View Full Version : Getting home from college if SHTF?
Another new guy here. I've lurked around here for a little while now and started thinking about something the other day when I read this thread: https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=49825
I'm in college out of state at a school 130 miles from home (about 2 hours and 15 minutes drive time). And my question is: what sorts of things would you guys recommend to keep on hand with me when I'm at school in the event of a SHTF scenario? My goal in this situation would be to get home as quickly as possible to my family and weapons.
Obviously I can't have any of my guns with me, but I do keep my Seal Pup in my vehicle. I also plan on taking a flashlight, mutli-tool, and fire-starting stuff, but what else would be good to have with me to help me get home safely? Depending on the situation I guess I may or may not be able to take the normal travel routes.
Thanks for any advice,
-Bogart
IrishDevil
08-02-10, 21:49
For starters:
Decent hiking gear
GPS
Area Maps
Compass
Basic Land Navigation Skills
If it was a serious enough situation, you would want to stay off the main roadways. So the ability to navigate, have some knowledge of the area, would be extremely helpful. These suggestions are geared more toward travel on foot if necessary.
I'd find a way to have a gun stashed somewhere, even if it's just a 10-22.
and allocate beer? it would probably be an easy barter tool in a college town if you had to requisition "stuff".
thopkins22
08-02-10, 22:09
Gasoline, tow straps, first aid kit, and maybe an axe. If for whatever reason you're expecting hurricane evacuation style gridlock a bicycle could be nice if you run out of gasoline.
Since you're presumably living in a dorm all the cool stuff will be at home anyway...so my focus would be on not getting stuck on the relatively short drive home.
A good mountain bike. That idea (see above poster) is MONEY. You'd probably want to have a pretty sizable camelbak or similar hydration system that can be integrated into a larger backpack.
A good mountain bike. That idea (see above poster) is MONEY. You'd probably want to have a pretty sizable camelbak or similar hydration system that can be integrated into a larger backpack.
frat houses usually have a buttload of food, some natty light for crackers and peanut butter would be a big help.
RogerinTPA
08-03-10, 09:25
Another new guy here. I've lurked around here for a little while now and started thinking about something the other day when I read this thread: https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=49825
I'm in college out of state at a school 130 miles from home (about 2 hours and 15 minutes drive time). And my question is: what sorts of things would you guys recommend to keep on hand with me when I'm at school in the event of a SHTF scenario? My goal in this situation would be to get home as quickly as possible to my family and weapons.
Obviously I can't have any of my guns with me, but I do keep my Seal Pup in my vehicle. I also plan on taking a flashlight, mutli-tool, and fire-starting stuff, but what else would be good to have with me to help me get home safely? Depending on the situation I guess I may or may not be able to take the normal travel routes.
Thanks for any advice,
-Bogart
Why not?
A good mountain bike. That idea (see above poster) is MONEY. You'd probably want to have a pretty sizable camelbak or similar hydration system that can be integrated into a larger backpack.
Agreed. A mountain bike, backpack with water and food, in case of vehicle break down would go a long way in insuring you get home.
One thing I didn't see on your list, or anyone else's - a supply of cash.
Not something many college students have available much of the time, yet invaluable when needing to take an expected trip. I'd find somewhere to stash a couple hundred (if feasable) to get you home - should cover minor inconveniences like flat tires and empty gas tanks, plus provide a way out of more significant issues.
Dale Gribble
08-03-10, 11:25
You sure you can't have firearms?? Check with the Campus Police. Many colleges allow you to check your weapons in for safe keeping at the campus police office. Obviously they probably aren't gonna let you check them out in a SHTF situation though. You could always locate someplace outside of town (preferably in the direction you'd be headed home) and deposit a cache of weapons.
http://www.ssrsi.org/Onsite/cacheguns.htm
but what else would be good to have with me to help me get home safely?
Everybody covered some good basics.
One thing I would think about is worst case scenario. Meaning you have to walk 130 miles. Not knowing where you are, if it is urban...or even built up suburban, in a real SHTF situation the roads and towns are going to be parking lots and the towns/cities down right deadly.
I would study some maps, google earth, and look into alternate routes and back roads. Don't forget to look for utility right of ways (powerlines) and even railroad tracks as possible emergency routes of travel.
People obsess about SHTF, TEOTWAWKI, and all the other post-apocalyptic fantastical stuff. Stop.
Yours is no different than most other scenarios, and preparations for one readily adapt themselves to others. You should have food, water, a way to make fire, a way to signal, and a way to make shelter. Stuff to support your vehicle or conveyance your using, stuff to trade/barter if needed, and stuff to nav with. You should have stuff to defend yourself and your stuff with.
Scenarios you should prep for are getting evac'ed from your dorm/home due to local emergency, such as fire, flood, tornado, hurricane, etc. Getting stranded between home and college due to weather or break down.
With some of those, you may find it better to hunker down and ride them out.
And you can keep firearms, regs notwithstanding, if you want to bad enough.
Don't overthink it.
Thanks for the input guys. There's a lot of good stuff here.
Campus security may let students check guns in, but I'll have to check on that. But like Dale said, they probably wouldn't let me check them out in such a situation.
And as for keeping one on hand anyway, I don't really want to risk getting thrown out, etc. for being prepared for something that probably won't happen... Some might disagree with me, but that's just me.
I would try to leave a gun at a nearby friend's house, but none of them are on the way home, and are a good ways out of the way, so that would probably be counterproductive.
I'm planning on getting a bike so I'll have that, and a lot of the other things I either have or can get easily/relatively cheap.
How do I go about getting local area maps that show things like utility right of ways, etc.? I don't think regular maps have that but I may be wrong.
carshooter
08-04-10, 10:13
IMHO, since you have a car and are planning on getting a bicycle for backup, the single most intelligent preparation you can make is to make sure you always leave your car with a full tank of gas. Since the direct route home is only 130 miles, even taking a less traveled back road route, you should be able to get home on one tank of gas.
I would also keep an emergency supply of cash, and a small supply of food and water.
If you really don't have any secure place you can store a firearm and get access to it in an emergency, I personally would consider storing a disassembled Ruger 10/22 in your car. I have no idea what kind of vehicle you have, but in a passenger car with a trunk, you could easily place a disassembled 10/22 in the spare tire area. It wouldn't be immediately accessible, nor would it be easily discovered and stolen in a routine vehicle break in.
kalikraven
08-04-10, 20:08
Use google maps. The satelite view is great and you can find alternate routes that arn't on roadmaps like the power poles that you mentioned. In a situation where you would have to walk 130 miles staying away from others is a good thing so the power poles and train tracks would be a much better bet than the roads. If you had to use the roads I'd recomend staying in the wood line using the roads as a guide. This would slow you down signifigantly but depending on the situation it may be the best thing to do. For scenarios like this read Patriots by James Wesley Rawls and One Second After by William R. Forstchen.
kihnspiracy
08-05-10, 05:32
A good BOB. Comfortable hiking boots, clothes, food, water, knife, cash. Find somewhere to stash a pistol, rifle, mags and ammo. Somewhere secure. Somewhere readily accessable if need be.
The disassembled 10/22 is certainly something to think about.
I've looked on the CSX website and found a decent map that shows where their rail lines run. Once I got to the line nearest the school I should be able to follow that all the way home. It's getting to the nearest line which is the problem, but I'm trying to find utility right of ways on Google earth right now. Do any of you know if it's possible to get actual maps (not online) of things like right of ways, etc?
Khinspiracy, for a BOB would something more low key be preferable? I was planning on using a Northface back pack, since that may draw less attention than a camo MOLLE bag.
Thanks again for the input!
Dale Gribble
08-05-10, 17:41
The disassembled 10/22 is certainly something to think about.
I've looked on the CSX website and found a decent map that shows where their rail lines run. Once I got to the line nearest the school I should be able to follow that all the way home. It's getting to the nearest line which is the problem, but I'm trying to find utility right of ways on Google earth right now. Do any of you know if it's possible to get actual maps (not online) of things like right of ways, etc?
As far as I know the only source for actual maps is the engineers office for each county your line of travel takes you through.
for a BOB would something more low key be preferable? I was planning on using a Northface back pack, since that may draw less attention than a camo MOLLE bag.
Is it gonna matter? If I see a guy carrying a rifle he's gonna stick out to me long before I take notice of the color of his backpack.
As for the BOB, I have pretty much abandoned my Eagle 3-day because it has no features other than a giant pocket and molle. I now pretty much just use an old Gregory day pack. It has two water bottle pockets, a main compartment that has two pockets in the back panel, one for a water bladder, and the other for something else. I use this back panel pocket to keep a 14" tramontina machete and it is completely concealed (if in mixed company) when searching for stuff. I can also keep a pistol in there if I can't have it on my person for whatever reason. These back pockets are great to keep these items separate and accessible without throwing shit out of my pack. It is not the biggest BOB, actually quite small, but I know I will pack however much I can carry even when it is really too much. Day packs are usually built well (I wouldn't buy a new north face pack, but if you already have it...) and they are innocuous.
Priorities (in no order): cash, nav tools, fire, shelter, water
People obsess about SHTF, TEOTWAWKI, and all the other post-apocalyptic fantastical stuff. Stop.
Yours is no different than most other scenarios, and preparations for one readily adapt themselves to others. You should have food, water, a way to make fire, a way to signal, and a way to make shelter. Stuff to support your vehicle or conveyance your using, stuff to trade/barter if needed, and stuff to nav with. You should have stuff to defend yourself and your stuff with.
Scenarios you should prep for are getting evac'ed from your dorm/home due to local emergency, such as fire, flood, tornado, hurricane, etc. Getting stranded between home and college due to weather or break down.
With some of those, you may find it better to hunker down and ride them out.
And you can keep firearms, regs notwithstanding, if you want to bad enough.
Don't overthink it.
I tend to agree with the above. However, I would ride a bike that distance though if I had too.
Von Rheydt
08-06-10, 11:06
Moved
Is it gonna matter? If I see a guy carrying a rifle he's gonna stick out to me long before I take notice of the color of his backpack.
Good point.
Day packs are usually built well (I wouldn't buy a new north face pack, but if you already have it...) and they are innocuous.
I do already have a NF bag that I use for class, though it ould be given a new use quickly if need be...
Alpha Sierra
08-07-10, 09:18
I'd find a way to have a gun stashed somewhere, even if it's just a 10-22.
+1
Stash a fighting handgun and a good supply of ammo in mags (4 mags X 15 would be a good amount) in your car. Since you will not be carrying it on your person on a daily basis, keep it in deep cover and DO NOT ever talk about it to ANYONE in college. If you have to evac, fish it out and conceal it on your person.
Follow all other advice in this thread.
How about a basic REI camping/ compass class, basic Krav maga class, follow up by a basic pistol/carbine class. Have a walking staff-solid wood about 5-6 feet handy.
Keep a backpack for Bug out, clean change of clothes, toilet gear, water-purification kit, food, flashlight and multi-tool, folding knife-go ZT, lastly know your area.
If it is truly a widespread SHTF situation, the chances of getting "home" are slim. Local jurisdictions and/or military roadblocks aren't going to allow you to pass. Was living in NOLA before, during, after Katrina. Roadblocks everywhere, had a pass through hospital, could get around. Saw many, many get turned away or sent back, no matter the heartbreaking story. Locals aren't going to be so helpful either if resources are limited. Hiking out through tough terrain isn't as easy as it sounds unless you hike strenuously, regularly. This may put you into bad situations with the locals or the individual that owns the land. Walking the freeway? What about wolves hunting the flock?
Get a plan, pick several routes/alternates, get in shape, get training. These steps will increase the probability of making it. However, realistically expecting to traverse hundreds of miles in questionable territory, dealing with questionable people, is a tough proposition. It is possible, just not probable.
Von Rheydt
08-07-10, 17:10
Moved
In your position, I would emphasis "speed." If an event occurs and you must leave. Don't wait for the other shoe to drop.
-A primary route home and several alternates, from your starting point. Depending on your location and highway and roads system, there may be alternate routes. The more potential options you have layed out, the better off you are. Plans to bypass major cities, bridges,ect. may be neccessary. Along the route home, you can listen to radio broadcasts for updates.
-Keep your tank topped off, vehicle serviced. Parking off campus may be a good idea, avoid the parking lot bottle neck.
-I'd keep a very light backback in my vehicle if I needed to go to on foot, with core items and supplement with seasonal items when appropriate.
One thing I didn't see on your list, or anyone else's - a supply of cash.
Not something many college students have available much of the time, yet invaluable when needing to take an expected trip. I'd find somewhere to stash a couple hundred (if feasable) to get you home - should cover minor inconveniences like flat tires and empty gas tanks, plus provide a way out of more significant issues.
Follow this advice. I know you wont most likely, but this is good advice. I spent the 100 in safety money my dad gave me when I went to college on bullshit, and I regretted it later. Tell yourself the money doesn't exist!!!!
Great discussion!
Couple of questions:
Would a biker be higher profile than a walker?
Would it be helpful to learn skills like hot wiring a car? I'm thinking Red Dawn, when everyone was trying to leave the school, why not run to the car closest to the exit and hot wire it instead of running to your car and joining the bottle neck?
Breaking into the car (even smashing a window) and hot wiring, provided you have the right tools and know how, will take more time that it will for you to run to your vehicle and get out of dodge. That is unless you are parked at a place like Disney.
Maps, maps and more maps. Figure out as many alternate routes to your destination as you can. Drive them. Main roads, highways, dirt roads and shortcuts. As you drive them think about how weather and environmental issues (flooding/landslides/bridges/chokepoints) could impact travel on any of the routes.
I have lost count of how many times I had to close down a road due to accidents, flooding etc and people who have lived in the area loose their minds when they can't take the normal route home.
platoonDaddy
09-17-10, 17:50
I can still hear the SFC at Mountain Warfare School say "put one foot in front of the other."
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