Tactical Thoughts on New Years Eve

The fact that I will be spending my New Year's Eve on the Las Vegas Strip with hundreds of thousands of other people is pretty much a given...unfortunately.  I would rather be home in front of the TV.  But the spouse is fairly insistent since it is a "once in a lifetime event" and also because in our 25+ years of marriage it is just part of the deal that if something is super important to one of us, the other will go along with it whether they are actually thrilled about the prospect or not (such as when I decided that we should sell everything we own and travel for the last year--the spouse was less than inspired but it was very important to me...so I guess this is payback).  Anyway...  Since I get to be one of the civilians thrown into the mess instead of one of the planners of how to coral the mess (although visions of disaster mitigation are still dancing in my head, retired or not), here's some of my thoughts on our upcoming adventure:

• We will park off the Strip and walk to our destination since driving anywhere near there will be a disaster in and of itself.  Plus I would like to be home sometime before 4am and that involves getting away from the traffic as quickly as possible even if it includes walking a mile or so.
• We will of course dress for the occasion.  I've seen the news clips of scantily clad females in spike heeled shoes walking down the Strip celebrating New Years but that seems insane.  Walking shoes, check.  Jacket, check. Maybe even gloves--it gets cold in the desert at night.
• Any important items that we carry will be zippered into the inside pockets of our jackets.  A crowd that big is a pickpocket's dream so carrying your wallet in your back pocket is out, along with any other item that you could be relieved of quickly.
• I will also carry a small backpack (on my front, not on my back where again, thieve could get at its contents) which will contain: a bottle of water, a small first aid kit, a knife, a bandanna, goggles, a square of fluorescent fabric, a couple of granola bars, a flashlight, matches, para cord, zip ties, packet of tissue, and large garbage bag.
• Carrying a firearm is, well, still something I will do but I don't recommend it for the partying masses.  First, someone who is drunk shouldn't be in control of a firearm.  Second, although an active shooter scenario is always a possibility, our plan would be to duck, cover, and get the Hell out of there in such an instance.  NO ONE wants to find themselves in a situation where you are returning fire with a crowd behind your target (if you can even find your target, as hearing shots from the crowd as opposed to standing right next to the shooter makes it difficult to identify your target in the first place).  So concealed carry is OK but actually using your firearm in a crowd is definitely not.
• We will stay on the fringes of the crowd, not in the middle of the swarming masses.  And also check and re-check for exits to use in the event of a crisis.  In a set venue this is simple but in a large outdoor venue exits can move (as people move, barricades are moved, etc).  I will also be keeping an eye on visible security (which also moves in such a venue), the crowd overall (you can generally tell when something is about to happen by looking at the overall pattern of the crowd), and any other things that have the potential to turn into a threat.
• We have a plan for when and where to meet if we get separated.  Even though we each have a phone, there are a number of reasons that we may not be able to contact each other this way (the circuits may be overloaded, we may not be able to hear over the roar of the crowd, and texting is difficult if you are crowded up against people).  Of course the plan is multi-faceted with three different places to meet, in order, and three different times to meet (in case we can't get to location one, for example).
• Of course I will check for dangers as we go through the event.  Generally in large crowds you want to avoid bad weather like thunder and lightening (shouldn't happen here), the crush of the crowd (such as a stampede which could lead to being crushed or trampled), and other obvious dangers (fire, fights, getting between law enforcement and whatever group they are trying to control), etc.
• We will be on our best behaviour, as usual.  In other words we won't be drunk, belligerent, or looking for a brawl which can quickly get out of hand in a crowd situation.  That's basically how melees start.  If you can tell there may be a problem, your best bet is to diffuse the situation as quickly as possible then leave the area as quickly as possible. 
• We will be responsible for our own safety.  Although I am assuming there will be plenty of security at the event (an added bonus is the large number of security personnel in the casinos and a military base near by...otherwise the nearest reinforcements are five hours away), in these types of situations, taking care of each individual in the crowd is not at the top of law enforcement's priority list.  Such a thing would be impossible of course, due to the number of law enforcement versus the number of people in the crowd, plus LE is there for over all crowd control and major disaster mitigation.
• Finally, I hope to get in and get out as quickly as possible.  We plan to arrive sometime past 10pm and leave shortly after midnight while the crowd parties on. 

I hope you all have a safe and pleasant New Year's Eve.

End of the Year Wrap Up

Some random stuff for the end of the year...

• I hope you all had a great Christmas.  It was busy but pretty low-key around here, just the way I like it.
• Have a safe and happy New Year.  The spouse is insistent on spending New Year's Eve on the Strip in Las Vegas. I'm less than enthused about spending any time at all in a crowd of hundreds of thousands.
• With lots less work and lots less traveling, at least for the first half of next year, the blog should be updated much more regularly.
• Please do not drink and drive this coming weekend.  It could save your life or the life of another.
• There's been plenty of rumbling about TEOTWAWKI happening at the end of next year (mostly due to then end of the Mayan calendar).  If you are prepared for such a thing on a daily basis this could be a chance or test out your preps and less of a "running around like a chicken with it's head cut off" thing like the unprepared masses may experience.  But then again, it could turn out like Y2K.
• Thanks to all who have supported our efforts at CNI!

The Threat Assessment

Right after we move into a new place and I run through the 35 questions about our new home, I then proceed to conduct a simple threat assessment.  Here's what it entails:

• First, make sure there are no threats inside your home, using the list above.
• Next, do a simple walk around your neighborhood and maybe talk to a few of the neighbors and determine if there are any threats in your neighborhood (this can be anything from living right next to a chemical plant to hearing the neighbors fight every night to seeing graffiti repeatedly in your neighborhood).
• You can also check and see what kind of threat assessment tools are provided by your local police department, such as this, this, and this.
• I also sign up for alerts (either via text messages, email, or FaceBook) from the local fire department, department of emergency management, and Nixle for my area.
• Finally, I Google "threat analysis" for my city and state and see what other work is being done in this area that can shed some light on current threats to my area such as this, this, and this.

By conducting a threat assessment of your local area, you will be well positioned to plan for situations that are most likely to affect you.  This will allow you to fine-tune the contents of your BOB, take pre-emptive action towards threats if necessary, and plan for disasters that are more than likely to happen (ie: you don't want to spend your time planning for a tornado if the area you live in is much more likely to be hit by an earthquake, etc).

50 Important Documents to Keep on Hand

I finally got my new Nevada driver's license.  What with traveling and moving and shuffling stuff in and out of storage, it was a bit of a challenge to get all of the documents together to actually go and apply for the license and although I have copies of all of my important documents on a secure thumb drive, only original documents would do.  So with a bit of effort, all of my documents are now safely residing in a hidden safe in our home.  Here are the documents you should always have on hand:

1. Your driver's license
2. Your social security card
3. Your military ID
4. Your concealed carry license
5. Your birth certificate
6. Your marriage certificate(s)
7. Your divorce decree(s)
8. Your children's birth certificates
9. Your spouse's birth certificate
10. Your passport
11. Your DD214 (for military members)
12. Other military records (VA disability award letter, etc) 
13. Your Will, Living Will, and Power of Attorney
14. Your spouse's Will, Living Will, and Power of Attorney
15. Death certificates (for any spouses and children)
16. Past seven year's tax returns
17. Investment records (stock certificates, bonds, etc)
18. Adoption records (yours, your spouse's, your children's if applicable)
19. Your green card (if applicable)
20. Baptism records (if applicable)
21. Insurance policies (home, life, health, auto)
22. Copyright and patent records
23. Updated immunization records (for you, your spouse, and your minor children)
24. Deeds and titles (for real estate, vehicles, burial plots, etc)
25. An annually updated household inventory
26. List of your debts and credit cards (with account numbers)
27. List of banks and investment firms (with account numbers)
28. Documentation of debts owed to you
29. Citizenship and naturalization documents (if applicable)
30. Education records (high school diploma, college diplomas)
31. Professional licenses (state medical license, cosmetology license, license to practice law, etc)
32. Employment records
33. Medical history (for each family member)
34. Updated list of prescription and non prescription meds for each family member (if applicable)
35. Record of funeral plans
36. An "if I die" letter (include people to call, location of keys/safe codes, location of important records, etc)
37. Pet records (license, vaccination card, etc)
38. Warranties and receipts (for appliances, cars, etc)
39. Updated list of monthly bills (include everything from mortgage to electricity and cable with account numbers)
40. Retirement records (pensions, annuities, IRAs, etc with account numbers)
41. Other medical forms (DNR form, organ donor card, etc)
42. Legal settlement/judgement records (bankruptcy, insurance claims, etc)
43. Child custody records (records should be legal documents that include a parenting plan, custody award, child support order, etc)
44. Real estate records (mortgage, tax assessments, easements, etc)
45. Updates vehicle records for cars, boats, motorcycle, etc (insurance card, registration)
46. A file for tax records (W2 forms, charity and other deductible expenses, etc)
47. A "kidnapping" file, for lack of a better term, for each family member (include recent photo, physical description, photo of tattoos and scars, even a DNA sample)
48. Copies of criminal records (date, charge, disposition, etc)
49. Updated net worth statement
50. A list of user names and passwords for all of your online accounts

Preparedness Gifts for Your Christmas List

Here's the obligatory Christmas gift list, targeted towards the survivalists on your list, of course...

• Firearms.  Fortunately there aren't any anti-gunners in our family so giving firearms as a gift isn't an unusual--or shocking--occurrence.  When kids are younger they get a BB gun and as they get older they usually find a .22 rifle under the tree.  For the kids who develop a real interest in competitive shooting or hunting, they will eventually find something much nicer from "Santa Claus" (like a Mossburg, S&W, H&K, Sig, etc).
• Knives.  Everyone should own a good knife.  Even grandma should carry a small pocket knife in her purse for simple things like opening packages or peeling an apple while on a picnic with the grandbaby.  A pocket knife will be something that people will own for a lifetime so make sure it is of good quality.
• Outdoor gear.  There are plenty of people in the family who participate in outdoor sports which makes Christmas shopping a lot more fun (meaning I would much rather spend my time perusing gifts at Bass or REI than at the mall).  Whether you buy some fancy new long underwear for the hunters in the group, a snowboard for Junior, or the latest gadget for the long-distance bicyclist or runner in the family, quality outdoor gear is yet another item that will be used for years and years so makes an excellent gift.
• Emergency gear.  I know.  I've been told that buying flashlights and Bug Out Bag stuff for Christmas doesn't make people say "wow!" but how can a person resist the lure of a new Maglight or a comprehensive first aid kit??  I am sure these kinds of things will be much more appreciated during an emergency than a tie or a sweater.
• Experiences.  By far one of the best gifts that you can give someone, especially the person who has everything, is an experience.  Experiences--everything from a deep-sea fishing trip to a guided hunting trip in Alaska (or something less costly and closer to home)--will be something that a person remembers forever with the added bonus that the lessons learned on these types of trips are skills that a person will be able to keep--an use--forever.

The bottom line--in my mind anyway--is that giving gifts shouldn't be something that one does just to check a name off a list but it should be done with purpose in mind.  The main purpose being that the gift has some sort of usefulness that would come in handy during every day tasks as well as during an emergency situation.

35 Questions About Your New Home

This has been moving week as we shuffle our stuff into a rental place until our new place is finished in a few months.  After traveling for almost a year, I needed to make myself a list of things to check in our new place when we moved in (the old memory ain't what it used to be...).  Here's the list:

1. Are the smoke alarms working?
2. Are the carbon monoxide alarms working?
3. Have all of the door locks been re keyed?
4. Have all names been taken off the mailbox and replaced with just an address?
5. Has a home inspection been completed (you can do this yourself if it is a rental but when buying a place, a professional inspection is definitely worth the money)?
6. Have any problems (especially with a rental) been well documented and repairs been requested?
7. Has the place been thoroughly scrubbed from top to bottom?
8. If you notice signs of pest or rodent infestation has this been treated?
9. Have all window locks been checked to be sure they work?
10. Has the alarm system been reset with a new pass code?
11. Have all services been put into your name (water, gas, sewer, electricity, cable, etc)?  If you are living on the down low, have these services been put into your agent's name?
12. Have you checked the fire extinguishers to see if they exist and if they are fully charged?
13. Do you know where the emergency shut offs are (water, gas, electricity) and are there tools nearby to allow you to shut off these things?
14. Have you purchased insurance (home owners or renters) for your new digs?
15. Did you make a list of local emergency contacts (hospital, pharmacy, etc)?
16. Did you check all of the appliances to make sure they are in good working order?
17. Did you perform a safety check to make sure there aren't any dangers lurking in your new home (wobbly stairs, electrical problems, etc)?
18. Did you change all of the filters in your appliances (furnace, water purifying system, etc)?
19. Have you created a fire escape plan and practiced it with your family?
20. Did you give all family members their new info (address, phone number, etc) in case of emergency?
21. Did you photograph your new place before you moved in (especially if you are a renter)?
22. Have you walked around the outside of your new place in the day time and at night time to check for anything that may impact your safety (blinds that are too thin, exterior lights that are burnt out, etc)?
23. Did you immediately tidy up your landscaping to make your new home look less inviting to thieves?
24. Did you create a 'safe room' in your new place?
25. Did you paint, re-carpet, re-floor, etc before moving in (it's much easier than doing this after you move in)?
26. Did you create a file for all of the documents related to your new place (rental agreement, appliance warranties, etc)?
27. Did you do a walk-around and/or drive-around of your new neighborhood to look for potential problems?
28. Did you put in a change of address with the post office (skip, of course, if you use a ghost address)?
29. Did you change the address on your: driver's license, voter registration, CCR, bills, etc?
30. Did you check out your home and yard and make sure it will work for your pets (ie: fence is secure, there are no potential dangers for your pets, etc)?
31. Did you find out about your water supply (if from a well, has it been tested recently, if from a municipal source, is it fluoridated, etc)?
32. Are the first five things you placed in your home: toilet paper, flashlights in each bedroom with fresh batteries, basic food stuff, a bit of cash hidden somewhere, spare house key (hidden well somewhere outside)?
33. As you unpack, have you started a box of things you no longer want/need that you can get rid of before it takes up residence in your new place?
34. Have you introduced yourself to your new neighbors?
35. And all the other stuff: register your kids in their new schools, find a local doctor/dentist/vet, get a library card for the local library, review the rules of your HOA, give your friends and relatives your new contact info, etc. 

Some Events to Add to your 2012 Calendar

Usually around this time, I pick up a calendar for the coming year and develop a rough outline of the things I want to see/do/experience for the following year.  Here's what's on my list so far:

• The Warrior Challenge
• The Warrior Dash
• Spartan Race
• Tough Mudder
• Toughguy (actually probably the Nettle version as I should be in the UK this summer)
• USMC Mud Run
• Spartan Death Race
• Zombie Race
• Rugged Maniac

Notice a trend?  I may try one or two of these or maybe more.  Previously I have mostly worked on distance events (marathons, bike centuries) but this year I want to change things up and I have heard good things about almost all of these events.  Should be fun...