Having a list of places to avoid after SHTF handy will ensure that you completely survive the catastrophe. If you’ve seen documentaries or footage of the aftermaths of a disaster, you’ll agree that lives are lost even after. This post-casualty is mostly put down to being in the wrong places.
6 Places To Avoid After SHTF
The chief course of action for nearly every prepper when SHTF is to isolate themselves at home (bug-in) or seek safety away from home (bug-out). Irrespective of your action plan, you have to be conscious of the sad fact that the rule of law is very likely to be flouted and a state of anarchy nearly implemented. Many people will go for what they’ve always wanted, and they don’t care about damaging a place to achieve their aim. Trust looters to break down stores that contain just about anything, including electronics, foods, liquor, clothes, and medicines. In fact, they target just about anywhere.
Asides from this, there are other dangers that you have to be wary of when bugging out, as you’ll read below. So, with this in mind, let’s look at six places to avoid after SHTF, so you don’t die or get hurt even after surviving the main catastrophe. We call this avoiding the “desert of death.”
Hospitals
You have to avoid hospitals at every possible cost because the risk of getting infected is high enough under ordinary, functioning circumstances, much more when things have gone awry. Should people start dying, clinics become a breeding environment for viruses and bacteria since anyone will hardly stick with safety precautions anymore.
In most crises, depending on what it is and its severity, hospitals get filled very quickly with casualties. When things are extreme, an expert may be required to care for over 20 patients, which is impossible. Hospitals are not where to be except you’re injured, because apart from the risk of infection, the emotional trauma associated with seeing so many deaths even after the disaster can be severe.
Large Shopping Malls & Public Squares
Usually, these are areas of great interest before, during & after a catastrophe and are truly the worst places you can find yourself. These places receive glances of affection every second of the day, and so, as soon as the chips are down, they are sure to be targeted. There’s no way to avoid it. In areas like that, looting & violence become the official currency, and I don’t think there’s a better reason to avoid a place than this.
Bottleneck Points
A bottleneck point, also referred to as a choke point, is where people are hounded together because they have to follow a specific route. These places are often depicted in disaster movies as where everybody gets stuck since nearly the whole populace is trying to bug out of the city, state, or country. Wherever this is, you must avoid it.
In places with dense populations, most people try to run to safety when SHTF, and while they cannot be blamed, we must agree that they do not know how to do so properly. The persons at a choke point are often panicky as they do not know what to do. Let’s imagine that thousands of people are to cross a bridge to get to various safe destinations. What do you think happens since about 95% of these people are filled with fear and fright? And remember, fear causes you to do many things you didn’t think you’d be able to. Now, keep in mind that nearly everyone is scared and trying so hard to reach safety.
Transport Infrastructure
During a catastrophe, modern transport infrastructure that eased lives when the waters were still will become unimaginably dangerous. The chaos that erupts in a major airway or train station after a large disaster is best to be imagined and not witnessed. This is because everyone is on their worst behavior, and it may quickly turn to a no bars held battle for survival. Major highways are nothing better since there will be thousands on the road, and it will only take a few accidents for the entire grid to collapse.
If a nuclear attack is in the picture, be assured that primary transport nodes are key targets. Bridges, airports, harbors & highways will be attacked to cripple movement and trap everyone. You should avoid here if you’re not keen on fighting to death for your survival.
FEMA Camps
They may be government-designated areas, but I daresay they are not among the best options for you. If you’ve prepped as expected, you will avoid places like this. FEMA camps aren’t picnic areas, and when SHTF, they quickly become a battle arena for people to combat for the limited resources. First, you’ll have to fight off those trying to break in to steal food and, at the same time, watch your back when inside. It’s a struggle that’s not worth it. Every major landmark, say a city or state park, conservation area & any other place that shelters the unprepared when disaster strikes, is sure to become a violent ground.
The major problem is that many see FEMA camps as the paradise to run to when in discomfort. They are often shocked and troubled to find out otherwise.
Major Cities
When there’s a serious emergency, people will cannibalize major cities for resources and, thus, cause total breakdown faster than you can imagine even as you read this now. When utility starts to fail, it’s only a matter of time before the police are overwhelmed. And soon as that happens, you should brace for apocalyptic disorders across major cities. The ones bugging in their homes will soon be forced to come to hunt for food should the disaster persist for long. In most major cities, it takes about a week for essential supplies to be exhausted. Believe me; city dwellers are not ready for that situation.
Takeaways From The Places To Avoid After SHTF
The key takeaway is that violence is what you court when you bug-out to any places to avoid after SHTF mentioned above. There’s no other way to put it. Blood will flow if you ever get caught up in such places. As a prepper, it is highly advisable to have marked out several safe locations you know you can bug out to when things go awry, and you now know where to never include in that list.