First Five Things To Do If/When The Lights Go Out (as in SHTF)?
Guest article by ‘NRP’
What First Five Things will ‘YOU’ do If/When?
Hypothetical “Lights Out” Scenario
Recommended read: Light’s Out by David Crawford
OK; let’s set up a hypothetical scenario.
You are at home or at the BOL (bug out location) and suddenly, oddly, it seems quiet. Very quiet. Too quiet. No noise around at all, except for Nature Sounds.
The ceiling fans are winding down. The TV / Radio is quiet. Even the refrigerator is noiseless.
What lights you may have had on are now dark.
What are the very first Five Things you would do? (I will list mine at the end of Article).
Assuming there was no bright flash of light and the walls did not blow apart and melt the floor.
Also assuming you had zero pre-warning such as news reporting of pandemic-warning, economic-crash, and so-on.
The reasoning for this Poll or Article is learning what others believe the first course of action would need to be.
Most of the populist seem to only listen to the “News” and the Internet to make decisions and how to react in a particular situation. OR maybe they would not even know ‘how’ to act or react ????
So, without knowing exactly what has happened, how would you determine what to do? And, in a simple order how would you “Plan” your direction?
What 5 Things To Do Next
Basically what ‘Five Things’ would you do now or next?
My list;
1st | Assessment
1. Make a quick assessment; check the Phone (does it work). Check the water faucet (is it still flowing normally). Look outside (do I see a fire or a Mushroom Cloud). Turn on a battery powered radio (does it work, is there chaos or normal stuff). Try to start the car/truck (does it start/run)? Maybe even hit the HAM radio to see if there is anyone out there that actually knows for sure what has happened.
2nd | Going / Getting Home
2. Make sure the Family, aka Blue for me, is safe and at home. If so, make explicit instructions for what they should do next. If not at home, follow the plan for getting them home NOW!
3rd | Secure Water & Self
3a. If I have determined, in my little world, that the Power is off and nada else is working, possibility an EMP, major Grid Down, or Terrorist Attack on the Grid, I would make an effort to secure every drop of ‘extra’ water that I could. Fill the Tub/s, every pan, glass, bottle, cooler, everything I could get my hands on. Water WILL be the number one item you will need ten times the amount you think you’ll need.
3b. Next I would implement ‘Gray Man House’: Make sure all light will be blocked out, or in, at night. Even a candle will look as a beacon at night when the “Lights Out” hits. Also make sure any cooking will not be noticed, aka no BBQing. Remembering neighbors are very VERY noisy and may become desperate if this goes on long.
4th | Security
4. Implement Security. Do you “carry”? Can you defend your home and family? Maybe it is time to contact others in your “Group”? Do you have extremely trusted people that you can bet your life on? Does your family know what to do if they see people walking to your home?
5th | ‘Chill’
5. Relax, the entire world may have gone straight to “Hell in a Hand Basket”. This is NOT the time to panic, to make stupid decisions, to go ‘to the store’ for a few extra supplies. So my number 5 would be to fix a small Mint Julip, find my lookout spot, and contemplate the next few days/weeks/months and do mental exercises and reread that “Plan” you have worked out for this. You do have a Plan RIGHT!!!???
Thanks for reading.
Please let’s hear what your “Five First Things” would be:
~NRP
Related article: About Ted Koppel’s book, LIGHTS OUT
( Light’s Out For A Nation Unprepared As CyberAttack Downs Power Grid )
THE MOST POPULAR “Light’s Out” related survival novel:
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