baby.  Necessities include medications, even OTC meds, in a city of unrest common medications will become hard to find.  Here is a great pack of rations or MRE (meals ready to eat) to keep stored in your vehicle available on amazon with prime shipping: Genuine U.S. Military Surplus Ready to Eat Meals (12 Pack)
• Gas:  Plan gas stops and set a goal to never let the tank get below half way.  If you are traveling with children, stopping often for gas won't be a problem with those tiny bladders in tow. 
• Protection:  If lawful to carry guns through the state(s) you're traveling through then bring them and ammo, of course safely stored or carried.  Pepper spray is a great mob deterrent and will be more effective to break up a crowd around your vehicle than a firearm.  Having a can of bear spray stored in your car for emergencies like this is a great idea.
• Route:  If possible try to avoid large cities, mobs are more likely to break out in areas of dense populations.  Have updated paper maps as back up in case GPS and all infrastructure goes down. 
• Check social media:  I'm serious, check the twitter hashtags for the cities you are traveling through or to by using #[enterthecityname]riots this will most likely be more helpful information on the current situation in that area than checking local news outlets. 

Things to consider during travel:

• Flexibility is key:  Be able to change your plans or your route if need be to avoid threats.
• Parking:  Always park by backing into a space.  It makes for a quick getaway if things start to become heated where you are, backing out of a parking place while surrounded by a mob would be near impossible.  Mobs love to flip over cars so getting out as quickly as possible is paramount.  In general, for overall safety backing in is the better option. 
• Alternate routes:  We have seen riots break out on interstates and pull people out of their cars, have alternate routes planned be able to adapt and escape.

Tips if you find yourself caught in a riot:

• Number ONE:  Try to blend in!
• Drive safely:  Do not get out of your vehicle and do not stop.  Continue to move slowly through a crowd and try to get out of the crowd as soon as possible.  Staying in your vehicle keeps a physical barrier between you and a crowd that may decide to turn on you.  Rioters love to flip cars so keep moving.
• Avoid confrontation:  Don't try to be a hero, this is not the time to stand up for what you deem is right or wrong.  Decide to survive, the goal is to get out safely with your whole family.   Don't argue with rioters, mob mentality is irrational and any defensive action you take is likely to catalyze the mob against you.  Avoid and escape.
• If you find yourself caught in a riot on foot then try to move with the crowd, many people die in crowds like this by being trampled or crushed by the crowd into a building or barrier.  Avoid being stuck, keep moving laterally with the crowd until you can find an exit or open door.  Get indoors, lock the door, close the windows, and find cover.  Rioters will use anything as a projectile and finding cover and waiting it out is the safest option to survive if you are caught out in a riot.  Find and know the alternate exits in case the mob enters the building you are barricaded inside. 
• Discharging your firearm is likely to be ineffective as mobs will rush and overpower you and you won't have enough bullets to stop the continuous amounts of people on your own.  The best bet is to blend in and avoid confrontation while trying to escape as soon as possible. 

Trust your gut and be prepared to improvise.  Stay alert and stay alive. 

Chances are that you will travel through cities in America and will not come across a riot or be in danger, even in a city of unrest.  However, survival mindset is not about assuming the odds are in our favor and living blissfully ignorant.  Taking precautions, visualizing scenarios, and preparing will increase chances of survival in the event that you find yourself in a riotous crowd or a city of unrest. 

Always carry safely, follow the rules of firearms safety, and always learn more while  training as much as you can.  Let's talk in the comments!

Much love and ammo,

Heather

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