Tag: trauma

How To Stay Safe and Survive During a Riot in Tennessee

On By The.Daily.ChristianIn Tennessee, Tennessee Riots, Tennessee’ Survival PreppersLeave a comment

When the streets boil over with chaos and the sirens echo louder than common sense, you’ll quickly learn one brutal truth: you’re either prepared or you’re prey. As a survival prepper with years of training in self-defense and bushcraft, I’ve witnessed the fine line between survival and tragedy. Riots are unpredictable beasts. They erupt fast, spread faster, and leave devastation in their wake. Whether you’re in Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga, or a small town that rarely makes the news, knowing how to stay safe during a riot isn’t just smart—it’s survival.

Let’s walk through essential knowledge that’ll help you stay alive and protect those you love. This isn’t sugar-coated theory; it’s the kind of practical, field-tested advice forged in fire and reality.

Mindset Before Mayhem: Stay Aware, Stay Ahead

Before we dive into self-defense and survival builds, understand this: survival starts before the first brick is thrown. Situational awareness is your first line of defense. Always be aware of your surroundings. If you see protests forming or tension rising—leave. You don’t want to be a spectator to chaos.

Stay informed through police scanners, local news, and social media, but avoid getting glued to your screen. Have a “go-no-go” bag ready, and a family emergency plan rehearsed.

8 Essential Self-Defense Skills to Survive a Riot

You don’t need to be Bruce Lee. You need to be efficient, decisive, and confident. Here are eight self-defense skills every Tennessean should master to stay alive during a riot:

1. The Fence and Verbal De-escalation

The “fence” is a non-threatening stance with your hands up and open between you and a potential attacker. It’s defensive but looks passive. Combine it with calm, confident verbal de-escalation—your first attempt should always be to defuse, not escalate.

2. Situational Awareness Training

Learn to read a crowd, pick out threats, notice body language, and spot exits. Trust your gut. If it feels wrong, it probably is.

3. Basic Striking Techniques

Master open palm strikes, elbows, and knee strikes. These are devastating in close quarters and don’t injure your hands like punching can. Learn to target the nose, chin, solar plexus, and knees.

4. Escape from Grabs

If someone grabs your wrist, shirt, or backpack, you need fast, instinctive techniques to break free. Use leverage, not strength. Practice wrist breaks, lapel releases, and hair-pull escapes.

5. Ground Defense

In a riot, being on the ground is dangerous. Learn how to break your fall, protect your head, and get up quickly using shrimping and tactical rolls.

6. Improvised Weapon Use

A belt, flashlight, rolled-up magazine, umbrella, or even a backpack can be a weapon. Train with common objects and learn how to use them effectively.

7. Mob Navigation Techniques

Move with the flow of a crowd, not against it. Keep your arms up to protect your chest, and wedge yourself sideways like a swimmer cutting through water. Never get pinned against a wall or fence.

8. Mental Conditioning and Fear Control

Your ability to manage fear is everything. Practice stress inoculation—simulate stressful environments while training. Adrenaline dumps can paralyze or energize; it’s up to your mindset and preparation.

DIY Survival: 3 Ways to Build Weapons for Defense

In Tennessee, you might find yourself miles away from police protection. If looters are breaking into homes or mobs are closing in, having defensive tools—preferably homemade and legal—can save lives.

1. PVC Pipe Baton

Materials: 1-inch PVC pipe (18-24 inches), sand, duct tape.
How: Fill the pipe with sand or small gravel, seal both ends with caps or duct tape, and wrap the outside with grip tape. This baton is strong, heavy, and can be carried discreetly.

2. Slingshot with Ball Bearings

Materials: Y-shaped tree branch, surgical tubing, leather pouch, and steel ball bearings.
How: Carve a strong, symmetrical Y-branch, attach surgical tubing to the ends, and fit a leather pouch in the middle. This DIY slingshot can easily deliver deterrent-level damage and fits in a pocket.

3. Door Brace Spear

Materials: Wooden broom handle, long steel screw, electrical tape.
How: Sharpen one end of the broom handle or insert a long steel screw (tip exposed) into the end, and wrap with electrical tape to secure. You now have a spear you can brace behind a door or use in self-defense if a home invasion occurs.

Note: Always check Tennessee state laws about homemade weapons to avoid legal trouble.

Quick Riot Survival Checklist

When a riot ignites, every second matters. Here’s your fast-response list:

  • Keep your bug-out bag (BOB) packed and in your vehicle or near the exit.
  • Include water, energy bars, first aid, cash, flashlight, local maps, multi-tool, and ID.
  • Wear neutral clothing (no logos, nothing politically charged).
  • Use a mask and goggles for tear gas protection.
  • Have a rally point for your family to meet if separated.
  • Avoid major intersections and commercial zones where looters gather.
  • Park your vehicle nose-out for a quick escape.
  • NEVER try to reason with a riot. Escape is your mission, not confrontation.

Escape & Evasion in Tennessee’s Terrain

If you’re forced to flee urban areas, Tennessee’s wilderness can be your sanctuary. Know how to use the landscape:

  • Wooded Escape Routes: The Smokies, Cumberland Plateau, and local greenways offer excellent cover and mobility.
  • Creekbeds and Rail Lines: Use these to move unseen and avoid roadblocks or mobs.
  • Abandoned Barns and Outbuildings: Many rural areas have old shelters that can be used temporarily if you need to lay low.

Final Word: Preparation Is the Ultimate Equalizer

When law and order break down, your ability to stay calm, defend yourself, and move smart becomes your currency of survival. Tennessee is a proud, resilient state with a deep heritage of independence. Channel that strength, but don’t let pride get you killed. You’re not trying to win a fight—you’re trying to win the right to keep living.

Stay alert. Train hard. Prep smart. And remember: fortune doesn’t favor the bold—it favors the prepared.

How To Stay Safe and Survive During a Riot in Louisiana (Especially New Orleans)

On By The.Daily.ChristianIn Louisiana, Louisiana Preppers, New Orleans riots, UncategorizedLeave a comment

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re worried about the growing tension, unrest, and chaos spreading across cities—including right here in Louisiana. Whether it’s New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, or a smaller parish town, no place is truly off-limits when society boils over.

I’ve been in this game for over 20 years. Former Marine, lifelong prepper, and self-defense instructor. I don’t sugarcoat things: when a riot kicks off, you’ve got two choices—be prepared or be prey. The goal isn’t to fight every battle—it’s to survive and protect what matters most: your life, your family, and your home.

Let’s get into the nitty-gritty. Below, I’ll lay out the top 8 self-defense skills you need to survive a riot, along with 3 DIY survival weapons you can build fast using what you’ve already got. But before that, I want you to understand the mindset: don’t panic—prepare.

First, Know the Nature of a Riot

Riots move fast and unpredictably. What begins as a peaceful protest can escalate in minutes with one bad actor. Fires, looting, and armed aggression can erupt out of nowhere. And in Louisiana, where gun laws are loose and tempers are fiery, things escalate fast.

You won’t have time to think in the moment. You’ll only have time to react. That’s why training and preparation save lives.

8 Self-Defense Skills You MUST Know Before a Riot

1. Situational Awareness

This is your #1 weapon—awareness beats strength. Always know your exits, keep an eye on crowd behavior, and trust your gut. If people start pushing, shouting, or moving aggressively, leave immediately. Watch hands, not faces—that’s where the danger comes from.

2. De-escalation Techniques

Sometimes your mouth can save your life. Know how to use calm, confident speech to avoid confrontation. Back away slowly, speak clearly, and avoid threatening posture. Your tone should be firm, not fearful.

3. Escape and Evasion Tactics

Move like a ghost. Stick to the edges of crowds, never the middle. Learn how to use alleyways, stairwells, parking garages, and even rooftops as exit routes. Blend in—don’t draw attention. Carry a hoodie, change your appearance quickly if needed.

4. Striking Vital Points

If it comes to a fight, go for the vitals: eyes, throat, knees, and groin. A good palm strike to the nose or throat can end a fight before it starts. This isn’t MMA—it’s survival. You’re buying time to escape, not win a trophy.

5. Improvised Weapons Training

You don’t need a gun to defend yourself. A flashlight, tactical pen, belt buckle, or even a steel water bottle can become a devastating weapon in the right hands. Train with what you carry every day.

6. Ground Defense

If you get knocked down, fight like hell to get up. Protect your head and vital organs, and know how to shrimp (escape from underneath) and post (create space). Learn basic BJJ escapes—they save lives.

7. Knife Defense & Use

Know both how to defend against a blade and how to use one. A fixed-blade knife is easier to deploy than a folding one in high-stress situations. Aim for disabling—not killing. Slash tendons, stab center mass, and get out.

8. Firearm Handling (If Legal and Trained)

Louisiana allows open and concealed carry, but only carry a gun during a riot if you’re fully trained. Understand escalation of force, legal consequences, and keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot. Never brandish unless you intend to use it.

3 DIY Survival Weapons You Can Make at Home

When supply chains shut down or stores are looted, you’ll need to rely on your own resourcefulness. Here are three quick, brutal DIY weapons anyone can make.

1. The Pipe Baton

Find a metal or PVC pipe, about 1.5 to 2 feet long. Wrap the handle with paracord or duct tape for grip. Fill it with sand or small metal nuts to increase the weight. This is a blunt force tool that can break bones and end a confrontation fast.

2. The Slingbow (Modified Slingshot)

Take a high-tension slingshot and modify it to shoot arrows. Use surgical tubing for stronger draw, and fashion simple arrows from carbon rods or wooden dowels. It’s silent, reusable, and surprisingly accurate at short range.

3. The Weighted Sap Cap

Take a ball cap and sew lead fishing weights or metal washers into the rim of the hat. Looks normal—but swing it in a pinch, and it hits like a blackjack. Easy to carry, quick to use.

Additional Riot Survival Tips (Specific to Louisiana)

  1. Know Your Exits – Downtown New Orleans or Baton Rouge? Know where the bridges, tunnels, and back roads are. Avoid interstates during riots—they get jammed fast.
  2. Keep Your Vehicle Riot-Ready – Full tank of gas, bug-out bag in the trunk, and always park facing out for a quick escape.
  3. Stay Off Main Streets – Rioters gravitate toward popular streets, government buildings, and shopping centers. Avoid these areas at the first sign of unrest.
  4. Use Police Scanners or Local Apps – Get real-time updates. Apps like Scanner Radio, Citizen, or local Facebook groups can tell you where the chaos is happening.
  5. Avoid Confrontation – Your ego can get you killed. If someone challenges you, ignore and exit. Pride is the luxury of peace—not war.

Mental Toughness: Your Greatest Asset

In a survival scenario like a riot, your mindset is 80% of your success. You have to stay calm under chaos, make quick decisions, and protect your own. That includes understanding when to fight and when to flee.

Train regularly. Not just physically, but mentally. Simulate what you’d do in a riot. Go through “what-if” scenarios. Practice bugging out from your home. Rehearse using your DIY weapons.

Train like your life depends on it—because it might.

Final Words

I don’t write this to scare you—I write it to prepare you. I’ve seen what happens when good people get caught in bad situations. And I’ve seen how quickly the rule of law disappears when the fire starts spreading.

Louisiana is a beautiful state—but she’s wild, proud, and unpredictable. That means you can’t rely on the government, the police, or your neighbors when the lights go out and the crowd turns angry. You’ve got to rely on yourself.

Survival isn’t luck—it’s training.