Rough Draft Urban Prepping guidance
Urban Prepper Planning (first draft, unedited)
This article was co-written by multiple members of SUK.net with special thanks to Lightspeed, Scythe 13 and Devonian
What sort of planning issues and threat subjects that urban preppers or ordinary preppers need to consider if stuck within a large town or city after TSHTF.
Avoiding Detection by gangs or criminals and avoiding being rounded up by authorities (NEVER BECOME A REFUGEE)
Identifying and Recovering water sources and materials to purify water*
Identifying and recovering food sources ( primarily this will be tinned, freeze dried, dehydrated etc)
Locating and foraging for wild growing NON POLLUTED foods
Developing transit routes to and from place of safety (BOL)
Collecting specialist access keys like storm drain keys, subway maintenance access doors etc
Finding safe places to shelter and cook that won’t give away your position
Mapping CCTV and other surveillance equipment (and plotting ways to avoid it)
Finding B O routes not likely to be used by refugees and displaced persons
Noting where unsafe and unstable building are and unstable or collapse prone paved areas are
Identify choke points where desperate refugees may congregate
Identify likely locations for official check points and unofficial ambushs
Identify URBAN specific threats such as local gang territory or places with live rail lines, places likely to face flooding
Identify safe locations for shelter if civil unrest triggers large scale riots or out of control arson triggered fire storms
Identifying useable Elevated and Subterranean travel routes (Ariel walkways and underground passages)
Identifying suitable places to set up OP and LPs
Identifying suitable urban locations to hide caches of supplies securely and safely
Identifying areas for future planting of food stuffs
Setting up suitable URBAN comms short range SECURE systems (and concealing antennae)
*WATER specific concerns
Methods of testing water sources in urban locations to see if they have been treated with rust inhibitors, anti-bacterial agents, anti-fungal agents, excess dissolved lead or copper levels, antifreeze agents (alcohol and / or glycol based), excess sodium hypo levels, build ups of explosive hydrogen sulphide gases in water systems, faecal matter levels, typhus or other nasties etc""" Boiling does not remove chemical additives or metallic additives.
(Courtesy of DEVONIAN on SUK.net)
Understanding how the water network operates
Locating Underground service reservoirs
Obtaining a fire hydrant/stand pipe
Sourcing a gate Key (for closing/opening valves on the water network)
COMMS CONCERNS
I think we will need the input from our Radio Ham and CB geeks on determining which systems work best in urban areas, PMR446 or AM CB or FM CB or Ham I’m not qualified to advise on this subject.
(Courtesy of LIGHTSPEED on SUK.net)
UHF (Ultra high frequency) with its very short wave length works quite well in cities. It still gets blocked by big, tall buildings but has the ability to bounce around them. Position can be very critical. Just moving a few feet often will make a difference between perfect reception and no reception at all. The other advantage of UHF is that there are many hand held walkie-talkie type units available. Because the wavelength is so short, antennas for this band are also tiny. UHF radios can be very discreet.
Most readily available UHF radios are PMR446 units or Ham radio 430 Mhz bands.
Guerrilla repeaters constructed to operate autonomously from tower block roofs are also a good way to get signals across the cityscape. Again, UHF frequencies work well in this application. Built using one of the generic low powered Chinese radio clones, secured in a water tight box, with a small PV charging unit, this sort of installation can stay operational for a long time without need to touch it.
(LIGHTSPEED HAS MORE ON THIS URBAN COMMS ISSUE ON SUK.NET)
URBAN Personal equipment
I think the kit and clothing requirements will pretty much match those or even surpass those of rural preppers especially the extra need for extra protection from pollutants in an urban environment after TSHTF, any foraging or movement that could kick up or disturb toxic particles from burnt or decaying structures will require eye and mouth/nose protection (goggles and face mask) gloves and closed hems, draw cord, cuffs etc is also likely to be an important consideration. Work gloves are likely to be essential in urban areas with its inevitable large amounts of broken glass and sharp fractured bricks and stonework.
Extra clothing is likely to mean greater thirst caused by getting to warm whilst working so extra drinking /washing water is likely to be required
Extra tools for prying open doors, hatches, windows, lift shafts, water tank covers, manholes etc is likely to become standard kit for long term urban preppers.
I think that long term preppers determined to utilise every possible resource left in the city is likely to need climbing gear, ropes and harnesses to access some locations where staircases are no longer accessible and to assist in escaping if the prepper falls through a decayed surface into a void.
I also guess (and it is a guess) that urban preppers are likely to end up relying on bicycles for most transport needs as its likely to be the only truly viable swift and cargo capable vehicle for travelling through clogged abandoned streets, Urban preppers in situ now should consider obtaining AT bikes with puncture proof tyres NOW whilst they can still obtain them through normal means.
I reckon there mantra is going to be “Don’t just look left and right, look up and down as well” At night the Mk 1 Eyeball is definitely going to be at a disadvantage and hearing is likely to be the most useful way of detecting approaching trouble so ensure the area your BOL is located in does not have any extraneous noises at night from things like wind chimes, rattling gates, busted windows rattling, curtains or abandoned washing flapping about. A few handfuls of broken glass and gravel on the approachs to your BOL should give notice of people approaching on foot.
Urban preppers (providing the authorities IR CCTV is not working) should be able to rule the night in the cities providing they remain unseen and unheard, simple recceing is not going to be so easy in a large city, chances are preppers wanting to find out what is going on in a new area are likely to have to move quietly into the area at night and set up an OP/LP and spend the daylight hours watching, listening and noting what is going on for at least 24 hours before moving into the area to access resources.
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Don't shout at me if you don't like it, edit it and improve it.
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