How to Get Away from a Warzone
With dramatic increases in the frequency of military conflicts throughout the world, it’s very possible if not inevitable for civilians to find themselves in a live combat zone. If they want to stay alive they absolutely have to get themselves and their families into a working mindset which allows everyone involved to stay focused on living so that they all stand a better chance of combat survival. This short article will offer some of the best advice for civilians stuck in these situations.
The first part of successful combat survival requires you to assemble your family and anyone who is going along with you so you can make and explain a plan to everyone, including any children. It’s so important that you decide which way is best and then rank any secondary routes in order of their usefulness should your preferred path be blocked.
You must then gather and ration any supplies your group will require and remember that each person must have some food and water on their person in case they get lost. Rucksacks are pretty much perfect for this purpose.
In terms of getting lost or separated, it might also be useful to establish some tactical code words that all party members will recognize. This would ensure that any messages given to the escape party by third parties are genuine or not should the escapees get separated. A third party which attempts to communicate with the family without the code, they should be considered dangerous and have to be avoided at all costs.
Before any escape, the party should select some rally points as it will be easier to get separated than it will be to stay together, particularly in the noise, confusion and mayhem of live combat. You should use relevant landmarks or attractions, though it might be better to use family-orientated landmarks such as an uncle’s house or somewhere that all family members are readily familiar with. Each member of the escape party must be aware of each rally destination if they get separated and a new waypoint must be set and confirmed with each member every time a point is passed.
Be careful with every step so that the escape party can avoid trip wires, traps and IEDs commonly found in warzones, particularly at or near food and water sources as these areas often contain explosives. If an air flare is walked on each member of the escapees must close both eyes, hit the ground and remain deathly still.
Finally, the family must make their way by night and, unfortunately, you have to avoid other people at all costs as it can often be difficult to know who to trust in a combatescape situation. In addition, the larger your family group, it is much more likely that you’ll be seen, captured and or killed. Simply put, it requires extreme discipline to survive a combat zone by walking away from it.