How long post SHTF before a city is safe to re enter?

[bigpaul]

(17 October 2012, 00:17)BDG Wrote: C'mon, plague is not an issue. It is still endemic in some areas of the world we trade with on a regular basis but the last case of plague caught in the UK was in 1918 and that was a rare thing. It is more about personal and communal hygiene than anything else. Back when we had major deaths from plague, personal fleas were endemic, the black rat was more common and we kept our own shit in our cellars to sell. We also lived in rooms where rats would live with us - in the room, in the thatching and walking all over the place, we did not wash our selves or clothes nearly as much and so on.

I dare say if a whole family came into the UK infected with plague and did not seek medical attention, very few would die. We do have a bit of genetic immunity to it and few of us would be likely to acquire. Sure, should TSHTF, we might bathe less, change clothes less and so on, but if we were at that point, then the amount of container ships coming in would be 0. I would be more worried about spiders and snakes in the containers that I might have to ransack in a without rule of law situation than plague.

What I am getting at is - what should be the major influencing factor in your decision on why to not go into a city should be what made you stop going there in the first place V your need.

When I run out of tea and coffee, try and stop me.

i agree with most of the above, but are you really going to risk your life by going into a city for tea and coffee??

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my thinking is that a city will NEVER be safe to go back in...especially after several years. if its not full of rotting corpses, it will be full of disease from the conditions any survivors would have had to endure, you could have to face starving survivors who will kill you to get what may be in your pack or for your weapons, you may have to face street gangs for the same reasons, i doubt if there is anything usable left in a city after TSHTF, most stuff will be looted or fire bombed, if you go into a building it will probably be unsafe from scavenging or arson..you go through a floor and break your neck...who is going to take care of your family when you are gone?? even if you make it out in one piece, once you get back home you have to go into quarantine for 10 days to make sure you havent brought a nasty bug back with you...can you spare being idle for 10 days? i really dont think anything that MAY be left in a city is worth the risk. thats my personal opinion.

[NorthernRaider]

BDG is forgetting that there is far more to worry about than just bubonic plague, Theres Lepto spirosis, Choilera, Typhus, E -Coli, Botulism etc etc that will thrive for years among the dead and dying a dying city is just one giant petrie dish of bacteria and germs all looking for someone to infest, not to mention the imported untreatable TB, VHF etc that is still thiving in our immigrant community 99.9% of whom live in cities.

[Metroyeti]

Mentioning damaged buildings, its worth having a hard hat in your kit, especially if you live in a urban enviroment.

[NorthernRaider]

(17 October 2012, 11:03)Metroyeti Wrote: Mentioning damaged buildings, its worth having a hard hat in your kit, especially if you live in a urban enviroment.

Good point I nearly bought three rock climbing helmets last summer as they are lighter and fit better than site helmets.

[bigpaul]

(17 October 2012, 11:44)NorthernRaider Wrote:

(17 October 2012, 11:03)Metroyeti Wrote: Mentioning damaged buildings, its worth having a hard hat in your kit, especially if you live in a urban enviroment.

Good point I nearly bought three rock climbing helmets last summer as they are lighter and fit better than site helmets.

silly question..would a cycle helmet be any good? lighter than a hard hat and easy to store. readilly available..just a thought!

[Lightspeed]

(17 October 2012, 11:44)NorthernRaider Wrote:

(17 October 2012, 11:03)Metroyeti Wrote: Mentioning damaged buildings, its worth having a hard hat in your kit, especially if you live in a urban enviroment.

Good point I nearly bought three rock climbing helmets last summer as they are lighter and fit better than site helmets.

Good idea NR

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(17 October 2012, 11:47)bigpaul Wrote:

(17 October 2012, 11:44)NorthernRaider Wrote:

(17 October 2012, 11:03)Metroyeti Wrote: Mentioning damaged buildings, its worth having a hard hat in your kit, especially if you live in a urban enviroment.

Good point I nearly bought three rock climbing helmets last summer as they are lighter and fit better than site helmets.

silly question..would a cycle helmet be any good? lighter than a hard hat and easy to store. readilly available..just a thought!

Cycle helments are really only single use and there is big debate over their effctiveness at protecting the wearer other than when falling down from a stationary bicycle.

Cycle helmets rae more about marketing than safety IMHO

see http://www.ctc.org.uk/resources/Campaign...e)_brf.pdf

[NorthernRaider]

Rats and mice not an issue eh? i think not read on

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-19974261

[Metroyeti]

You can get chin straps and liners for hard hats, wouldnt recomend white or bright colours.

[bigpaul]

(17 October 2012, 12:01)Lightspeed Wrote:

(17 October 2012, 11:44)NorthernRaider Wrote:

(17 October 2012, 11:03)Metroyeti Wrote: Mentioning damaged buildings, its worth having a hard hat in your kit, especially if you live in a urban enviroment.

Good point I nearly bought three rock climbing helmets last summer as they are lighter and fit better than site helmets.

Good idea NR

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(17 October 2012, 11:47)bigpaul Wrote:

(17 October 2012, 11:44)NorthernRaider Wrote:

(17 October 2012, 11:03)Metroyeti Wrote: Mentioning damaged buildings, its worth having a hard hat in your kit, especially if you live in a urban enviroment.

Good point I nearly bought three rock climbing helmets last summer as they are lighter and fit better than site helmets.

silly question..would a cycle helmet be any good? lighter than a hard hat and easy to store. readilly available..just a thought!

Cycle helments are really only single use and there is big debate over their effctiveness at protecting the wearer other than when falling down from a stationary bicycle.

Cycle helmets rae more about marketing than safety IMHO

see http://www.ctc.org.uk/resources/Campaign...e)_brf.pdf

OK it was only a passing thought!

[Lightspeed]

(17 October 2012, 13:36)bigpaul Wrote:

(17 October 2012, 12:01)Lightspeed Wrote:

(17 October 2012, 11:44)NorthernRaider Wrote:

(17 October 2012, 11:03)Metroyeti Wrote: Mentioning damaged buildings, its worth having a hard hat in your kit, especially if you live in a urban enviroment.

Good point I nearly bought three rock climbing helmets last summer as they are lighter and fit better than site helmets.

Good idea NR

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(17 October 2012, 11:47)bigpaul Wrote:

(17 October 2012, 11:44)NorthernRaider Wrote:

(17 October 2012, 11:03)Metroyeti Wrote: Mentioning damaged buildings, its worth having a hard hat in your kit, especially if you live in a urban enviroment.

Good point I nearly bought three rock climbing helmets last summer as they are lighter and fit better than site helmets.

silly question..would a cycle helmet be any good? lighter than a hard hat and easy to store. readilly available..just a thought!

Cycle helments are really only single use and there is big debate over their effctiveness at protecting the wearer other than when falling down from a stationary bicycle.

Cycle helmets rae more about marketing than safety IMHO

see http://www.ctc.org.uk/resources/Campaign...e)_brf.pdf

OK it was only a passing thought!

I think NR's idea about climbing helmets is a good one. They are smallish, lightweight, often black in colour and are designed to protect head from falling rocks.

Cost is around 50 quid