ComCon 3:Stand By: High probability of Threat in near future

ComCon 3:Stand By: High probability of Threat in near future:

This will be a busy time. Hopefully all the outstanding issues have been resolved and you can focus on the times ahead. You will be doing lots of other things besides communications issues. If you have followed the plan, then you can at least rest assured that you have covered all the bases to the extent you are able. Now consider the future.

High situational awareness.

Don't get so focused on getting things ready that you forget to continue to gather information. The situation may be changing, getting more/less serious or other situations may be developing.

Keep group members aware.

Communications is more than talking. It is about sharing information. Others may be seeing things you do not. Keep the information flowing. Share what you all are seeing. Keep everyone in the loop.

Warn outside contacts of impending threat and verify their participation.

Your contact in San Francisco may not be more than minimally aware of the hurricane that is about to hit you in Florida. Give them a heads up and verify that the protocol you have established is still valid. Make sure they are going to be available during the anticipated threat period. They might be planning a once in a lifetime trip and forgot to tell you about it.

Contact Friends/Neighbors and share plans.

I assume that your relationship with neighbors is at least friendly. Contact friends and neighbors to get their take on the situation. Give them some idea of your plans and if possible incorporate them into your plan. If you are not home when things get bad, you may need to have them check your property or provide other assistance. Stand ready to do the same for them.

Move all equipment and materials to deploy points.

Find all the “stuff” you anticipate needing and be sure it is where you want it to be. Put bugout gear near the door or in some other useful place. Don't leave them in the garage behind the freezer. You will want easy access.

Audit containers to be sure they are all present at deploy points.

When you move things to the deploy points, be sure to audit the containers one more time. Be sure the tags all indicate they are ready to go and that they are all identified as you want them to be. This should all have been done beforehand, but check again. You don't want gear to stray away because it does not have your ID on it. Check container IOU's to be sure all equipment is where you expect it to be and is functional.

OK, you have done all the preparation work that you have planned. But don't stop there. Give thought to things you may have overlooked. There is nothing like an impending threat to bring reality into focus.

Take time to really think about what might happen in the near future. As they say in the military “THIS IS NOT A DRILL “. Things go wrong, buildings get damaged, people get hurt or worse. Use the time wisely.