Hello from the urban prepper

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UrbanPrepper
Posts: 0
Joined: Thu Mar 28, 2019 12:25 am

Hello from the urban prepper

Post by UrbanPrepper »

Hi everyone.

So I haven't even started prepping but the state that our once great country is in has made me realise I should have started years ago.
I live in what people might call a "bad neighbourhood" ( to the point where I wear a stab vest on my walk to work after being stabbed twice in a year).
Any advice on short term bug in in such an environment during civil unrest for example would be much appreciated.

Thanks :D
Arzosah
Posts: 6323
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2012 4:20 pm

Re: Hello from the urban prepper

Post by Arzosah »

Welcome to the forum.

Erm, I'm a bit puzzled, actually, because needing to wear a stab vest after two events in less than a year, that's pretty bad. Is going to work the only time you go out? Is there something about the timing of your journey? Do you have to live in that particular neighbourhood? Why? To me, your post shouts out for questions about your situation and underlying assumptions, not advice, sorry. I'm wondering if the timing of your post tells us some of the answers.

But, advice. Okay.
Water - if the neighbourhood's that dangerous, you do *not* want to be out there at a council bowser queuing up for water. So you need 2 litre bottles/5 litre containers, as many as you can, in your living space. Enough for the absolute basics, until the council fix the leak or whatever.
Food - you don't want to *have* to go out during civil unrest (or ordinary times, quite frankly) because you've run out. So, minimum two weeks food, otherwise as much as you can lay your hands on and store. Plus a little camping stove, to heat things on, because if your area is already as bad as this, the local substation might be affected, and anyway, power cuts happen, constantly, including during winter.
Shelter - your front door is crucial. How strong is it? How well attached is the doorframe to the wall (longer, bigger screws are better screws). Do people push burning rags through letterboxes? Blocking the letterbox and having a postbox might be a solution (though people might steal the whole postbox). Are there robberies as well as stabbings? How accessible are your windows, are you on the ground floor? If there was a house fire, how would you get out? Where would you go?

Other than a few things (longer screws for the doorframe etc) specifics aren't the main focus - being stabbed is the main focus! To me, anyway.

HTH
UrbanPrepper
Posts: 0
Joined: Thu Mar 28, 2019 12:25 am

Re: Hello from the urban prepper

Post by UrbanPrepper »

Hello mate,
So both of these attacks were robberies on my way home from work walking at around midnight.
Thanks for the advice I did even think about my front door as I'm in a 2nd story flat but my front door is at ground level made from cheap wood almost like mdf. My flat is council rented however so I'm not sure if I would be able to do anything to it without permission.

I was thinking of constructing a makeshift barricade to wedge between the steps I have about 2ft into my front door for when SHTF.

I'm guessing the trick is to stay inside unless I have no other choice and maybe thinking of putting together a bug out bag just in case I need to get out of the area in a hurry.

Thanks again for your advice.
grenfell
Posts: 3952
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 7:55 pm

Re: Hello from the urban prepper

Post by grenfell »

Simplest barricade would be a sheet of ply or better still a couple glued and screwed together cut to a size that covers the frame and some stout timbers to wedge between it and any opposing wall or the stairs . Fix a couple of D handles on the back to make it easy to move. Paint it with fire retardant paint and have a few fire extinguishers at hand . Plastic film on windows would be good too. Being on the second story means you should be safe from people trying to enter but the film should stop flying gass shoud someone throw a brick at the windows. Battery powered radio and tv if possible so you can keep an eye on events use in case the electricity goes off. Food that can be eaten might be a good idea in case of no power or if using a gas stove might attract unwanted attention and should anything kick off in winter a supply of blankets wouldn't go amiss .
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Arwen Thebard
Posts: 1254
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2017 6:31 pm

Re: Hello from the urban prepper

Post by Arwen Thebard »

Hi Urban Prepper,
Situational Awareness would be a good skill to learn, given your home location and history of attacks.
Lots of good advice available on here so dive into the archives as well.
Arwen The Bard

"What did you learn today?"