Social Unrest - Prepping for a Protest Gone Bad

Recently we had a protest in our city.  I don't live in the city.  I live probably about 25 miles outside of the city on the outskirts of a suburban area.  The news prior to the protests warned us against going down to the protest site.  The police had blocked off the protest area and closed the streets well away from the protest area in preparation to help keep innocent bystanders away.  The police warned that if we didn't have a necessary need to be in that area to stay away.  The protesters were quite controversial and there was a potential that this could go very, very wrong if everyone wasn't "on guard".  In the end, the police did a great job.  They kept the protesters and anti-protesters away from each other and the situation didn't result in injury or destruction.

But what if.....

We have seen social unrest situations go very, very bad in recent years. We have even seen looting and social unrest (looting, crime, vandalism) in areas struck with a natural disaster ( hurricane, flooding, etc).

So what do we do?  How do we prepare?

There are two options: bug-in or bug-out. The preference in any situation is to stay put.  Stay in your home, stay where you are.  But sometimes you will need to get out of the area and if things go bad, you might be away for a little while.

Let's look at a few situations:

1.  You live in an area where potential unrest could happen and have warning that unrest could occur.  Let's say you know a protest will happen close to where you live.  If you have warning, you may want to leave the area until the potential threat is gone.  If I were living in the area where our recent protest was occurring, I might have thought to leave as well.  This was a potentially violent protest and if I lived where the police were blocking off streets, etc, I probably would have packed up the family and left for the weekend. It just makes sense to avoid the threat. 

What do you pack?  Clothing, cash, perhaps your valuables (if you feel your home could be compromised), portable food (things you don't need to heat up or cook - think protein bars, easy snacks, fruit, water), a special toy or stuffed animal (for kids who might need that comfort).  Copies of your important papers, insurance papers, etc.

If you leave and the social unrest happens your home may be compromised and potentially destroyed so pack the really important things you need and prepare that you may not be able to return to your home for a little while.  You may need to file claims with your insurance for the damage done.  Prior to leaving, take photos of everything in your house.  Video your rooms, open drawers, closets, cabinets, etc. 

Now I am not saying to pack everything.  That is a bit overkill, but I am saying to pack a day or two of clothing, maybe a few extra pair of underwear, a blanket or two, emergency food, paperwork, etc.  The basics of a bug out bag along with an extra this or that.

If you don't own a car,  you will need to carry what you can on you and head out of town on foot. In this situation you can't carry everything so you will need a Bug Out Bag. 

2. You live in an area where potential unrest could happen but you have NO WARNING and it is happening.

Always your best option is to stay put, but if the danger is eminent and you feel safer leaving then leave.  Grab your BOB (bug out bag) and get out of Dodge!  This means that you need your car to always have some gas in it.  You don't want to have to stop at the next block to fill up.  It is best to be able to get out of town and then stop for gas.  So if you are living in an urban area or where potential unrest could happen you will want to think about keeping your car at least half full with gas and your car emergency kit is up to date and filled at all times.  You will want to be one of the first ones out so be ready.  This is where keeping a bug out bag packed and ready to go is important.  If you are leaving on foot in the midst of the unrest, you will want to blend in as much as possible.  A normal looking backpack or messenger bag might be a better choice for your bug out bag instead of a big backpacker's pack.

3.  The social unrest has occurred and the police have everything on "lock down".  There is a city-wide curfew. 

At this point you have survived the potentially violent phase but now the aftermath.  The city is on lock-down.  Stores are closed. There is a mandatory curfew in the city.  You must stay home. It may be a few days before the curfew is lifted and it may be a bit longer for local stores to open and the city to get back to "normal".  This is where your food storage and emergency supplies will come in handy. You will not feel the need to have to get out.  Your typical emergency food storage and supplies will keep you going until you can get to the store.  Thankfully, you have already stocked up on food and other necessary supplies so staying at home will be no problem.

In the end, preparing is the key.  Know your dangers. Prepare for the worse, hope for the best.  Have your bug out bag ready to go.  Keep your papers and insurance up to date.  Keep gas in your car.  Have an emergency supply of food and necessary items.

This is just another example of how your food storage and your bit of preparation can help you in the end.