Safe Haven - if there is such a thing

[Weyoun]

One thing that I ponder on a lot is how to protect myself, my family and my stores in a post SHTF scenario. I have mentioned in other posts that I am building a large store of food and supplies and there lies the problem.

Such is the size of my stores that I am also hindered by it because I am immobile. If any wandering gangs of half starved chavs, or anyone else got wind of it, I would be a target like no other.

One attractive possibility is to buy a 7.5 t box van and fill the back with my supplies, ready to move to a safer location if needed.

That safer location would most likely be a remote industrial unit that can easily be defended on all sides, few windows, large enough to house the truck and my family, and have several floors.

There are actually quite a lot of places like this, so I am spoiled for choice. I favour this over my house because it would be easier to defend, much less of an obvious residence and I could "grey out2 more easily.

I have no doubt that there will be the odd chancer who comes across this place, but with enough weapons at my disposal, I should be able to scare them off or dispatch them if they come too close.

Somewhere backing onto water would be advantageous as it offers more protection and I have a number of filters, so drinking water would not be a problem. An industrial unit with 1 entrance and no windows would be best, as we could move around inside without the worry of being detected, and if we seal the door, we would have plenty of warning if anyone tried to break in.

A few rotting corpses scattered outside would also make it a less attractive proposal for any passers by. Not nice, but there should be an abundance of these around in the post SHTF world.

[bigpaul]

i think an industrial estate may attract more scavengers than it deters, roofs tend to be a bit flimsy on these units so watch out for that, i myself prefer to go more rural and bug out in an old cottage or farmhouse or barns.

[TOF]

If you have that much to store, invest in a narrowboat. It's easier to defend yourself and your property from the water, you are mobile and have living quarters.

[Weyoun]

(8 April 2012, 09:15)TOF Wrote: If you have that much to store, invest in a narrowboat. It's easier to defend yourself and your property from the water, you are mobile and have living quarters.

Good idea, but even a 7 foot narrow boat is no big enough. I am amassing 2 years worth of food for up to 10 people. I already have 2 tonnes of it, plus weapons cache, clothing, bedding, cooking equipment etc. I was thinking of a remote industrial unit, rather than on an estate close to a town. I get it about the roof, but was thinking of a building at least 2 stories high.

Thanks for the input.

[Stokey]

For me, Im going to set up several cache's, That way if one is compromised i allways have reserves to fall back on, Putting all your eggs in one basket isnt an option for me, But if you say your stocking up for 10 people, I guess you will have the manpower and firepower to defend it.

[Prep Girl]

And that's exactly what would be needed is fire power, a set up like that would be a prime target for the bigger organised gangs, some of which could be military trained. How many in your group are adults?, how many are trained to use a gun and could they hit a target in a panic situation? plus if they decided to smoke you out, pick you off one by one? cut off your water supply? you can't bank on it just being just the odd chancer, doesn't sound like a safe plan to me.

[Scythe13]

Weyoun, I get what you're doing mate. It's a pretty good plan, but by having something above ground, you're instantly raising your profile.

You'd be better off lowering your profile, and position. Go underground. Even if you build underground in your current home, you can pretty easily conceal the entrance under floor boards, or behind a hinged false wall, or something like that.

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Thinking about it a little more, you could even go underground at the industrial unit!

[Stokey]

If they can't see you, they cant kill or steal from you :-)

[mikebratcher69]

Vast stores of food and equipment, whilst advantagous are a burden also.
Any building such as the old cotton mill units you are thinking of of multiple floors are advantagous in one way BUT equaly as dangerous in another. For example a building has four sides which need to be equaly protected.
There are lots of ex millitary people about that would think nothing of swimming a river or climbing barbed or razor wire, or indeed burrowing under it, for a worthy prize me being one of them.
And as previously stated by another member multiple pellet strikes would'nt make me even flinch, as I'd be wearing a paintball mask say or have a very padded face mask for protection. Neither would a bayonet as all millitary personel have be trained in hand to hand and bayonet fighting. Civilians would be put off and probably dispersed, unless they had an ex millitary leader willing to take casualties, which he would be.
If you have the stores you say, you need a dedicated security team willing to fight to the death for you, their future and the stores etc...
Do you have that?? People often blag about what they'll do but when push comes to shove you dont want to find out your really on your own do you??
Also there protection and secure movement is and will be a big task, they need to remain mobile at all times unless you have ample "security" in place to protect it.
Armed guards will be nessesary to protect people moving goods from one locaton to another, people should not do double duty ie people moving goods dont protect as well, they do however carry weapons in case of severe contact. If you for example look at troops moving around afghanistan or some other war zone, those tactics and firepower would be needed to dissuade people from attacking your transport.
Trucks, or vehicles of any kind are easily diasabled without exposing yourself to danger, then what'd you do with a disabled truck full of stores??
Being shut away in a building you MUST have an escape route in case of fire.
Fire is the unarmed persons best friend.
If I assaulted a building for its stores and was repelled, my next step would be to burn you out, hoping that there was some stores left undamaged by the fire. I havent lost anything you see, I didnt have your stores in the first place so if I lose them to the fire I havent lost out.
If there something left well i'm a winner.
Regardless of what people say about fuel being unavailable post shtf, you'll always find enough to make a few petrol bombs, and if for example I added polystyrene ceiling tiles to it you would then be assaulkted with petro jelly bombs that stick to anything and burn for a long time.

[Skean Dhude]

No place is fully impregnable. That is why we keep a low profile. . If you can't get somewhere safe then split your stores into several caches and bury them. Keep your head down and out of trouble.