Category Archives: Personal Safety

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To think that once Detroit was the motor behind the Arsenal of Democracy, now its an example of what municipal bankruptcy looks like.

Credit: Alexander Synaptic

I’ve discussed this before but what is happening in Detroit is a symptom of what is happening in many American cities these days.  It is probably the most extreme example but Motown points to a bleak future for cities that are loosing tax revenue, population, and business while increasing spending on government employees.  The situation has become so bad that bankruptcy is being discussed openly.  My guess is that this will happen, the only question is when.  One thing I can safely predict though is many more cities will declare bankruptcy in the coming months.

Eventually this will mean that cities can get out from under the crushing union contracts, lavish employee benefits, and generous pensions that got them into their fiscal mess in the first place.  However, in the interim city services will suffer and citizens will be left on their own to deal with emergency situations.  In many respects, cities will become wild and dangerous places like some frontier towns were back in the 19th Century.

The solution is to plan on taking care of yourself in emergency situations.  Individuals and communities will supplant municipalities as services decline in the face of continuing economic stagnation.  This will produce greater self-reliance along with strengthening communities, but along the way it will be a rough ride.

Plan accordingly.

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If there were any doubts how deadly wildfires can be, last week’s Yarnell Fire should have removed them.

Credit: KTLA

A wildfire outside of Yarnell, AZ killed 19 members of a firefighting crew that were battling a blaze outside that small town.  By all accounts, the crew was well-trained and equipped to do their job.  However, the fire overwhelmed and killed them.

The lesson here is that wildfires are vicious and can turn deadly in a matter of moments.  They can kill even the best-trained and equipped first responders, so its important to take the danger of wildfires seriously.  I’ll discuss this subject in more depth in future posts but if you have property in wooded areas, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

  • Be ready to evacuate quickly – Wildfires can happen suddenly and change direction without warning.  If there are fires anywhere near where you live, know that you may only have minutes to evacuate.
  • Keep radios, flashlights, and batteries handy – Smoke and ash can create darkness even in the middle of the day.  Make sure you have flashlights so you can see even in obscured conditions.  Also, keep a radio handy so you can tune in to get up to date information on evacuations and other wildfire updates.
  • Know your escape routes – If you have to evacuate, have multiple routes planned in advance.  Sometimes roads may be closed either due to the fire or for use by emergency personnel.  Keep this in mind and have primary and backup routes mapped-out.

There is much more but the key concept is to plan to deal with wildfires before they happen.

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Every now and then, the results of a trial can set off a man-made disaster like the 1992 LA Riots.

Credit: LA Times

I really hope that’s not the case with the George Zimmerman trial in Florida.

That being said, a wise person should be prepared for civil disorder should the worst occur.  After all, riots can and do take place for a myriad of reasons.  Even the foreign press realizes that the case against George Zimmerman is weak and that he could be acquitted.  Given all the press attention and the focus on the race/ethnicity of those involved (Hispanic and Black), this case could result in civil disturbances ranging from peaceful protests to widespread violence.

Kevin over at Misfires and Light Strikes has an informative post that covers the basics along with some links some additional links (here and here) that delve deeper in the situation.  Since the case could go to the jury any day now, make sure you are ready should the worst happen.  Be aware, be ready, be safe.

If you have a moment, hop on over to Daniel Greenfield’s blog (Sultan Krish) and read one of his posts on the case.  Its a fascinating read about the culture clash going on within the lower half of the Middle Class.

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Last weekend my girlfriend and I were in Las Vegas.  As we were leaving I re-learned an important lesson that I want to share that can be applied in many other areas.

Vegas is an odd combination of wealth and want, prosperity and poverty…up and down Las Vegas Boulevard (aka “The Strip).  On our way out, we stopped by a gas station just north of Freemont Street to fuel up for the trip home.  Looking back, it wasn’t the best idea.  Even during the day, there are scary parts of Las Vegas that you will want to avoid.  Even though we still had a half tank of gas we decided to stop in town instead of heading out and fueling up somewhere along the highway.

Nothing happened but it was uncomfortable for my girlfriend.  There were a few homeless people bothering station patrons and a couple suspicious-looking people waiting in their cars.  Its not the place you want to be if you can avoid it, as I filled-up I kept a close eye on everything and was keenly aware of what was happening.  Both of us were glad to get on the road and leave that station behind us.

The lesson, don’t put yourself in a situation where you could be at risk.  The area just north of Las Vegas Boulevard and Freemont Street isn’t particularly clean or safe, it should be avoided.  Should you find yourself in a similar situation and have enough fuel to travel a bit further, do so.  Avoid sketchy areas particularly if you are from out of town and don’t know the area well.  Doing so will prevent a lot of potential problems and keep your mind at ease.

So when you find yourself on a dirty boulevard, heed Lou Reed’s advice and fly, fly, fly away…

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I’m not just talking about urban blight like this:

Credit: Mojo Steve

I’ve written about how prevailing economic conditions affect government services in places like Detroit.  I have also mentioned how some communities are turning to private and citizen policing to augment their sworn law enforcement members.  One place this is taking place is…Detroit.

In one respect, this is a hopeful sign as citizens take (back) control of their neighborhoods when failed, corrupt governments fall short.  However, it also shows the extent of the problem in many of America’s large cities face.  Declining populations, ruinously lavish government pensions, corrupt political leaders, excessive regulation, and high taxation combine to form a perfect storm of fiscal destruction.  The citizens are the ones left to largely fend for themselves as governments lack the resources to provide essential services.

With this in mind, what are you doing to prepare?  As we see in places like Detroit, governments won’t always be there when you need them.  Time to assert your own independence and take steps to prepare for when things go wrong.

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Even in ostensibly peaceful and tolerant Sweden, civil unrest happens.

Credit: Scanpix Sweden/Reuters

Over the last few days, rioting has taken place around Stockholm.  Many of the rioters are young and from immigrant communities suffering from high unemployment and lack of opportunity.  Even in a country known for generous social welfare programs and a reputation for tolerance, anger and resentment can explode amongst certain subsets of the population.

Live in a nice neighborhood, on a peaceful street?  Think you are immune to riots?  What would you do if one broke out in your community?

Think about that for a moment.

Violence can happen anywhere and seemingly insignificant events can trigger rioting.  When it happens, you will need to be ready.  Having food, water, light, shelter, first aid items, and personal protection (firearms, clubs, knives, etc.) on-hand will be a necessity.  When it comes to evacuating, you may be forced to flee your home with little notice if widespread rioting hits your community.  We’ll go into more detail in future articles about how to prepare for civil unrest and similar events, just know that if it can happen in a cosmopolitan city like Stockholm, it can happen anywhere…

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If anybody thinks Great Britain is peaceful and safe, think again.

Credit: ITV

The blood on that fella’s hands came from a British soldier that he beheaded moments before.  It took twenty minutes(!) for police to arrive and eventually apprehend the two suspects.  Before the police arrived, a lady confronted one of the alleged killers while he was roaming around the murder scene.  She distracted him to prevent others in the area from getting attacked.  All in all, a very violent and bloody scene of Islamic violence.

Great Britain has an undeserved reputation of being a non-violent country where crimes like this are rare.  However, brutal assaults like this happen in the UK and everywhere else in the world on a regular basis.  Some members of society are violent and full of anger, when they lash out it can be brutal.

The principle to keep in mind here is that you can be a veteran soldier and be attacked in your home country.  Military training and combat experience can be trumped by surprise and violence as we have seen in this recent incident.  Being alert, trained, and ready will give you the mindset necessary to survive during a violent incident even if you are a civilian.  Remember too, that violent attacks can take place anywhere and you are never completely safe.

Bonus:  If you have a moment, read this short article on the link between welfare and terrorism.

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If purchasing a firearm represents a first step in personal protection, learning how to use it is the logical and necessary second step.  As KC writes:

Owning a gun is just the first step on a journey. Guns are not self-protection talismans that ward off evil-doers all by themselves: You have to have it handy when you need it and you need to be ready, willing and able to defend your life and your loved one’s lives, if, God forbid, the need to do so arises.

Where does one start though?  As a relatively new gun owner, I would suggest you give these folks a look.

You can read about it here but I also recommend you bookmark them and regularly visit their site.  They have a lot of good information that focuses on firearms training, personal security, and other preparation-related issues.  I’ve gone shooting with Kevin, Robert, and Jaci so I can personally vouch for their knowledge of firearms-related subjects.  They are good people and are compiling a lot of useful information you can apply.  Check them out, its worth your time.

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Two unrelated, related stories about emergency response times.

First, there was an attempted robbery at Pepe’s Grocery in Dallas, TX the other day.  The store manager shot one of the robbers with his handgun and called 911.  The police did not arrive until 75 minutes after the call was made.

Second, the Emergency Manager for Detroit delivered a report to the Michigan Treasurer that stated the City of Detroit was insolvent and unable to borrow money.  Pension costs, debt service, and lower tax revenues combined with decades of fiscal mismanagement have brought the problem to a head.  Police and fire response times in Motown are also comparatively long.

Credit: The Ruins of Detroit

These stories are related because they show that government services may not be there when you need them.  In the case of Joe Cho, a pistol was all that kept him from being robbed since the police would not arrive for over an hour after he made his 911 call.  For Detroit, residents can expect even fewer services (police, fire, public works) as the city deals with insolvency.  As I have written about here and here, increasing municipal financial problems will have an impact on citizens lives.

Part of the solution to this is to become better prepared to handle emergencies yourself.  Police, fire, and rescue personnel may not be as available or responsive as they have been in the past.  Individuals will have to rely upon themselves and non-governmental entities to provide services previously performed by governments.  Some example include:

  • Firearms ownership and training
  • Private policing and armed security
  • Physical security upgrades (hardened entrances, video surveillance, increased lighting)
  • Emergency electrical power generation
  • Community patrols by trained citizens

Becoming better prepared means greater resiliency and independence in an increasingly unstable world where the government is not always there to protect you…