I have relied heavily on sniper tactics, since, I believe they suit my purposes the best. I don't really worry about being able to deliver precision fire to a specific target at long range. That would not be my purpose. Although as a long range precision shooter I practice, and am proficient in the skill. That is not what I see as being the best utilization of small unit sniper tactics in a disaster situation. What I am talking about is concealment, observation, and situational awareness. We'll tackle these one at a time, and show how they are effective as a defensive strategy.
Concealment
This should be obvious. In a disaster situation, it may not be in your best interest to stand out. There are hoards of people that will be desperate, and hungry, looking for any resource they can find. Many will not take no for an answer. The first step to avoiding this problem is not to look like you are any better off than they are. This is one of the reasons that I'm not a huge advocate for having a large back-up generator for my home. Noise and lights attract predators. I keep a small generator for very limited use. As long as I can keep batteries charged, and communications working, I don't need to have major electronics. Solar power may even be a better option. No noise, no fuel to store, as long as the sun is shining, it's working.
Next is vehicles. In a disaster situation, I'm going to make sure my vehicle is as protected as I can make it. So if you can, get parked in the garage. If not, find a place to keep it where it is least likely to be stolen or vandalized. That may sound petty right now, but I may need that vehicle. Maybe not initially, but the situation may change to the point that I have to evacuate, and a good vehicle will be the best option to facilitate that.
Finally, your person. Stay away from camouflage, anything that screams military or preparedness. At least in the early phases. This may very well make you a target. If you have to be out, maybe wearing your old work clothes. You know that set we all have, the pants with the mystery grease stain, and the jacket that isn't quite the right color anymore. Maybe not shave. While you don't want to jeopardize your health anything you can do to make yourself look like you are suffering just as bad as every other poor bastard out there.
The point of course is to blend in. Anything you can do to make yourself look like and insignificant nothing, is going to lessen your chances of being targeted by opportunistic bad guys.
Observation
Again, this is a very obvious concept. During a disaster, you should be watching everyone, and everything. Both to anticipate danger, and also to spot opportunities when they arise. Unfortunately, good observation skills are not easy to develop. They take time, and practice. More so today than ever. Next time you're at the mall, just put your back to a wall somewhere and look around. How many people are completely oblivious to anything but their phone. I would almost bet someone bumps right into you within a couple of minutes too. The common description is sheep, but I think it's closer to a bunch of ostriches. No one walks around with their head up, paying attention to what's around them.
Train yourself what to look for. Start now. Pay attention to the little details in your neighborhood. Look for anything that might be out of place. Play games with your kids. K.I.M.S. (Keep in Memory System) Games are great. They work so well in fact that they are used by the U.S. Military in many of their training courses.
Commit to being more observant. Go on hikes and see how many animals you can spot and identify. Anything you can do to train yourself to be a better observer.
Situational Awareness
If you have maintained good concealment, keeping yourself safe, and you have been observing the area around you, you are way ahead. Combining this with whatever news you are able to receive from the outside will give you much broader situational awareness. It is this awareness, knowing what is going on from micro to macro levels that will give you the information you need to safely and confidently make your next move.
It is very hard to make decisions with limited knowledge, but in a disaster, this will become the norm. You have to avoid indecision at all costs. Having good situational awareness will go a long way in this regard. You won't feel overwhelmed by uncertainty. You'll have information to act on. This will greatly increase your odds of surviving in a disaster situation.
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