This post is a follow-up to my Urban SHTF Survival - Head to the Roof post. I had a reader submit comments, comments so good they warrant their own post. See how this happens? You write good shit for me, and you’ll see your name in the lights - lol - in this case it’s “Angry Mike” in the lights today. Now then, take it away . . . Angry:
Rooftops are a great idea for the very short term. Long term…uhh…you will have more than a few problems when SHTF. The elements alone will be a problem. The higher you are the stronger the wind too.
In my mis-spent youth I was a New York City Guardian Angel. I walked roofs, subways, projects and streets. I am also a former US Army Ranger, thus I ALWAYS look for the most tactical advantage, at least in my opinion.
Being up high gives you tactical superiority until your position is compromised. In a city like NY with 10 Million people it will be compromised in about 20-30 seconds. Stealth is the key. Stealth means not being seen or heard. I like the idea of taking a dump in a bucket and tossing it off the roof even if I don’t really need to. Its funny sh*t.
Personally I would stick to the mid-levels of the building where my only way out isn’t over the side of the roof or through the pissed off mob at the only door. All buildings have stairways at each end, some in the middle. If you needed to get out you could go to one end, up a flight or two, cross the building and then down if need be. If you have something and 300 people don’t have what you have…you have will have nothing before long and probably get an unwanted flying lesson from them, off of the roof.
Most high rise buildings are constructed of concrete and steel, including the walls between each apartment for fire safety. They also make good bullet stoppers as well as keeping unwanted guests out.
If this is the case, your only threat/risk areas in your apartment are the doors and windows. These can be reinforced and risk minimized very cheaply with plywood, furniture, duct tape, etc. I don’t know of any gangs or thugs that rappel for sport or keep climbing gear. Grease the fire escape (floors, hand rails & ladder rungs) if you have one. You’ll hear them coming after they crack their tail bone and chip their teeth on the first step.
Then they have to get through your duct/clear packing tapped windows. No easy task regardless of the size of the thug or choice of tool they use. Most high rise windows are tempered glass or at least a lot thicker and stronger than a standard house window. A little clear construction adhesive or silicone mixed with lots of clear glass and applied to the interior and exterior window sill should also brighten their spirits.
The ax handle, 2X4 with 16 penny nails in it or sledge hammer next to the window will save on ammo. Add a machete and 18 inches of chain with 4 pad locks on the end, then switch up tools just for kicks. You could even use my Moms favorite, a 12 inch frying pan. Preferable hot. With Bacon grease in it. Don’t be silly and stand in front of the window, stand to the side out of view and wait for a limb or head to violate your space and then have at it!
The front door can be reinforced with a steel bar that locks in under the knob and rests in the floor. Hinges, locks and catch plates should have 4 inch, hardened screws. Adding Industrial type barrel bolts made from steel that drop in to 2 points on the floor, ceiling and each side should flat out stop anything from coming through if installed properly. These things are cheap too, around $15 each.
Install a peep hole viewer so you can see who is outside if there isn’t one. Drill another hole a few inches below it and a one a few inches above it that can be securely covered from the inside. This is a great access point for a lot of things like a sharpened steel rod to jab someone or a can or carburetor cleaner or WD 40 (with spray straw) and a Bic lighter. Can be used at the window too. Now thats a fire! If you opt out of the lighter a face and eye full of WD 40 will surely slow anyone down.
If you take to the roof, hopefully you are a coin collector and roll your pennies. These can be fired down on your enemy as can unopened cans of soup, boiling water, car tires, sinks, old pipes, worn out boots and shoes filled with concrete, even cats! They always land feet first, claws open.
I know all of these to be effective as I have encountered all of them. Welcome to the New York City projects!
As for a fire on the roof…most of those roofs are covered in tar. It may not look like it but they probably are. Tar burns. Without a grill or something to contain the fire and keep the heat off the tar…another unwanted flying lesson, this time self inflicted.
My personal choice is clearly the building interior but the roof could be a helluva good time too. Alcohol burning camp stoves could be used indoors without too much risk of fumes. Ventilation is always desired. Be creative. Your life depends on it.
Ranger BTW: If YOU are a survival ninja residing in an urban setting, your preps are not complete without this book from Ranger Man’s “book store”. Seriously, the book is awesome. It covers everything urban with lots of sweet pics.
Lastly, what kind of a guy would I be if I didn’t plug Angry Mike’s own store for the contribution? His store specializes in the stuff SHTFblog readers like.
8 responses so far ↓
1 SurvivalTopics.com // Jul 24, 2008 at 6:34 am
If I wanted to get you and your abode were in a high rise, SHTF of course, it might be an easy matter just to set the thing on fire. Simply wait down below for the rats, I mean You, to exit. Or cook (I like to give people a choice).
I’ll take my chances in the forest and mountains, which I’m more familiar with.
2 FlowerMan // Jul 24, 2008 at 10:23 am
Greetings future followers.
To those who predicted that FlowerWoman and I would be unsucessful in our venture, I say PooPoo.
I will have you know that our caravan left St. Louis last month and we are now nearly in Kansas City. We have raised 126.00 of the 100k we seek to build our compound of love in Northern Idaho. We still invite you to donate your wordly savings and join us.
Both of our VW’s broke down three days ago and we were worried taht all was lost. Running low on food, we resorted to eating wild mushrooms. Soon afterwards one of our members, Cucumber, spotted a herd of Unicorns. We are now setting out magic fairy dust to entice them to camp. We will soon saddle them up and ride to Idaho.
We encourage you all to abandon your guns and discover your arousal and join us. We will need money to purchase our Idaho land. It will be known as camp MoonBeam. Or Petunia. We will live on organic grown veggies and will frolic through the garden of mystical love.
Those wishing to join can meet us next week at the Denny’s on I-70 just west of Kansas City.
May higher consciousness pervade the loins of all of you.
F.M.
3 Ghost // Jul 24, 2008 at 12:17 pm
“Most high rise buildings are constructed of concrete and steel, including the walls between each apartment for fire safety. They also make good bullet stoppers as well as keeping unwanted guests out.”
This depends on the building purpose and era that it was built. As these will dictate when the building was initially built and fire and safety codes they were built to. Example most modern office buildings are hollow cores except for the Elevator shafts, restrooms, and stair wells. This is so the office can be easily redesigned depending on the clients needs. Which means 7.62 will really have a lot of penetration.
Other forgotten traverse points if the world has gone crazy are trash chutes (not in all buildings), and the wet wall (the area that the plumbing is run vertically in buildings, as seen in the movie Matrix,), and other traverse point can be generated by ladders and jumpers from other buildings.
Water in many buildings can become dangerous if doesnt circulate enough. As it becomes contaminated from the copper pipes and solder, or decaying pvc leach. Or worse the building has organisms in the water line.
The loss of primary power will effect a lot of the building. Most if not all the elevators will go into security mode (look for the freight elevator it may work). The HVAC will stop circulating air, and in most cases the building will begin to heat up due to green house effect. Hot air rises so this will cause the upper floors to get even hotter. Larger buildings may go into security mode and electronically lock down the exits, to allow exit only.
As mentioned fire will be a deadly concern. Even though most modern buildings have fire suppression systems.
If somebody does plan to use a high rise for as their survival keep after TEOTWAWKI . Its going to take a lot of preparation or destitution.
4 Michael Hawkins // Jul 24, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Ammonia and bleach makes chloramine, not chlorine …
5 Brian // Jul 24, 2008 at 3:25 pm
It is an interesting look at things from an urban standpoint. Lots of interesting ideas if you can’t get out of the city right away.
Oh, and the whole Flowerman unicorn thing… Holy-Mary-Mother of God! I laughed so hard I nearly pissed myself! That is some funny crap!
6 Rushman // Jul 24, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Don’t need flower power just firepower but it was funny. Hopefully not serious…….
7 Craig // Jul 24, 2008 at 7:46 pm
I’d rather piss in a wall outlet than try to survive in a city….
8 Angry Mike // Jul 26, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Ghost,
We are assuming that one lives in said high rise instead of works in it. If it s a sheet rock wall you can penetrate it with a good pellet gun. I can assure you that no one will attempt to traverse a 100 plus year old garbage chute. They are typically located in a central hall and not in the apartment. If there is one in the apartment contstruction adhesive should keep it closed. Wet walls are again usually accessed only through mechanical rooms and typically have the same concrete wall between them and the unit for fire safety. Not all are designed like this and should some one live in a high rise they should find out just what they are up against. Good points to check on.
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