Outdoor Life Prepare for Anything Survival Manual (56 page)

Leadership is one of those survival skills that rarely gets recognized for its importance. Having a leader is also an inescapable reality when acting as a group. Choosing one may seem tricky in the abstract, but you’ll find that there are natural-born leaders among us all. A good leader is decisive and steadfast, but willing to listen to dissenting voices and consider a range of options, including unpopular ones. He or she should be calm, courageous, and positive yet realistic. Don’t worry about what a potential leader does for a living in his or her regular life. Maybe they don’t have a critical leadership position as a day job, but given the chance, can finally play the role they were born to play. And in case you hadn’t noticed, this isn’t regular, everyday life anymore—this is an emergency, and good leadership is more important than ever.

If you’re in a leadership position, be aware of the fact that power is clearly a corrupting force. The news is full of accusations of wrongdoing in politics, from the lowest functionary to the highest office. Don’t fall victim to the same slipups that topple regimes and end careers in public office. Stay focused and knowledgeable about your position, and don’t lie or use your power to take what’s not yours. Don’t take bribes or show favoritism. Don’t let your vices, demons, and flaws out of their cage. Don’t turn your group into some kind of cult. And finally, remember your place. As a leader during a crisis situation, your job is to augment and assist the local government, police, and military—not replace them.

History is full of examples of great leaders—and plenty of horrible ones. Understand that there is much more to being a leader than making a few plans, barking out orders, or trying to keep everyone pacified. If the mantle of leadership falls on your shoulders during a bad situation, emulate the strongest leaders you know. Here are a few tips to keep in mind for your new role.

PLAN AHEAD
Being a solid leader requires a great deal of thought, planning, and consideration for the best interests of the group and the individuals in it.

MAINTAIN THE FOCUS
Remind everybody (often) that they are all on the same team with the same goal—the survival of the whole group.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE
Hold yourself to a higher standard. Set and maintain high moral and ethical bars, and don’t ask anyone to do anything that you wouldn’t do.

SET GOALS
Set realistic targets for your group and put the right person in the right job.

TELL THE TRUTH
Be honest and unapologetic. Do the things that must be done. Be open about your actions, and don’t back down when you’ve made the right decision.

LAY DOWN THE LAW
Have a group-approved plan ready ahead of time because, under stress, people will steal, lie, and fight. Don’t forget the existing laws of the land, either.

PREPARE FOR THE WORST
Expect all hell to break loose at some point. Hopefully it won’t, but you will have made a few plans if it does. Have a plan ready for each possible issue that you and your group can imagine.

LISTEN
Pay attention to your group and listen to what they say. Maybe they’re talking nonsense, but give it a listen anyway.

MEDICATE
Try to get your hands on a bottle of aspirin, too—you’re going to need it.

Tough times can bring out the best in people—but they can also bring bad guys out of the woodwork. There’s a certain sort of sociopath who lives to wield power over others. These folks often appear charismatic, smart, and competent at first. Don’t jump to conclusions, but don’t be misled either. Here are some traits to watch out for before throwing your support behind that charismatic newcomer.

CHARMING
Sociopaths are often incredibly charming, seeming like born leaders. In fact, they are excellent con artists, using charm to manipulate and control others.

ENTITLED
Sociopaths believe that they are better than others and will stop at nothing to prevail, as they genuinely believe they deserve it.

LACK EMPATHY
Sociopaths can be nice and helpful when they need to, but they lack true, deep emotions. Similarly, they show no remorse for their actions. If you get an apology from a sociopath, it’s because he or she wants something from you. Sociopaths have few or no real friends and don’t tend to have romantic relationships.

BLAME OTHERS
Nobody likes to mess up, but most folks will admit error and move on. The true sociopath always manages to pin the blame on someone else. They can often be bullies, intimidating or manipulating people to get what they want—or just for fun.

Taking over an abandoned prison facility might work on television, but if you’re looking to legally and rightfully create a system of defenses, you’re better off fortifying what you have. You will be most within your rights defending your own home, wherever that may be. But depending on the nature of the emergency and whether you are welcome in other places, you may want to carefully consider where else to set up your defenses.

FARM COMPOUND
Open fields for clear visibility and existing barbed-wire fences are the best defensive assets a farm can offer. But this high visibility can backfire. If your farm is full of delicious-looking animals, the gates and fences might slow intruders, but they won’t stop them. Desperate folks will do what they must to get fed. This makes a farm less ideal than you’d think in most short-term and long-term disaster scenarios.

NEIGHBORHOOD COMPOUND
Urban and suburban streets and cul-de-sacs that are full of homes can be marshaled into a compound, provided your neighbors are willing, absent, or otherwise indisposed. Neighborhoods are full of resources that a building would lack, and they’re not an obvious food source like a farm. The neighborhood stronghold has plenty of vulnerabilities, however, as it’s large, sprawling, and hard to seal off from foot traffic. Neighborhoods are also very prone to looting and door-to-door robbing in the aftermath of a disaster.

BUILDING COMPOUND
A stand-alone building, preferably with minimal entrances, has the potential to be a surprisingly good base. Small high-rises, office buildings, and warehouses are generally well built and offer a number of defensive possibilities. Again, your neighbors need to be on board (if the building is a dwelling), and you’ll also need to shore up the first floor, as every door and window is a point of entry for those who would try to break in.

An improvised defensive compound isn’t really all that defensive. That’s why the careful actions of its defenders can be a matter of life and death, especially in a situation that requires a compound. Keep these basics in mind and don’t let all those action movies go to your head.

DO
maintain a house or building inside your defensive perimeter as a headquarters.

DON’T
allow strangers into your group or neighborhood. Anybody coming in should have verifiable business there.

DO
consider a dependable water source when you set up the boundaries of your perimeter.

DON’T
expect to rely upon precipitation for your compound’s water supply.

DO
rely upon the sharp senses of dogs, particularly protective breeds. They can hear and smell people sneaking around way before you could.

DON’T
forget to make sure that everybody in your compound is identifiable to each other, preventing false alarms and friendly fire.

DO
be patient with neighbors who don’t want to participate in the defense of the neighborhood. If things get ugly, they’ll probably change their tune.

DON’T
scare the police or military with your compound. Imagine their point of view as they encounter a group of armed individuals who have blocked off a road during a disaster. Keep your ID handy to prove that you live there, and keep your weapons out of your hands and out of sight when dealing with the authorities.

During social unrest and mayhem, you won’t have the time or resources to build walls and guard towers. However, there are still some things you can do almost anywhere to create a more defensible position.

STEP 1
Decide what you are willing to defend. Basically, you are marking the boundaries of your protected area. Consider the role existing walls, waterways, buildings, and fences can play in your defense.

STEP 2
Establish a controlled entry/exit point for the neighborhood. This may mean blocking off a street with derelict vehicles (if things are really that bad). If vehicles are operational, several could be parked to create a “gate” to keep out other vehicles.

STEP 3
Enhance existing defensive structures. This can be anything from locking gates in fences to boarding up windows and doors around the perimeter. Look at your perimeter from the outside, try to figure out ways in, and do your best to seal them off.

STEP 4
Set up a fallback position. This would be a place of refuge if you had to retreat within your perimeter, like the strongest and most defensible home within the neighborhood. Keep it well supplied with water and food, in case you have to spend a few days waiting out rioters.