Being in a war zone or a terrorist-controlled area is a very dangerous situation to be in. Ideally, you should be doing your best to leave the area as soon as you can. Since this survival scenario is highly volatile and unpredictable, there’s no manual that you can refer to.
Unlike preparing for blizzards and hurricanes, where you have an idea of what is likely to happen, with terrorism and war, you’ll never really know what is going to be blown up, where threats will be, what roads will be blocked and so on.
So, you’ll need to respond and react while on the go. You have to keep your wits about you and act logically without your mind being clouded by panic and fear. This in itself is a monumental task. You have your work cut out for you.
Below you’ll find a list of tips to follow. They’re in no particular order of importance and there is no sequence here… just like how war zones and ground zeroes are. A mess and with no order.
Let’s look at the pointers.
- Stay hidden
If you can’t escape in time, stay hidden in your house or in the shadows. Avoid going out in the daytime. Being seen is never a good idea. You may be stopped, interrogated or captured. It’s best to keep a low profile.
- Food and water
These are your most important needs. In some cases, you may need medicine too if someone in the family needs a regular dosage. Hopefully, you have supplies stored away and you can rely on those. Always salvage and store as much food and water as you can.
- Turn your house into a fortress
Get blast curtains if you can. Add more locks to your doors. It must be like a fortress that’s too much of a chore to enter.
Make your house look shabby and worn down on the outside. Spray graffiti on the walls outside your house and make the entire place look like it’s uninhabited. This will deter soldiers or terrorists from checking it out.
Do not keep your garden neat and tidy. Toss out old, unwanted stuff from your house onto your lawn. This will further make your living area look like a dump.
- Know your area well
Even if you’re new to a neighborhood, drive around it often until you know which roads lead where. This will allow you to escape much faster should there be trouble. Escaping quickly requires you to have an evacuation route. The goal is to get out before road blocks and checkpoints are set up.
- Learn first aid
It’s best to have a well-stocked first aid kit and you should have first aid skills that will help you treat wounds, etc. It’s easy to get injured during a war. Rubble, rough roads, etc. can trip people over. Not to mention gun shots or accidentally knocking into objects while running for your life. First aid skills are crucial.
- Firearms
This is your best defense against terrorist and enemy occupiers. If you live in a country that allows the use of firearms for self-defense, always get training and practice on the range often. Own a few guns so that you can protect yourself and your family.
- Avoid using lights or making sounds in your home at night
Even if you make your house look dilapidated, using lights inside your home or making sounds which will carry into the distance will alert threats that are passing by. Be very mindful of this.
- Concealment and cover are different things
When escaping a crazed gunman, seeking concealment is different from taking cover. Hiding behind a big tree is concealment. The gunman will not be able to see you. If he does spot you, firing a few rounds at the tree may be enough to kill you because the rounds will go right through the tree trunk.
Taking cover means hiding behind something that bullets can’t go through. In the past, soldiers used sandbags to protect themselves because the bullets could not go through the packed sandbag. It’s a physics thing.
However, bullets can go through concrete walls, brick walls, car doors, etc. DO NOT believe what you see in the movies. In reality, bullets can penetrate most things. Taking cover will require you to put many objects between you and the shooter.
- Bulletproof vests
If you can get bulletproof vests, keep them at home for emergencies such as these. The vests will keep you extra safe.
Remember these 9 tips and stay safe.