Tensions are high as the 2020 United States elections have left Americans at the edge of their seats. Many, in fact, have been preparing for post-election civil unrest. They believe that one the results are out, disgruntled Americans will take to the streets to express their anger and frustration. It’s also possible that some groups may take advantage of the situation and create chaos. It doesn’t matter if you’re for Donald Trump or Joe Biden, once violence breaks out, you are not safe. There’s a good chance that the results will be out by the time you get to read this. Before things get bad, if they haven’t yet, do what you can to prepare for possible post-election violence.
What To Do To Prepare For Civil Unrest
Protect Your Property and Business
It has become a common scenario for stores to be broken into and looted during civil unrest. During the recent Minneapolis Uprising and other protests resulting from the death of George Floyd in May, businesses were looted and some even burned to the ground. The same thing happened in August after Jacob Blake was shot in the back by the police. As of this writing, protests and looting are on-going in Philadelphia as a result of the shooting death of Walter Wallace.
The point here is that riots and looting can happen anytime and anywhere even in residential areas. People have been so fed up that one little incident can incite violence. That said, you should have been preparing for such incidents long before.
Get Insurance
Every responsible business owner knows the importance of insurance. Have your business insured so you still get something in case something bad happens. Before deciding on an insurance company, assess your risks first. Determine the most probable situations that can happen to your business. Examples include accidents, lawsuits, natural disasters, fire or arson, and theft, looting included.
Do the same with your properties. Have your home and car insured. Of course, it’s a no-brainer to get personal insurance, too. In case something happens to you, your family will get financial support to help them get through the trying times.
Secure All Entryways
Reinforce all possible entrances to keep the rioters from coming into your home. First, strengthen your doors. A well-placed kick can bring a door down. You need to reinforce the door, particularly the strike plate and hinges using screws at least 3 inches long. The shorter the screws the easier it is to knock the door down. You can also use special tools such as security bars or door jammers.
Replace glass windows and glass doors with shatterproof versions. Use burglar-proof film on both sides of the glass. Security screens and grills will also help though you still need to consider having a way out in case of fire or other emergencies.
Have wooden boards ready if you need to cover your windows. This is necessary to keep your home safe from hurricanes, snow storms, and social unrest. You’ll need a cordless drill and long screws to secure the boards quickly.
Build A Fence
No. We’re not making any “build a wall” jokes here. But you do need to build a fence to keep you and your property safe from possible intruders. Check with the local government and home owners association regarding rules on building a fence. If there are no issues, you should build one immediately. If you have a large property, however, you may need to hire a contractor.
Fences are your first line of defense against thieves and intruders. A simple wooden fence may work to keep these bad people away. Just make sure it’s strong and tall enough to dissuade looters.
There may be spaces between wooden planks that people can look through. Persistent thieves or looters can use these spaces to survey the situation inside. For a little more privacy and security, you can screw or nail plywood to the inner side of your fence. These boards also strengthen your fence further. You may also add barbed wire or razor wire at the top. Your home may look like a prison but at least you’ll be a lot safer than before.
The caveat here is that such tall fences and other visible safety measures will tell looters that the owners are well-to-do. For them, it means there could be lots of cash, jewelry and other valuable items inside. The trick here is to not look rich. Use recycled wood that will make your fence look old, which can be interpreted as the owners not having the resources to fix their fence or build a new one.
Install Proper Lighting
People up to no good will think twice if they know they can be seen and identified. The simplest way for that to be possible is to install proper lighting around your property.
Ideally, there should be street lights in your neighborhood. If there are none, you need to discuss this with the HOA. In the meantime, install security lights in front of your house so you can see who are what is coming.
Use motion-activated lights in other strategic areas around your home. These lighting systems turn on only when they sense movement. That means you save energy when the lights are off. Plus, when the lights suddenly turn on, the perpetrator may be startled and scoot out of there.
Install A Security System
Another way to deter and identify perpetrators is to have a security system. The loud alarm and fear of being recorded by the security cameras may keep rioters from entering your property. However, we’ve seen videos of looters doing their thing even with alarms blaring and the knowledge that security cameras are likely getting everything. Still, it’s important to have a security system. Even if the looters are undeterred, you have a chance to identify and eventually catch them with the help of the cameras.
Get A Dog
You’ll be surprised how effective a guard dog is in protecting your home from intruders. Train her to bark at strangers that get too close and attack if necessary. Take very good care of your dog so she’ll be loyal to you and protect your family with everything she got.
Build A Safe Room
A safe room is where everyone will hide during a home invasion, hurricane, tornado, and other emergencies. You can turn the basement, garage, or a room into your safe room. You need to reinforce the walls and door. If there are windows, you have to secure them well, too. Your safe room should be impenetrable and well-stocked with food, water and survival gear.
Create An Emergency Plan
Every family needs to have an emergency plan. This plan includes what to do in case you have to bug out or evacuate. Discuss in detail what each one will do in the event of an emergency. They should also know where to go and how to get there.
What To Do During A Post-Election Civil Unrest
Businesses and homes across the country have already taken steps to be protected from post-election violence. Some businesses have already boarded up their windows and closed their shops. Our guess is that they’ll remain closed until it is deemed safe.
In case you haven’t prepared your business yet, act fast before things get potentially bad. You must be careful, though. Riots can break out when you least expect it.
When You Are Out
If post-election violence does erupt, you must stay at home. Don’t go to places where there are on-going protests or riots. If you really, REALLY have to go out, don’t take routes near these riots. And be quick with whatever errand you have to do so you can hurry back home.
If you’re out and a riot starts nearby, get out of the vicinity immediately. There’s no use sticking around to see the action. You don’t want to be part of the action at all. So find the quickest and safest way out of there and go home so you can keep your family safe.
On your way home, pass by a bank or an automatic teller machine to withdraw money. Make sure it’s far from where the demonstrations are. In the event of a civil disorder, it’s possible that banks will close while ATMs will be ransacked. It’s better to have cash on hand during such tumultuous times.
If you are hurt, seek medical attention immediately. If you are still able to walk or drive to the hospital, do so but be extra careful. It would be better if you have someone take you there. Ideally, you should know basic first aid. Always carry a first aid kit in your everyday carry kit so you can treat yourself or other people during emergencies such as this.
Curfew will likely be enforced. Obey the regulations that the local government will enforce. You’re already dealing with the trouble caused by the rioters. You don’t want to get in trouble with the authorities, too.
When You Are At Home
Your home is perhaps the safest place to be while post-election violence is on-going. It’s not enough to just stay inside, though. You need to make your home intruder-safe. As mentioned, you should have been preparing for these kinds of scenarios.
Once post-election riots do break out, you should do some last-minute preparations in case the violence reaches your neighborhood. If you haven’t boarded up your windows yet, do so now. This should be easy if you use a drill and screws. Also it’s easier to remove the boards if you just screw them to your house.
Make sure to lock the gate and take everything of value inside the house. If you want to look less inviting to looters, dump your trash in front of your fence or house. You can always clean up afterwards.
Once inside the house, make sure every entryway is secure. Close and lock all the doors and windows. Double-check the garage door if it’s secure. Use door security bars and the like.
Gather everyone in the room. Bring food, water, medicines, first aid kit, phones, chargers, and other supplies. Bring the fire extinguisher and self-defense weapons such as guns, knives, pepper sprays, and baseball bats. Keep tabs on the news to see if the violence is headed your way. If things get a little too hot, you may want to evacuate to a safer place. The problem is that you can’t be sure if it’ll be entirely safe at where you’re planning to go to. Your best bet is to evacuate to a place far from the city where riots usually take place.
You should also have a way to survey the situation outside while inside the safe room. Make sure you can see what your security cameras are seeing. If the rioters reach your property, be ready to defend your loved ones. If you have guns, load ‘em up and take position. Fire warning shots first and hope that they leave your property. If not, be prepared to do some harm.
To avoid being caught in the crossfire, you should always be wary of what’s going on around you. Those who have already closed their stores and boarded their homes were wise enough to know post-election civil unrest is possible. If violence does break out and you’re unprepared, take this as a lesson you have to learn. Once it’s safe, take your safety and security seriously and start preparing for these kinds of situations. You should also learn to be more aware from this point forward.
A post-election civil unrest is definitely a scary scenario. Hopefully, it’s all good and peaceful while you’re reading this. If post-election violence does erupt, these tips should help you be better equipped to protect your property and more importantly, your family. Follow Gentleman Pirate Club to get more tips on how to survive riots and similar violent scenarios.
