How Can You Prepare for Civil Unrest?

This year has been one like no other. As early as February, much of the U.S. started bracing for the arrival of COVID-19. It wasn’t long before it was here in full swing, leading to shutdowns and other unheard-of measures before the pandemic.

Following that, there have been a number of situations throughout the country that have led to civil unrest. Most recently was Philadelphia, but the upcoming presidential election also has many concerned that we could see more unrest.

So what can you do to protect your family and prepare for civil unrest? You may be especially worried if you live in a big urban area.

The following are some ways to prepare your family for emergencies of this type.

Decide If You’ll Stay Put
If you live in a suburban or rural area, you might not be overly concerned about the immediate threat of civil unrest. You could see protests or face some inconveniences if this is going on in a part of your city, but it’s unlikely to happen in more suburban areas.

If you live in a big city, you might want to create an emergency plan that gives you somewhere to go with your family if you’re nervous about the direction things are heading.

Be aware that civil unrest tends to spike in central locations that make it easy for people to come together.

If you’re staying home and you’re concerned, ensure that all of your entry points are secure. There’s just a level of uncertainty that you have to consider in these situations.

If you live in an apartment, you might just have one entryway you need to secure. If you live in a single-family home but it’s near a central area, you might want to secure all points of entry and perhaps even board up. It really just depends on your location and what the expectations are.

Get Supplies
You should have an emergency kit with supplies not just in the event of civil unrest but also if there’s a weather situation or if we have another major spike in COVID cases. We all remember the anxiety bare shelves were creating back in March, so if you have some staples on hand you can avoid this.

Aim to have at least a two-week stash of food, water, and medical supplies.

What’s good about stocking up on supplies is that it can also help you feel more in control of the situation and less panicked.

If you live somewhere that a situation is particularly risky or heated, you might plan to stay home and have enough supplies for as long as a month of sheltering in place. Of course, this is a worst-case scenario, but preparing for worse cases is what emergency planning is all about.

Car Supplies
If you have a car and you think you might at some point head of out of town, have at least a half tank of gas at all times. You might want an extra stash of gas because often, if situations are stressful, many people are heading out of town all at once, and they may be waiting in line for gas.

You should have an emergency kit in your car with non-perishable food, water, and some basic tools in case you experience car trouble.

Have a Plan If You Aren’t with Your Family and Something Breaks Out
By and large, we do have a pretty good idea of when situations will arise that would be considered civil unrest. Most of these situations occur in response to certain events and often are in the night hours.
However, if something happens and your children are in school, for example, you should have a plan for what you’ll do. Ask your child’s school what their emergency plans are as well. It’s good to know what school protocols are not just from a civil unrest standpoint but in case of any other scenario.

Finally, if you’re ever in a situation where you’re directly in harm’s way—for example, close to where you live is being overtaken by a mob—it’s important to try and find a safe spot. Don’t get accidentally involved in the mob, and don’t try to defend your home if it looks like an impossible situation. Safety is the priority.

Unfortunately, we’ve all had to endure so many challenging situations this year, but preparing your family for a broad set of possible emergencies is important. Again, preparing for emergencies isn’t just for civil unrest. There are natural disasters, fires, and a host of other situations that you should also prepare for.