Trapped In Their Neighborhood

I watched part of a video the other day on the issue of whether you would be able to bug out after a SHTF event because of being trapped in your neighborhood. The video suggested that you may need to have alternate routes out. It reminded me of how, as Katrina bore down on New Orleans, some of the surrounding communities shut down bridges or roads leading to or through their communities to people attempting to flee from New Orleans. But an ongoing situation in Wisconsin also bears on this topic.

    The Federalist reports that the "Wisconsin Indian Hostage Crisis Teeters On Violence Because Biden, Tony Evers Do Nothing." From the article:

    The ongoing hostage crisis in Lac Du Flambeau, Wisconsin, has entered week six, and two people with the power to stop it — President Joe Biden and Gov. Tony Evers — refuse to act. 

    Some 65 non-tribal Wisconsinites cannot enter or leave their homes due to barricades erected by the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. According to Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany, the barricades are illegal because the closed roads receive public funding.

    For over a month, the only way non-tribal residents have been able to leave the reservation is by crossing frozen lakes, which are quickly melting with spring. Racial tensions and the threat of violence are also rising as the residents grow desperate, the tribe refuses to negotiate, and the government ignores the crisis.

As the article explains, and like many other Indian tribes, tribal land has over the years been sold off to non-tribal members. Such is the case here where there is a patch work of tribal land and private lots. Unfortunately, the roads to some of the privately owned land crosses tribal lands. The tribe claims that the road easements expired over a decade ago and have blocked the roads until they are paid to extend the duration of the easements. Per the article:

With the easements long expired, tribal President John Johnson has closed the roads and is demanding $20 million from two title companies to reopen them for only 15 years. Residents, the title company, and the town say the easements are not worth $20 million.

 The article also relates:

    It’s worth noting many residents told The Federalist that prior to the barricades, the tribe had not been maintaining the roads despite receiving public funding to do so since at least 2018. Instead, the town, or in some cases the residents themselves, have been paying for the upkeep. The Federalist reached out to the town for confirmation but did not hear back. 

    What is undisputed is that the tribe is refusing to negotiate and that it receives federal funding from the Tribal Transportation Program, which Tiffany and the landowners maintain makes the blockades unlawful.

    For the trapped residents, some relief, albeit temporary, is in sight. The Green Bay Press Gazette reported a couple days ago that "Lac du Flambeau tribe to reopen barricaded roads in northern Wisconsin as temporary agreement reached." The article relates:

Town officials held a special meeting March 11 and accepted the tribe’s offer to remove the barricades for 90 days in exchange for $60,000 while negotiations for a more permanent solution continue.

That works out to $666.67 per day of access. The article continues:

    Tribal Chairman John Johnson had previously said residents had been trespassing on the illegally built roads on tribal lands and the tribe needs to safeguard what little land it has left.

    “The barricades may be coming down temporarily, however the real work of developing a longer-term solution is just beginning,” wrote Dave Kievet, one of the affected residents.

    Many residents have been using snowmobiles to travel across woods and frozen lakes to leave their properties for supplies, but the ice will start to melt soon.

    “It is a short-term fix so we have a way out when the ice is no longer safe to cross, but it does not solve the long-term problem,” said Marti Hunt, another affected resident.

Just A Reminder: How Fast Can You Evacuate?

5,000 people in Knoxville, Tennessee, have been forced to evacuate after a train hauling a toxic chemical derailed and caught fire. The cargo was acrylonitrile, which causes dizziness and nausea and is highly flammable. The evacuation may be for 24 to 48 hours. Shelters have been set up at a couple nearby schools. Just a reminder that you may only have seconds or a few minutes to grab your stuff (hopefully a BOB or 72-hour kit) and go.

The 10-Minute Bug Out

This seems to compliment the article on the 15 second bug out I posted about a couple days ago. The Apartment Prepper blog discusses evacuating your home in 10 minutes, mostly setting out questions you need to ask yourself.

"The 15-Second Bug Out"

The Street Smarts column at Swat Magazine discusses bugging out. Not the "end of the world bug out," though:

I’m referring to situations where someone like me starts pounding maniacally on your door and yelling, “Police! Get out! Get out!” The reason could be a ruptured gas main, hazardous material spill, barricaded gunman two doors away, bomb threat at your hotel, or another annoyance not of your own making.

While I’ve never been forced to flee The End of the World As We Know It, I have certainly displaced hundreds of people in situations similar to those I just listed. In fact, 12 hours before these words were written, I was double-checking an “empty” apartment during a fire scene and discovered a suddenly frantic woman who had been overlooked during the initial evacuation. She wasn’t in any imminent danger from the small blaze in another unit, but she did face a serious health threat stepping outside in the sub-20 degree wind chill.

Why? Because she wasn’t prepared to be forced from her home with literally one-second notice.

Therein lies the crux of today’s sermon: plan all the complicated Road Warrior-style bug-out maneuvers you want, even though the odds are good you’ll never be forced into such a retreat, but don’t forget there’s a high probability that someday you’ll have to instantly flee your home or office due to a lesser crisis.

Quick test: stand at your front (or office) door and ask yourself, “What do I do if I have 15 seconds to evacuate?”

First and foremost, based on the number of cold and semi-dressed people I’ve seen wandering around during various emergencies, clothing appropriate for the weather and sturdy shoes are the most important items you’ll need. If you have the typical coat closet near your front door, the clothing problem is easily solved, but make sure there’s at least one pair of slip-on shoes staged there too.

This admonishment also goes for the office. Women in dresses, high-heeled shoes and fashionable but inadequate coats are especially at risk during evacuation and the aftermath. A pair of sneakers, pull-on sweatpants and a heavy coat or jacket kept in a gym bag under your desk might just transform you into the smartest-dressed salesperson at the emergency shelter.

If you can only grab one item, grab your cellular phone. A means of communication can facilitate resupply or evacuation, or simply give peace of mind. Don’t underestimate the importance of letting family know you are alive and well when there are live news broadcasts of a major calamity taking place at your factory.

You might want to have some other items ready, provided they are near the door, lightweight, and have minimal bulk. For further inspiration, research those bags we preppers are always talking about: “EDC,” “Bug-Out,” “72-Hour,” “Get-Home,” “Grab and Go,” “Crisis Kit,” or “The old suitcase we keep in the closet for emergencies.”

Related Post: Attending a Presentation by the Local Emergency Management Agency.

"Bugging Out"--A Video From alonewolverine1984

An interesting video from a women in Austria, performing a mock "bug out." Based on her other videos, she is experienced in the outdoors. Nevertheless, she had problems with keeping warm enough at night, which meant that she didn't get as much sleep. If you plan on bugging out to a wilderness area, plan to have a sleeping bag or blanket roll.

Her having to fashion a spear also highlights the problem with living in a locality that restricts possession and use of firearms. Although she uses a rope to rappel at the beginning of the video, it raises the point that it may be useful to have a rope and harness for climbing or rappelling (something I'm not experienced with, unfortunately).

Anyway, check it out.

"Bug Out Bag Baloney"

A "let's get real" discussion about bug-out-bags and weight at the Survival Blog.

The Financial Elite's Boltholes

Earlier this week, I cited to an article claiming that super-rich hedge fund managers were buying up "bolt holes" in New Zealand in the event of social disorder. New Zealand is rated as the world's third safest country after Iceland and Denmark. The Daily Mail takes a look at some of these "bolt holes" that are for sale, including lots of photos, of course. The article relates:

New Zealand, which is about the size of the UK, but has a population of just 4.4million, offers them all the modern luxuries they have come to expect - but miles from any country which may implode into chaos. 

The country is 11,658 miles away from the UK, while its closest neighbour is Fiji - 1,612 miles away, more than double the distance between Lands End and John O'Groats.  

Homes at the top end of the market come with tennis courts, swimming pools and media rooms - and some even boast their own personal jetties where a family can moor their boat.

The article also reports:

Already, several billionaires have bought themselves homes in New Zealand. 

Russian industrial magnate Alexander Abramov, who lives in Moscow, has transformed a farm in Helena Bay, two-and-a-half hours north of Auckland, sparing no expense to build five homes on the land.   

The entire project - which included a warren of underground passages, to be used by staff, and its own power station in case of cuts - is thought to have cost £24million, according the New Zealand Herald. 

But he isn't planning on living there full time. Instead, two of the homes will be used as a luxury resort, with visitors about to travel to it by helicopter. 

American billionaire William Foley is one of several who have snapped up vineyards, buying Te Kairanga, in Martinborough, in 2011. 

Paypal co-founder Peter Thiel also has property in the country, as does Tony Malkin, whose family's property portfolio includes the Empire State Building.

Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin

The Mirror reports:

Super rich hedge fund managers are buying 'secret boltholes' where they can hideout in the event of civil uprising against growing inequality, it has been claimed. 

Nervous financiers from across the globe have begun purchasing landing strips, homes and land in areas such as New Zealand so they can flee should people rise up. 

With growing inequality and riots such as those in London in 2011 and in Ferguson and other parts of the USA last year, many financial leaders fear they could become targets for public fury. 

Robert Johnson, president of the Institute of New Economic Thinking, told people at the World Economic Forum in Davos that many hedge fund managers were already planning their escapes.

Protesters Closed Main Exits from Manhattan

CBS News New York reports:

Demonstrators took to the streets all around Manhattan, clashing with police officers, in a the second night of protests a day after a Staten Island grand jury decided not to indict a police officer in the death of Eric Garner. 

When the protests began early Thursday evening, a crowd of a few hundreds morphed into an estimated 10,000 protesters in Foley Square in Lower Manhattan. 

... The protesters moved on in several directions afterward. One group headed to the West Side Highway near West 10th Street, shutting down the highway for the second night in a row; it was reopened around 9 p.m. 

Tensions rose during rush hours, as commuters on the West Side Highway yelled at the protesters to go away. 

Another group marched across the Brooklyn Bridge, which police shut down completely afterward. 

... And at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal at Bowling Green, protesters knocked down barricades and a few of them clashed with police. One person was seen punching an officer, while another was seen swinging a sign. 

... Protests were also held in Union Square, on other East River bridges, and at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. And the demonstrators continued late into the night, with heated confrontations and several arrests at 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue in Times Square just before 11 p.m. 

Protesters were still going well after midnight. At 12:15 a.m., they were seen marching between cars down busy 53rd Street in Midtown.

Weasel Zippers has photos of protesters closing down the Staten Island Ferry, Holland Tunnel, Brooklyn Bridge, West Side Highway, and Grand Central Terminal. For those of you living in effected areas, take note of what areas are being closed down--these same areas could be closed down in other protests or riots.

"Will You Die Getting To Your Bug Out Location?"

An article at Underground Medic suggesting tactics for bugging out under social upheaval or violence. The article leads off:

I am frequently surprised by the approach many Preppers take to their Bug-Out plans, especially those who expect to drive to their retreat location.  Many seem to feel that this will be no different than driving out of their home area for a vacation, which is beyond my comprehension.  I say that because if things are bad enough that Preppers are headed for their retreat locations one would think that travel could be difficult if not impossible.

This is in line with my recent comment that if you can't safely follow your bug-out route now, you cannot reasonably expect to do so when disaster strikes.

However, there is another point that needs to be addressed. The foregoing article and many other authors and commentators assume, by default, that traveling to a retreat will require using the same tactics as military forces moving through or advancing into enemy territory. My question is: Why?

What are the reasons you will be bugging out? A nearby chemical spill, hurricane, flood or wildfire threatening to overrun your home may require you to "bug out." But, in that case, your concern is not hostile forces, but simply evacuating the area as rapidly as possible. An earthquake may require you to relocate but, again, your concern will probably simply be getting to a new location. Unless there is significant looting or rioting, you will not be traversing "enemy territory."

The only time I could see having to bug out through hostile territory would be in the case of war, where enemy forces have surrounded your city, or some sudden, widespread civil unrest. Even in these cases, moving out at a high speed--similar to the procedure for executive protection--would probably be more effective than the slower overwatch or bounding overwatch methods of movement. Particularly if you are in a small group, such as a family unit, your safety is going to be proportional to your distance from a threat. You want to put as many miles as you can, as quickly as you can, between you and that army or mob.

The article mentions putting together convoys of multiple vehicles and having security elements. That presumes a fairly large number of adults evacuating together. Is that realistic for you? If you have the resources (vehicles, people, equipment) to conduct a counter-ambush drill or have separate security elements, great! If it is just dad, mom, two kids and a dog, it isn't going to work. If you are going to convoy with other families or groups, I have to question whether the time to meet and organize such a convoy would have been better spent "bugging out."

I guess my point is that "bugging out" is not a time to unnecessarily play at being a soldier. In most cases, you will not be facing any violent threats--your concern is timely evacuation. Even if you have to "bug out" through enemy territory, you may not have the resources to put together a military style convoy. You may be better off adopting the tactics of a small executive security detail over that of a military column. Some good articles on the topic can be found at the Straight Forward in a Crooked World blog, such as the this article on "Flight Plan," "Drive Like You Mean It," and "Break on Through to the Other Side."

Escaping New York

Live Science has a semi-serious article on New York City preppers, even though it takes the time to bash preppers and survivalists in general. It reads to me as an assignment undertaken with the intent to ridicule prepping, but the reporter discovered that maybe these people weren't so stupid after all. 

Amazingly, for preppers living in NYC:

Urban preppers usually don't own guns, their political views are all over the map, and they are often people of color, Bounds said. Many have seen firsthand, in disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, how long it can take for local and federal government agencies to restore order, she said. 

Urban survivalist culture also overlaps with sustainability and homesteading culture. Many preppers are interested in organic and local foods, farmers' markets and the reduction of toxic chemicals. Some meetings, for instance, have focused on such things  as how to make deodorant and laundry detergent at home, she said.

Not like us ignorant hicks in flyover country (sarc.).

The article suggests that there is a basic difference in strategy between the urban preppers and their suburban/rural counterparts:

Few New Yorkers are going to cram their fifth-floor walkup with 500 pounds (227 kilograms) of food (one estimate of how much food a person would need to eat for a year). So survivalists focus on getting out of the city fast. 

Bounds, a sociologist at CUNY who started studying a group called NYC Preppers after Hurricane Sandy, noted a key problem facing many New Yorkers:

Manhattan is an island with just nine bridges and four tunnels off the island, and a workday population of more than 3.1 million, which means there could be several chokepoints in the event of a disaster, she said. Some people even have inflatable kayaks on hand just in case. The best escape routes will depend on someone's origin and destination, but preppers often talk about the Catskills or even Upstate New York as potential safe havens, Bounds said. 

You just have to make it off Manhattan, through the Bronx, and continue due north.... Simple, really.

I wonder if anyone in the group has actually practiced their bug-out plan--especially those planning on evacuating on foot. For those with the kayak--have they kayaked across the East River, the Harlem River, or the Hudson? For the people on foot, have they walked over the bridges into the Bronx or Queens? Have any then walked through the Bronx or Queens to where ever they plan to rest overnight? I would suggest that if you cannot safely follow your bug-out route right now, you cannot reasonably expect to safely follow that route when a major disaster strikes. I would also suggest that anyone that has practiced their bug out plan would likely reconsider whether they want to store food in their walk up apartment.

I'm reminded of an early episode of Doomsday Preppers where a young woman had planned on evacuating  on foot from a city (Austin, TX, if my memory serves me). She had never practiced her bug out plan previously. She physically was unable to make the trip carrying her bug-out bag--I think she made it halfway within the allotted time. Also, she was alone and her plan was to make the trip at night. Watching the episode, I wondered what would have happened to her if she hadn't had a camera crew tagging along. Would she have been assaulted? Anyone's guess.

Also, I wonder about the people that only have half a bug out plan. That is, they have a plan for getting out of their city or town, but they don't have any definitive location to go. Trudging out of "Dodge" simply to become a refugee is a hell of a plan.

Related Links: Another article concerning Bounds and urban preppers at TechWorld.

"5 Reasons Why Bugging IN Is Smart"

An article from the Survival Mom.Basically, it comes down to knowing your neighbors and surroundings, and being where your resources are. She writes:

I have seen many articles and posts about bugging out should some major disaster happen. These writers go on and on about having Bug Out Bags (BOBs) and heading to their Bug Out Location (BOL) to hide away until it is safe. I can imagine several reasons why having a bug out plan is a good idea but honestly, it should be a last resort. 

If your immediate home is not threatened, staying put and “bugging in” should be the first option for several reasons. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide whether or not to hunker down or Bug Out, but consider the following reasons for staying in, at least at first.

The reasons she mentions are (1) higher security (based on being in a familiar, prepared environment), (2) knowledge of the neighborhood, (3) knowledge of surrounding terrain, (4) more supplies and resources, and (5) people who love you will look there first.

In a similar vein, I saw this guest article at the Survivalist Blog suggesting that if you haven't bugged out (i.e., relocated to a rural retreat) already, but are relying on bugging out when an emergency is upon you, you are probably going to suffer a horrible fate. The author writes:

The purpose of this particular dissertation is to scare the crap out of you, and thus move you off the pot. Time is short, and the storm clouds are gathering over the Middle East. Our southern border is a free-for-all, drug cartels and gangs have a viable presence in virtually every major American city, and the poser-in-chief thinks he was elected king and is doing everything he can think of to dismantle this country. 

And you think you’re ready to bug out? 

Having even the best bug out bag, while putting you a few steps ahead of the herd, is still only a few steps. There are at least a million more. Have you thought about them?
If you’re still living in town, with some vague notion that you’re going to “bug out“, then the answer is “No, I haven’t really thought this through”. I will be very blunt here; the following tells you how you’re probably going to die. Oh, and if you bought a big screen TV or any type of sports tickets (money you should have spent on ammo or food) in the last six months, please stop reading and put your head back in the sand, as this article won’t make any sense to you.

The author takes a worse case scenario to illustrate the worst that could happen to you if your survival plan is trying to get out of Dodge when TEOTWAWKI hits. These include (1) neighbors or other survivors attacking you when you least suspect it to get your supplies, (2) blocked roads due to traffic jams, or road blocks set up by gangs or government authorities, and (3) if you successfully escape the city, being shot when you approach someone that has already moved out of the city and prepared.

Long time readers know that I'm not a big fan of the bugging out scenario. Obviously, there are times you will have to leave your home/retreat--fires, floods, tornadoes, chemical spills, and so on, may require immediate evacuation. But in most cases, I agree with the Survivor Mom that there are too many advantages to sheltering in place to abandon it and risk some of the dangers that the Survivalist Blog article mentions--blocked roads, gangs and looters, etc.--trying to get to some other location, or, worse, some undetermined place of refuge.

The Survivalist Blog article suggests that cities will become uninhabitable. However, as discussed many times in these pages, there is little historical precedent for this in many cases; whereas there is plenty of evidence of what easy prey you become in remote farmsteads. In addition, there is a considerable amount of poverty in rural America (see also here) with the concomitant crime and dependency on welfare. I'm not saying that living in a large city is the best plan either. Obviously, living in or around "the Projects" in a large city would be a mistake. But suburbs and medium sized cities may be preferable to either rural or large urban centers.

However, there is something else that the Survivalist Blog article raises that needs to be addressed. The author writes that, even if you somehow make it out of town:

You creep around the checkpoint and head into the wilderness/country/mountains/open range where folks have been “prepping” (dammit, there’s that word again) for years. You stagger into a driveway in the dark. You have nothing to offer. You need food and water, your feet are bleeding, you’re covered in snot and brains. You have no weapon, no supplies, and whatever else you might be, you are not prepared, or welcome, or invited. 

And I, or someone else who has spent years “prepping”, shoots you in the face.

This same attitude often shows up on survival fiction. (See, e.g., my review of "A Distant Eden"). I understand that some people may feel that they cannot or will not be able to offer charity in a disaster scenario. There may be situations where you have to use lethal force to protect you and your family. But is there really ever going to be a need to shoot an unarmed person begging for food? If preppers revert to that behavior they have become the very thing that they hate. To quote the Lord:

35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. 

 36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

 Mark 8:35-36. LDS readers may want to review Chapter 9 of Moroni concerning what happened when the Nephites became as depraved and bloodthirsty as their enemies.

Lighten Your Load--Tips for Saving Weight When Backpacking

Backpacker Magazine has published a short article describing some tips and tricks to lighten your backpacking load. Some of these may be useful in a bugout situation, although I would be reluctant to go without some of the items. Some of their recommendations:

 Leave Nonessentials at Home
Take a critical look at your packing list and off-load (or substitute) these items.
>> Wallet 6 oz. Bring only your insurance card, ID, and some cash
>> Food packaging 4 oz. Discard boxes; measure servings into zip-top bags
>> Pillow 6 oz. Fill your sleeping bag hood with rolled-up clothes
>> Extra pot 8 oz. Plan one-pot meals, use nonstick for easy cleanup
>> Camp shoes 10 oz. Unlace boots and switch socks to walk around camp
>> Stuffsacks 20 oz. Stuff clothes into pack corners; roll your tent
>> Guidebook 9 oz. Photocopy the pages you want to reference
>> Trowel 3 oz. Dig catholes with a sturdy stick or tent stake
>> Repair kit 4 oz. Pack a tiny sewing kit, tube of SeamGrip, and safety pins
>> Water filter 15 oz. Use chemical or UV treatment instead
Weight saved 5+ lbs.

Read the whole thing.

North Dakota Town Destroyed by Wild Fire

From the Daily Mail:

A small town in North Dakota has been wiped off the map overnight by a devastating wildfire which whipped through the landscape with the help of 70mph winds.

By Thursday morning, the 27 residents of Bucyrus had been forced to abandon their homes and take refuge in surrounding communities.

Miraculously, no one was hurt in the blaze, but Adams County state's attorney Aaron Roseland described the town as 'pretty much completely lost'.

The county commission chairman said the fire destroyed four homes and two abandoned farms in the town about 60 miles south of Dickinson.

Chuck Christman said seven structures, a church and a grain elevator were spared from the blaze that was pushed by the high winds. The town's only business, a picture-framing shop, was destroyed, while trees and buildings including homes still smoldered on Thursday, he said.

Mr Christman said the blaze scorched an area six miles long and half a mile wide and also downed about 50 power poles and set railroad ties on a nearby train track ablaze.

Sometimes You Just Have to Leave

The debate over "bugging-out" and "bugging-in" is somewhat of an artificial argument. Some disasters and events are such that it is better to leave your home, while with others it may just be better to sit tight. And sometimes, it may be a toss-up. 

Wild-fires fall into the "get your butt out of there" category. From the Daily Mail:

The massive wildfires sweeping through Colorado and New Mexico have claimed their first confirmed victim, as a woman was found burned to death in her remote home.

Linda Steadman, 62, was reported missing after the fire started on Saturday, and her remains were discovered on Monday at her house in Larimer County, Colorado.

Her home received two evacuation notices that appeared to go to her answering machine, and a firefighter who tried to get past a locked gate to her home to warn her was chased out by flames that he later saw engulf the house.

How to Get Unstuck

I was reading an article today on how to get unstuck, in a psychological way, because I thought it was about how to get a car unstuck. So, I decided to track down a couple articles on the subject.

Here is one from e-How on how to get unstuck from mud. It recommends:

1. Don't panic. Often a person's instinct is to do the same thing harder, if the initial efforts aren't working. It won't help your predicament to push harder on the accelerator, spinning your wheels--it will just get the car even more deeply stuck. So stop, get out of the car, and look at the situation.

2. Gently push on the accelerator to try to ease out of the mud pit. For cars with an automatic transmission, put the car in its lowest gear and give it just a bit of gas to see if the tires will get traction. For cars with a manual transmission, use a higher gear and very gently let out the clutch, moving the tires inch by inch. If this does not work, try the next step. 

3.  Rock the car back and forth. Turn the steering wheel so the wheels are straight, and quickly switch back and forth from reverse to drive about 8 to 10 times--but no more, or you could damage your car. If your car is still stuck, move on to the next step.

4. Let a little air out of the tires. A slightly flat tire will allow more surface area to come in contact with the ground, perhaps providing that extra amount of traction you need to get unstuck. Just remember to refill your tires as soon as you get to safety.

5. Find something to place under the tires to provide traction. You can use tree branches, sand, boards (check for nails), an old coat or blanket, or even your floor mats. Place these items under your front tires, and drive slowly over them. This step will almost always get a car unstuck from the mud, but if it doesn't work, you might need help.

6. Get help. Call a tow truck or a friend that has a wench to come and rescue you.

The tips given above are also useful if you get stuck in snow or sand. Some other tips on getting out of mud, sand, or snow here:

Plan ahead. Keep your tires in good shape, properly inflated and not too worn. If you live in an area where it snows a lot, consider investing in winter tires. Also, carry a cell phone and sign up with a roadside-assistance program, such as AAA or Better World Club. Some car insurance companies also offer programs; check to see if yours is one of them. Another option becoming increasingly available are telematics systems such as GM's OnStar.

If you're stuck, rock out. Keep the wheels straight, and using a very light touch on the gas pedal, rock the car forward and back by switching between drive and reverse. If the tires start to spin, stop and change direction. In deep snow, and especially in soft sand and mud, spinning the tires just digs you in deeper. If your transmission has a winter mode, use that. If you have a manual transmission, use second gear. Once you get going, don't stop until you reach solid ground. But if you get nowhere after eight or 10 attempts, try the next tip.

Dig deep. Create a path several feet long for each wheel. It's a good idea to make a folding shovel part of your winter emergency kit, along with a blanket, safety flares, reflective triangles, and rock salt or other snow melter. If you don't have a shovel, use what you can—a hubcap, a piece of wood, the base of the car jack, or the spare-tire cover.

Add traction. Spread sand in your tracks, especially near the drive wheels. Cat litter might work, too, but some clay-base litters are useless when wet. You can try the car's floor mats (laid nap-side down), a trunk liner, or a commercial traction aid. Traction mats or grids might also help in snow, sand, or mud. If you need to jack up the car to position a traction aid, consult the owner's manual. The jack has to be on firm ground. If it isn't, place something flat and solid beneath it.

Let out some air. If you're stuck in sand, first try digging out paths for your tires and lining them with small stones, twigs, planks, clothing or carpet scraps. Also try letting air out of the tires. Use a tire pressure gauge to reduce pressure to no less than 10 pounds, then reinflate the tires when you get back on solid ground.

Fill in the ruts. Mud can be a special challenge because it's easy to spin the wheels and sink axle-deep in it. If a tow truck isn't available, you might have to jack up the car and fill the depressions made by the tires with planks, plywood, rocks, or gravel.

Here is another article on the subject from 4X4 Now, discussing the use of tow straps, and a high-lift (bumper) jack. And another from Truck Trend.

Planning a Retreat in the Eastern United States

A post by Joel Skousen at the Survivalist Blog.

But for the vast majority who intend to survive without directly military confrontation, there are a much wider set of alternatives. When you understand the principles of retreat location siting, and learn to avoid the flows of refugees (who will take fairly predictable paths out of the major cities), you can find relative safety in many rural forested and elevated areas in the East. It won’t provide the same kind of long-term safety as places farther west, but you can survive. The closer to population centers in meltdown, the greater the risk of having to deal with the more criminal type of looters. And that will happen near any major metro.

Read the whole thing.

Bugging Out

A good discussion on bugging out/evacuation issues after TEOTWAWKI, republished at Daily Survival.