Terrorism while deadly is not as devastating as war. Most countries in the world have been living through decades of peace. While the Middle East has constantly been in strife for years, for the rest of the world, war is something that only happens in history books.
However, the truth of the matter is that war can occur at any time. Political changes can trigger of a chain of events that can quickly escalate into war.
After the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers in 1993, the US declared war on Iraq. That’s how fast war can occur.
While the attacks were committed by a handful of terrorists, the entire country of Iraq was submerged into warfare. In the same vein, acts committed by individuals can bring countries to the brink of war… and it can happen fast. You must be ready.
Regardless of whether there’s a war or an invasion by terrorist elements, the principles are mostly the same. The invading forces will either try to destroy or take control of key installations.
People may be killed to make an example and strike fear or to gain control of the area. There will be much effort spent on blocking roads and trying to make the conquered area an impenetrable and inescapable fortress.
It’s for this reason, you need to be sharp and know when to leave the area and what to do. The wrong moves or waiting too long will get you captured or killed. So, you must have your wits about you and make correct decisions.
- Where to avoid
Avoid cities and urban areas. These are the first places that soldiers or terrorists will try to gain control of because of the amount of human traffic.
You want to take shelter in rural areas that are far away from the city. This will buy you some time to plan your next course of action. The key point is to get as far away from the areas of conflict.
- Immediate evacuation
If you have been preparing for such an event, you’ll know where to go and have contingency plans to follow. Immediately evacuate your house and take what you need and go.
Do not wait to see if the authorities and law enforcement will get control of the situation. You’re responsible for your own safety.
- Another country? Another state?
Where you decide to go is important too. If you have the means to escape to another country, do it. If you can only go to the next state, that will be fine too.
The goal is to get yourself as far away from the war or terrorists as possible. If the entire country is under attack, the airports may be closed, and all planes may be grounded. You’ll then need to follow another course of action.
- Make it difficult
If you can’t escape the country or state, find an area that’s inaccessible or difficult to reach. Camping out in the mountains will make it a chore for terrorists and soldiers to get to you. The same applies to bugging out in the wilderness surrounded by trees and foliage.
It will be uncomfortable for you… and you can bet that military troops and terrorists will be less likely to comb through these areas looking for stragglers and people hiding out.
Your wilderness survival skills will need to be on point and you should have all the necessary equipment with you to survive. An experienced survivalist will be able to survive in the wild for months without worry.
- Be ready
This is probably the most important point. No matter what disaster strikes, being prepared will give you an edge. Being prepared means having a car that has a full tank of gas at all times.
It means being firearm trained and having your own weapons. It means having your bug out bags ready and everything else you need ready to go at a moment’s notice.
It means having a plan and a backup plan for that plan should things go sideways. Of course, you’ll need to have the skills to back you up too. As you can see, there is some work involved. So, be prepared and be ready.