As you have seen from Ferguson this year or Ukraine exactly 1 year ago, an angry mob can be just as dangerous and unpredictable as just about any natural disaster. Thousands of people are killed in riots all over the world each year, and these riots erupt from a number of racial, religious, economic, political, or social causes that cannot be predetermined. If youve found yourself in the middle of a riot, you may not be able to run away immediately, but you can take some measures to protect yourself from harm. If you want to know how to survive a riot, just follow these steps. 1. Be prepared. Riots can start suddenly and without warning. If you know youre in an a riot-prone area but have no way to avoid being there, then taking a few simple precautions can have a big impact on your life: •Get familiar with your area. If youre just visiting for a summer of new in the neighborhood, you should still get to know your location as intimately as possible. Study a map until youre very comfortable with the area where you work, the area where you live, and the passages in between. •Think about your possible escape routes and safe havens before anything actually happens. Crossroads are the best because youve got at least one road to race off down if rioters go crazy or the police start charging. •If you work in a volatile environment, make sure you know several routes for getting home so that you have a number of methods of escape in the event of a riot. •Carry small amounts of cash with you in case you need to quickly arrange transportation, pay off looters, or address your basic needs. 2.Remain calm. Riots bring intense emotions boiling to the surface. In order to survive you have to keep your own emotions in check. Your adrenaline and survival instincts will kick in, but strive to think rationally and pursue safety methodically. Avoid confrontation by keeping your head down. Walk at all times. If you run or move too quickly, you might attract unwanted attention. The key is to blend in. 3. Keep your loved ones close. If youre not alone, you must do your best to stick together. The first thing you should do is grip the hands or lock elbows of the people who are with you. If youre with a child, hold him in your arms so he doesnt get trampled. Reassure the people youre with youll be fine if you stick together. 4.If youre in a car. Unless your car is the focus for the angry mob in the riot, you should stay in the car and continue driving as calmly as possible. See what streets are clear of riots and stick to them. Avoid the main roads that are more likely to be occupied. Keep moving forward and dont stop to assess the situation. If someone tries to block your car, honk and keep driving until he gets out of the way. DO NOT hit anybody! Drive at moderate speed so they have time to back off and realize that you mean business. •Dont let a few angry people stop you from driving your car and keep going unless you absolutely cant. •Protesters are afraid of cars because there have been cases of any drivers running down people who got in the way on the roads. Remember to be firm, but not aggressive, to avoid giving the wrong impression. 5. Dont get involved. The last thing you want to do is try to take sides, help out, or stand out. you should stand out as little as possible as you move to the outside of the mob and away from the action. To do this, stay close to the walls and other barriers, avoid bottlenecks, or any areas where a lot of people are squeezing through a small space. 6. Avoid heavy-traffic areas. Avoid the areas that are most likely to be crowded and stay off the beaten path so you dont put yourself in a dangerous situation. When trying to get home home always pick the safest route not the quickest. Heres what you should do: •Avoid major roads. Major roads, squares, and other high traffic areas are likely to be crowded with rioters. If possible, stick to less-traveled side streets to avoid the mobs. •Avoid public transportation. Buses, subways, and trains will likely be out of service, and stations and depots will probably be packed with people. 7. Get away from trouble spots as calmly as possible. Try to go with the flow of foot traffic.If you go against it youre much more likely to stand out, to get stampeded, or just to get pushed or blocked. If you feel that you may fall down in the big crowd and get trampled, use your elbows to push down on the crowd so that it carries you. Continue to move with the crowd until you can escape into a doorway, an alley, a side street, or a safe building. If youre in the middle of a crowd, its especially important to try to move in the direction of the crowd until you may your way to the outside of the crowd. 8. Find a safe area indoors. Riots most commonly happen outside on the streets, not inside buildings. Just by moving inside a sturdy and controlled building, you can protect yourself from the brunt of a riot. Any building with a basement, or even a sub-basement, can help you hide from a mob. Being in any safe building at all is safer than being out on the streets. Look for homes that can serve as safe houses in advance if youre really concerned about finding a safe space in the event of a riot. If you can, talk to the owners first. •Lock the doors and windows and stay away from them. Watching the riot from the windows only increases your chances of getting hurt. •Move to rooms that are deep inside the building, to avoid getting hit by stones or bullets. •Look for at least two exits in the building in case you need to leave in a rush. •Leave if the building catches fire. 9. Keep in touch with the news. Use the social media to track where to stay away from. Listen to the local radio and news. Just as the rioters have started using social media and texting to alert one another where to go, you can ask people you trust to help you know where to stay away from. •Social media may provide new information as rapidly as possible, though it may not be as accurate, so keep your bases covered. •Staying informed can help you avoid a riot by knowing which areas should be avoided in advance
Posted on: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 21:21:34 +0000
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