Posted: 3/8/2008 4:32:14 PM EDT
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I live on the east side of Memphis, one of, if not THE most violent cities in the U.S. IMHO, any bugout from here would be a tactical bugout. I would hope to be ahead of the worst of it, but shooting our way out is a distinct possibility. I have family in the city, near REALLY bad areas (Memphis is laid out weird, good areas and bad areas are side by side). Depending on how bad the situation is, I don't know if extracting them would be possible. What are everybody's thoughts on situations like this? |
. East Memphis, Hickory Hill, has the highest crime in the city. SHTF think New Orleans type action.|
I live in Lakeland, not Memphis. Very close, but it is still decent here. We have been planning on moving east, but the current housing market has killed that until the recession is over. I hope to eventually move to the bug out area. But, I am talking about the Earthquake/Riot/SHTF possibility now. 
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Cpt. I'm about an hour and a half east of you. We have a lot of folks from your neck of the woods (mostly the richer ones) that come over here and buy or build homes or second homes. Sometimes we call them Memphisites. But they do add a good amount to the local economy, and if you look around you can still find some pretty good deals on a house and maybe even a few acres of land. Although there are a few guys buying up land now and sub-divideing it. We're not quite out of the earthquake zone, but charts say damage should be considerably less than downtown Memphrica. I don't blame you for being concerned. A few years back everytime I had to carry a pt. to the MED or the old Baptist downtown I'd throw my EDC bag in the unit. The bag always had on of my nine's in it. Then someone nosed around and I got a warning and had to stop doing that. As far as tactical withdrawel (spelling) of the family members, preplan what you can with them (if they will cooperate). Routes, communication, meeting place, you know same as a fire drill. Or just see if you can get them to relocate also. |
| you have a worst case, worst case scenario. Mentally, are your family members willing to survive at all costs, Are they physically fit enough to get to a safer rally point , Are there any medical needs that may pose issues, will they themselves be armed and if so do they know how to use there weapons effectively, will they have bob,s ready and be ready to go at the soonest possible moment, do they have spare ammo. I know you have already run all of this through your mind already, I to have loved ones outside my own home that I will assume responsibility of during a SHTF scenario. Just continue to pre-plan, get every one on the same sheet of music, maybe do a dry run during the busy hours just to get a ball park time.I have been in your part of the country, the very thought of you having to kill or be killed is very real. |
Judging by your handle, my bugout area is just west of you, this side of the dam. My sister in the midtown area will probably have to be withdrawn forcefully. Our rally point is the lake house, we all wound up there after "Hurricane Elvis".
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Make sure you have a plan for either: A) Them getting the F outta dodge when the S hits the F. B) You coming in to get them out. If option A, make sure your family in "da hood" has numbers they can reach you at 24/7. Set up a public place where they can go which has LOTS of people normally. After you get that call, they and you head for that point. I'd also recommend that if they have any real valuables which can't be replaced by insurance (family photos, family jewelry, coin collections, etc.) they NOT store them at their house but at yours. Vultures love to loot and burn. Replacing a DVD player or HDTV is what insurance companies are for. If Option A, make sure you have several guys go with you in full tactical gear and make sure you and your guys know to make a show of force of picking them up. I say this almost tongue-in-cheek as in most situations I advise people to blend rather than stick out. . .but the situation you describe is the exception to the rule. Thugs, pimps, hommies, vatos, and the dregs of society feed off weakness, but fear force. It’s really national geographic animal behavior 101 alpha male syndrome. Pulling up in the Ford F150 while driving carefully to avoid burning debris, potholes, and then running out of your car in overalls while screaming “SIS, SIS ARE YOU THERE?” is going to get you swarmed by the aforementioned dregs who will want your truck, and anything valuable on you they can steel. Doing 45 mph around the obstacles, making sure your sister knows via phone or 2-way radio when you’re 2 minutes out and to be ready to move. Coming to a screeching halt at your sister’s driveway while you and your own boys pile out with tact-vests, ARs at low ready and the two guys with you standing sentry at your truck while you get Sis out and into the vechicle pronto, Deassing the area quickly. . .the vermin will think twice about approaching guys who look like soldiers with serious hardware, even more so if they look confident in what they’re doing and stare down any thug who looks cross-eyed at them. If you do everything right and drill at your extraction plan, you should have it down and practiced to where you don’t even give them the chance to think about challenging cause you’re too quick. |
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Cpt. one prep that may help you if you have to extract is a taking a good driving course like those tailored to contractors. Everyday driving doesn't prepare you for true offensive driving. Plus in that type of situation I think avoiding as much trouble as possible is a big key to survivability. I have a friend who lives in Downtown Atlanta in the hood. I have had the thought about what to do if SHTF and he and his wife need to get out. I think the idea of a serious show of force would be the route to go. I would grab a couple guys "gear" up and go in after them. Most criminals are opportunistic. Showing up in level IV body armor with AR's send a serious message. For me it's my version of showing my fangs and snarling! |
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I live just east of you. I would sure appreciate if you would hold them off long enough for me to get out of dodge! Not sure where you are bug Memphis still has a lot of wooded areas even in the city. Scope out your path using Google Earth then in person if possible. The zombies will probably stick to the main roads and neighborhoods and away from wooded areas. |
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I second the google earth idea. That thing is awesome. Hopefully your family is onboard, so that when your arrive all you have to do is throw their stuff in your vehicles and go, not you showing up and them turning off the TV and starting to pack. I think a key will be your comm plans--phones may not work, so if you can get CBs or handhelds to give them their 2 min/1 min warnings. If you are driving to them with more then 1 vehicle (I'd recommend it) then having vehicle to vehicle comm is a must anyway. Also have a no comm plan i.e. no phones/cb/radios nothing. Do a google search for the US Army special forces convoy handbook. That has some good checklists and ideas for your branch plans. Once you got a plan, rehearse it. If your family doesn't want to play, at least drive the routes several times during the day and at night. Once you have a pretty solid plan find somebody who you trust to shoot holes in it. An OIF vet would be ideal. |
| CptKrks IM sent. Sorry if you got it twice. Wasn't sure it went the first time.hinking.gif |