When SHTF there’s sure to be widespread panic in the streets as unprepared people make a mad dash to capture whatever essential supplies they can. What happens if you find out that your preparations are lacking, and you have to go out, or you’re caught out when SHTF?
Now you probably already know that places like grocery stores, major roads, big box stores, and the Emergency Room need to be avoided in all but the most extreme situations.
So, to help you refine your survival and rendezvous strategies, I thought I’d dig a little deeper into places I recommend avoiding. As well as some possible alternatives that you might be able to factor into your survival strategies.
Bridges and Tunnels
Bridges and tunnels are potentially dangerous choke points that need to be avoided in all but the direst of situations. This starts with the risk of local or government authorities being able to use the bridge as a checkpoint or crowd control tool. Even if you can get from one end to the next, there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to get back.
Related: The Safest Places To Sleep In When SHTF
Bridges and tunnels can also be structurally vulnerable to earthquakes, floods, or bombings. The last thing you want is to invest in crossing one, and then have it collapse as you cross. Not to mention the risk of it failing after you cross preventing you from getting back.
Alternative Strategy
Start now by Identifying bridges and tunnels in your area and ask yourself why you might need to desperately use one when SHTF. This might help you identify items you need to update in your preparedness strategy to avoid them later.
You should also take the time to identify alternate routes that bypass major bridges and tunnels. Perhaps there’s a less-used bridge that might pose less of a threat or a different way to cross the river.
You might want to also consider adding one or two instant inflatable rafts to your stockpile. This could prove to be a safer way to cross the river in the first place or give you the ability to cross back if the situation on the ground changes.
Public Transport
Public transport systems need to be avoided when SHTF for the same reasons as bridges and tunnels. Not only can they be used as personnel control choke points, but they’re usually grid-dependent and are increasingly prone to criminal activity.
Alternative Strategy
If someone in your family has to use a train, ferry or bus system to get to school or work, and SHTF while they’re away, you need to have a rendezvous plan. Take the time to figure out their route, and then identify friends, family members or some other safe location for them to walk to.
Related: 4 Lost Survival Lessons From the Heroes Who Tamed the Great Depression
Then make sure that person knows to stay put at this safehouse until you can contact them. This ensures that they don’t get swept up in the fray, while buying you time to come up with a plan for getting them back under your roof.
Banks and High Traffic ATMs
When SHTF, people often “Make a run on the banks” to get out as much of their money as possible, for fear the banking system will become insolvent. Not only does this create an enormous amount of human congestion at the banks, but it can also incite people to violence.
Related: 7 Things You Have On Your Property That Will Attract Intruders When SHTF
Even if you get into the bank, that guy standing in line behind you might want to push his way ahead in case you’re the last one. If you do happen to be one of the last to get their money out, that same guy standing behind you might try to steal it from you in a moment of desperation.
Alternative Strategy
You should always keep a modest amount of cash on hand in a secure location in your house. Ideally, you want small denominations, for making change if you do need to buy goods from others.
You also want to keep some large denomination bills in the mix. If the SHTF scenario has economic factors, the value of the dollar might plummet.
It’s also wise to have other things of value to barter. This might include things like ammo, gold, jewelry, or even practical survival items that unprepared people might barter for as the SHTF crisis drags on. But only trade ammo as a last result. Remember it can be used against you in the future.
Be sure to keep this stash of cash and valuables in multiple secure locations. A hardened safe that can’t be quickly stolen, as well as discreetly hidden areas, such as under the floorboards, is a good idea.
Pharmacies
When SHTF, people who are dependent on medications will flock to pharmacies in hopes of stocking up on necessary prescriptions. There will also be savvy unprepared people who understand the value of things like antibiotics and the controlled substances stored in pharmacies.
This puts a lot of desperate individuals in the same place that likely won’t be regulated by any form of law enforcement. The risk of violence and looting breaking out will be high, and anyone who gets their hands on essential medications will be a target for those who don’t.
Alternative Strategy
Avoiding pharmacies when SHTF starts with always being up to date on all your necessary prescriptions. If possible, ask your doctor to supply you with an additional refill of things like insulin and heart medications for an upcoming trip. Then you might be able to “Fib” about losing a bag and needing more.
This is a strategy that might only work once, but it can give you a small stockpile of lifesaving medications. Then as you continue to renew your prescriptions, rotate your stock so your stockpile is as far from the expiration date as possible.
You should also stockpile over-the-counter medications, and medical supplies which will also have barter value.
Learning about natural and medicinal herbal remedies might also be wise. While they can’t 100% replace the efficacy of prescription medications, these natural remedies might serve as a backup should your stockpile ever run out.
A great resource to consider is The Lost Book of Remedies II. It includes 207 remedies that can easily get you out of a tight jam, when you do not have the regular medicine to heal yourself. You will learn how to make them all, including:
- A pain control tincture
- Sore joints and arthritis balm
- A wound-healing cover
- Bug-bite rescue salve
- A burn ointment
Grab The Lost Book of Remedies II plus 3 FREE bonuses at a 75% discount when you click here!
Extra tip: You can always grow your own medicinal garden in your backyard with the kit available here.
Big Box Hardware Stores
Avoiding big box hardware stores when SHTF will spare you from getting swept up in the chaos of ill-prepared people. When the world goes sideways people who make the wise choice to bug-in will find they need a lot of tools and supplies to fortify their shelters.
This is not the sort of thing that cashiers and hardware counter managers are set up to handle. Not to mention most of these stores are staffed by teenagers and college-age students who will have no loyalty to the big box hardware store when SHTF.
Alternative Strategy
If you absolutely need something from a hardware store when SHTF, your best bet to is to find a local mom-and-pop shop that sells hardware. These stores are usually only known by people who live in the vicinity and are less likely to be overrun.
The store owners also tend to take pride in protecting their livelihood and will be judicious about who they let in and sell to. This reduces the risk of you getting caught up with a bunch of riffraff.
It’s also wise to stock up on hand tool replacements for every power tool. This includes:
Hammer, screwdrivers, pliers (regular, needle-nose, and locking), adjustable wrenches, box wrenches, and a socket set. Hand saws, tin snips, bolt cutters, and a hacksaw.
It would also be wise to have an assortment of nails, screws, bolts, nuts, and washers of various sizes is also wise. As is heavy-duty construction adhesive, wood glue, superglue, duct tape, and electrical tape.
I would also recommend having at least 8 sheets of ½-inch plywood, a dozen 2X4s,s and several sheets of plexiglass on hand. This lets you do things like repair or board up windows and reinforce doors.
Adding plastic sheeting, tarps, and possibly the resources to make sandbags could also be wise. Especially if your area is prone to severe weather or flooding.
Big Box Sporting Goods Stores
When SHTF, tons of unprepared people will flock to well-known, big-box sporting goods stores to get the survival gear they feel they need to survive the challenges ahead. Avoiding these stores like the plague is wise. Especially the stores in your area play fast and loose with firearms displays!
Alternative Strategy
Obviously, the best way to avoid the chaos of big box sporting goods stores when SHTF is to make sure you have all the survival gear you need. This includes the gear to bug-in indefinitely at your home, as well as the survival equipment you’ll need if you’re eventually forced to bug-out.
The list of things to be stocked up on can get extensive, and you need to customize it for where you live. At the very least your bug out bag should be sufficiently stocked to support you on a “Camping” trip for at least 3 to 5 days. Assuming you can get to, or find, a safe location within that time period.
Final Thoughts
When SHTF you obviously need to avoid places like major roads, grocery stores, gas stations, and even the Emergency Room. Yet there are a lot of other places to keep in your threat assessment that might not seem so obvious or might be tempting to push your luck with.
When SHTF, it is crucial to avoid potential choke points like bridges, tunnels, and public transport systems. Perform a threat assessment of each pertinent one and either have a relatively safe alternative or identify safehouse locations where a family member can hole up while things settle down.
You should also fortify your preparedness strategy with enough supplies to avoid pharmacies, big box hardware stores, and sporting goods stores. Unprepared people will flock to these places when SHTF, desperately needing their own supplies. The last thing you want is to get caught up in a looting spree or be mistaken as a looter by law enforcement.
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- What you need to have in your home first aid kit
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