Urban Emergency Scenario

J

jimfbte

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Jun 22, 2005
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Urban Emergency Scenario

It's Friday and you just finished supper when the doorbell rings. You open the door and a policeman is standing there saying "This is an emergency evacuation notice. There's been a major hazardous chemical accident nearby and there's an immiment danger of fire and toxic fumes. You must leave NOW. The bus outside will take you to a safe shelter.".

You grab your coat and emergency bag (BOB? PSK?) and board the bus. The shelter is a school gymnasium where you are checked in, assigned a canvas cot with one blanket. There are two public restrooms, no kitchen and few chairs or tables. You settle in.

Later in the evening, a dull boom precedes a total loss of power. A battery radio reports an explosion triggered by the chemical accident and that power is out for most of the city. The contaminated area includes your home area. You cannot return until the emergency agency declares it safe, a matter of days to weeks. The estimated power outage is several days.

So.... what did you bring at a moment's notice in your bag? Do you have the items to make the enforced stay at the shelter reasonably comfortable? toiletries? food? light(s)? warm clothes? (remember, it's January and no power means no furnace heat), useful tools? cash? medications? cell phone and contact list?

I'm not offering any solutions or lists; just a possible scenario for you to check our own list against.

I'd be interested in any comments.

Jim
 
What I Have packed is a combination af survival and camping gear along with a small bag of some "extras" including cash and a bottle of alcohol (i dont drink much but i bet i can trade it), and some extra food and comfort items (read Toilet paper).

This is not necissarily a "forced Stay" You probably have freinds or family who you can go to. There are open hotels somewhere (hense the cash). This may be a god time to go to a campground with cabins.

The point is that one rough night in the shelter may be all you have to deal with before seeking an alternitive.

I do also include a firearm as a must in bug outs. In this case i probably would have stuck with handguns or mabey. My papoose but this will help insure that me and mine go unmolested in what could become a chaotic situation.


For my own part as an emergency responder I may be working during this type of situation, I may even be helping to run the shelter,( so be nice or ill put your cot downwind of the porta johns:D ) if not i may have other options as far as living in the squad building or fire house in the area.


As important as Your BOB is your survival network, Where are you going to go, with whome, where do you meet up, routes and alternitives, are things to think about NOW not when the knock comes on the door.
 
No way I am getting on a bus to go to a .gov shelter with my family!

I will get me and mine out to safety without getting on the bus. I have seen first hand what can happen in mass shelters (New Orleans). There is no way I am bringing my family to one of them. Crime, disorder, loss of freedoms, dependency on your captors, diseases, and total lack of privacy (all sounds just like prison).

There is more than one way to get out if necessary. If a bus can get out then I can get out.

My bags are ready to go, and I will not rely on the gov for my safety. Their record is spotty at best.
 
I doubt I would have in my PSK things necessary to survive in a gymnasium.
If it werent too cold I would prefer to make a go of it in some nearby woods.
However if it were cold or no woods nearby, I would hope to have some toiletries (Im gonna add a toothbrush to my PSK now , as well as a few other little things like a hotel shampoo.)
I like emsrescueguys idea about having booze to trade, cigarettes would be another good option. But there is no way I would have that in my psk. One option is to have 2 of them ready to go by the door, 1 designed for a shelter, with books, snacks, barter goods, mp3 player, first aid kit, paracord, multi tool, cash, extra clothes (undies and socks at least).
The 2 kits idea is more for an urban situation, where it makes more sense.
 
Having actually been thru this near exact scenario a few years ago (it was a derailment and chemical spill) we just grabbed our back packs, which are really for canoe camping, but get reloaded with everything but perishable food items. we added the meds box in the kitchen, some warm coats and boots and walked out of the house, Taking our dogs and cat with us, Once we determined that the threat was contained, we left the shelter for my in laws farm. However, in the hour or so we were at the shelter I realized they had no preparations for pets, no real security, (I live in a really nice area, but within two miles are some hell hole apartments and trailer courts) and I was glad both for my CCW on my hip and the added one in my bag that my wife was keeping between her knees. Had this been a wide spread alert, or at least one where i did not have the means to leave a public shelter and bunk up with friends for a few days, i would not have left the house without the dogs, or the cat. When we had to go, it was air raid/tornado sirens at midnight with a patrol car driving up and down the street telling us to leave, and information was on radio station XYZ. We were gone in ten minutes flat.

Now the village has a reverse 911 system, your phone rings and you get a recorded message or a conference call telling you what is going on. We had that happen over an Amber style alert with two little girls who wander off a day care site. Everyone in a mile radius got the call, 10 minutes later they were found.
 
Hog Feet said:
No way I am getting on a bus to go to a .gov shelter with my family!

I will get me and mine out to safety without getting on the bus. I have seen first hand what can happen in mass shelters (New Orleans). There is no way I am bringing my family to one of them. Crime, disorder, loss of freedoms, dependency on your captors, diseases, and total lack of privacy (all sounds just like prison).

There is more than one way to get out if necessary. If a bus can get out then I can get out.

My bags are ready to go, and I will not rely on the gov for my safety. Their record is spotty at best.
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Amen, Brother.

Back in my survivalist days in the 1980's, when nuclear war was a real ever present threat, I visited my local Civil Defense office and asked them to show me their plans for what they would do in the event of war. I was especially interested in their evacuation plans.

They were extremely happy to show me everything. Nobody ever visited them or expressed any interest in what they do. They were really nice and friendly.

I didn't have the heart to tell them that the reason I wanted to know where they were going to evacuate everyone to, was that I would be going in the opposite direction!

While the possiblility of global nuclear war has greatly decreased since then (thank you, President Reagan), my plan in the event of other evacuations is still the same: where ever The Government is sending everybody, is where I am NOT going.
 
Nice story, but it's not too plausible in a lot of places.
In suburban areas, there are just too many people to transport, not enough busses or police to carry it out.

If in a rural area, things are spread out pretty far. Everyone within a 1 mile radius? Might only be 100 people? maybe less.

If they did take you to a school, it would be very far away from the scene, therefor you could just say "EFF this" and walk out, without fear of a poison cloud.

Most people would hesitate, not be ready, tell the officer "wait a minute", multiply that x 100 or 200 residences, and you are talking 10 hours to get everyone out.
5 minutes average at each door (inlcuding driving time in his cruiser) x 120 households = 600 mins. = 10 hrs.

They wouldn't be able to have the school that equipped, that rapidly, either.
Check out hurricane footage, they know 24 to 48 hours in advance, and those people are on the floor, no cot, no blanket, no food.

As soon as the news reported the event and reported of the evacuation, people would be packing their cars and hauling ass, traffic & chaos would ensue, the officials who were supposedly knocking on doors are now responding to traiffc accidents and doing traiffc control.
I'm not knocking our brave LEOs, but, control breaks down rapidly in these cases.

I just don't think the "knock at the door" scenario has any probability of happening. Call me a pessimist, but, I just on't think State & Local jurisdictions have the manpower to pull it off.

They may drive down the road with their PA system blaring. That is more plasuible. "Leave Immediately, there has been a toxic spill in the area!"

Perhaps they may evac. a neighborhood, next to the spill, they can drop me off at the Holiday Inn, I'll gladly pay the money for shower, lights, and heat.
Most likely they would have 1 or 2 busses for those who just couldn't dirve themselves, otherwise, they are going to have everyone use their own cars, and direct them to the shelter, if they want to go.

Does anyone know the protocol for this type of situation?
Who determines that a mandatory evacuation takes place?
Who carries it out?

I don't think they can force you on a bus, nor force you to go to a shelter.

You simply throw your belongings into your car and drive to Aunt Sarah's house an hour away. Well, now it's 3 hours with the traffic tie ups.
 
Here's a question regarding knives or guns in your PSK: Is it reasonable to consider that your bags might be searched before you're allowed on the bus or into the shelter?
 
Coldwood said:
Here's a question regarding knives or guns in your PSK: Is it reasonable to consider that your bags might be searched before you're allowed on the bus or into the shelter?
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Darned right they're gonna' search your stuff. Another in a long list of reasons NOT to get on the bus.

Here's another, if you're old like me, or watch classic television:

"Mr Chambers! Don't get on that ship!! The book..."To Serve Man"...it's...it's a cookbook!!!" :eek:
 
Just to continue the general theme of this. The main issue in urban emergancies is gridlock. In the proposed scenario, there is no fight or flight debate...you just need to get out. Unless you are the first one notified, the traffic, gridlock, and chaos have already overwhelmed the basic infrastructure.

Just as important as your pack and gear, is your exit plan and route. I personally will be on my CR250...

The gear is great, but you have to be able to remove yourself from the situation effectively...

How far can you get away from your home with the modes of transportation that you have available?
 
Everything in this website, is ready to go in 3 different packages:
1) What I'd need if this scenario actually occurs at work ( most likely )
2) What I'd need if this scenario occurs at home or where I park my car
3) What I'd need if this scenario lasts more than 3 days (72Hrs)
http://www.imagometrics.com/GoBags/GoBaghome.htm
So the real answer is, the contents in the case of the knock in the middle of the night are actually split between provisions at the door and ones stashed in the car.
So I'm saying that your hypothetical is really only one of 3 likely scenarios. I have specifics in the house or in the car or on me as I commute.
By the way, the scenario you describe would be a sweet deal ( Transportation to shelter) Truth is, we never know what to expect until it's already in full swing- Katrina was a perfect example.:grumpy:

jimfbte said:
Urban Emergency Scenario

It's Friday and you just finished supper ...So.... what did you bring at a moment's notice in your bag?
Jim
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I'd tell the policeman "no thanks" and then I'd hop in my truck with my wife and kid and get the hell out of town. Why would I want to go to a shelter in the vicinity of where the toxic cloud was?
 
Don't be a sheeple, get out of dodge via back roads etc. Going where the local government deems as "safe," will be a risk to you and your loved ones. (i.e. superdome in N.O.) If you are unable to bug in (your first & safest option IMHO) because of fire or chemical spill etc...negotiate the traffic, and travel to a relatives, friends house or a rural vacation property if you have one.

Think about the basics: Security, Shelter, water and food, in that order. The shelter provided by the government may or may not be secure...especially if the cops bugged out like in N.O. Don't chance it. The shelter doubtfully has enough food, water and sanitation supplies for you and your familly and thousands of other individuals all squabbling to survive.

This scenario highlights the necessity of not only having a B.O.B. or emergency evacuation kit (E.E.K.) as i like to call it, but having a preplan for your family if you are separated in a time of disaster. EDC of certain items that can help you greatly. plus, always keep your gas tank full!!! this gives you a roughly 300 mile range if you own a 4WD, but be prepared to strike out on foot if necessary.

Needless to say, my 12ga Winchester and BK7 will accompany me until I know I am secure.
 
Stay off the bus....I think a primary reason why we participate in this forum is to exchange ideas in order to stay independent and to not get on that bus.

That being said, I would toss my supplemental kit into my SUV that always has at least 1/2 a tank of gas, pile my family and dog in and head on out.
 
If I can't take my dog or my guns, I'm not going...certainly not willingly.

After 9/11, in which WTC employees were initially told to stay at their desks, and Katrina, in which both Fed and local gov't types were shown to be more interested in who had how many guns, I wouldn't believe ANY "authority" figure that appeared at my door.

I regret if I have politicized this thread, but my trust of our shepherds has evaporated.

This sub-forum is about Wilderness and Survival Skills, and consequently, the topics discussed herein would avail us all in a SHTF scenario. I dearly hope the time never comes, but if it does, I hope I can elude the "authorities" while they "help" me.
 
mtnsct said:
OK....so there's nine zombies on the bus....
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And me without my trusty FBM?? OK, so do I trust my life to beheading 9 Zombies with a Mora?? a BeckerNecker maybe?

Based on some of the responses, I think it shows what officials would be faced with if they did try to get people "on the bus". It most likely would turn into a goat-rodeo.
 
Reality check time. If there is a real HAZMAT incident you will either A) Die in place without warning if it's really toxic B) shelter in place-close windows, etc.- if it's not that toxic or disperses quickly C) be asked to leave if it's something in between. The only reason that the PD/FD is going to care where you go is if you have been, or are going to be, significantly contaminated and can contaminate others. Otherwise, what you do and where you go will be up to you (the Red Cross may have someplace available for those who have nowhere else to go).

If you're going to wait for a government provided bus, you'll probably need 72 hours worth of food just for the wait. ;)
 
I wouldn't have gone to the shelter, either. I'd evac with my family to a safer local. If I can get on a bus and go somewhere then I can get in my car and leave.
 
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