War of the Worlds,


I just saw it, I would say it is a interesting survival scenario.

He had 60 seconds to plan, grab gear and evacuate his family.


Who saw it and what would you do in 60 seconds?


Tell me all the obstacles and challenges you think would face before you give your equipment list, okay.

Haven't seen it yet. I hear it is more first person perspective than the original. Sounds like it is worth seeing.

Having worked out escape scenarios for back home long ago, I've thought of ways to avoid the obvious traffic snafus, so it is just a matter of coming up with a one minute drill. If the family is all together at home, which isn't too likely anymore, then we could pretty much load the burb with everything we need in that time. With just me and the wife, we might not get it all, but we'd have a darned good start. One obstacle to deal with is the human element.

Perhaps first on the list is weapons. I wouldn't be grabbing all of mine, but I would grab the mini-14s, the bag O' mags, the shotguns, the 30-30, the Glock, the Taurus, the Ruger 10/22, and maybe the browning 7mm mag. That will kill 30 seconds for me. The wife will grab clothes, that kills 30 seconds for her.

I will then grab the two grub boxes and two dutch ovens, she will grab the water. I will grab the tent, she will grab the sleeping bags. I will grab the tool box, she will grab the chainsaw and gas can. On our way out the door, we grab our BOBs and our minute is done. The grub boxes contain all my cooking utensils, coffee pot, and basic food items (flour, sugar, coffee, oil, baking powder, spices, noodles, various dried beans, papertowels, soap, TP, enough food for two people for two weeks basically). The tool box contains all the basic wrenches, sockets, pliers, screwdrivers, DMM, wire ties, wire, tape, hammers, nails, screws, etc. I keep the gas tank in the burb pretty much full since it doesn't get driven all that much, and I have an offroad path to a secluded location in the cascades where there are more supplies and a cabin and a complex cave network to go hang out in. If I drive hard, I can be there in less than three hours on backroads no one else is likely to be on, let alone know about. I have alternate locations to head to as well, depending on what seems the best route away from the trouble.

Id grab bags and bags of the cheap antidepressant drugs the canadian spammers are trying to sell me. Then I'd throw them at Tom Cruise when he comes on screen. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

This post gives me an idea: how about a "dry run" and giving one's self a set time amount (5 minutes, 10 minutes, etc.) on a kitchen timer and seeing just what can be packed up to either hoof it out by foot or by acceleration pedal.

Hmm... now I know what I'm doing next weekend!

A case of water, bug out box, maybe some clothes on my way out... Really 60 seconds is pretty long if you are prepared. You should be able to say my family (if you live with/have) and keys and you are out but in reality you could grab items on your way out that would help.... All depends if you are driving, walking, etc.. Each scenerio is different.

If I had 60 seconds and absolutely had to haul buns, assuming I'm already dressed:
(1) Grab .38 and some extra shells. The .38 goes in back pocket, shells go in edc bag.
(2) Tie light goretex parka around waist, don ballcap, throw edc bag on shoulder, grab a couple liters of water.
(3) Exit.
(4) If taking the truck, add 1 shotgun.
Were I not already dressed, I'd light a smoke, heat up a cup of coffee and wait for the end. When not at work, I hate to be rushed. It's a personality quirk -- what can I say?

This is a very tough problem because he just does not have to contend with the a normal survival situation.

Problems to over come:

EMP pulse weapon that wiped out all electronics.
No communications.
Can't drive on most roads.
There are roaming mobs to deal with.
A whole social economic break down of society (total chaos).
A superior enemy of which he knows nothing about.
An enemy that destroys everything in sight; people, buildings, cities.
An instant mad max scenario.
A short term situation is now a long term situation.


He was so traumatized by the savagery and the suddenness of the ordeal that he gave his son a cardboard box told him to fill it, so his sonfilled it with a full bottle of ketchup, a full bottle of mustard, bottle of Tabasco sauce etc.




Solutions:

Sixty seconds is not enough unless you are prepared in advance and physically train and work out a long range plan. This is providing you can get out of the city alive.
Most kits are designed for 2 days to 2 weeks, but this is nowhere adequate for this scenario. Thank god this is just a fictitious story.

So what would be in your long term kit?

Hmm, sounds like you've been to a few Rocky Horror nights. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Maybe not too far from plausible scenario, at least when you consider most of urban America is still targetted by ICBMs. If you see my initial post, you will find that I have planned to overcome most of the problems you listed. EMP might still get my old burb in trouble if it is close enough, but even if I can't leave town, I would still be one of the last men standing. I know, not much point, but as long as you are alive, you have a chance. If nothing else, I know where I can get my hands on an old panhead and me and the old lady can cruise the backroads to the cabin with just our BOBs and pistols, and maybe a shotgun, and maybe one of the mini-14s, and maybe.....

Just one thing about this movie, which I didn't even like... <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I thought they got some details exactly right, ranging from the 60 second evacuation to the fact that so much of the danger was from other survivors. Disasters bring out both the both and the worst in people.

In 60 seconds, we'd grab the bug out bags (clothes, supplies and a week's worth of food for two) and the dog, and then run to the truck, which has dog food and other supplies. Now, where we'd go from there I can't quite tell you... <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

I was drawn into the drama of the situation. The movie brought out some very real survival points.
You can clearly see the ordeal he had to deal with and time frame he had to operate in, we can all better prepare and practice.

In a real situation there is no prepare you just die when mistakes are made.

I was not criticizing you, I was just pointing out a longer range plan would be necessary. This is a tough scenario because there are too many severe problem happening all at once. Maybe a small paramilitary group survival operations is necessary or maybe just to Bug out and hide in the hills until it all blows over plan is the best, who knows. I do not think that it would be over with in 2 days or 2 weeks, an I bet that not to many people have kits that would last for a months except for buckshot's.

So what would you do to improve your kit.

I think that is a great idea. That is why the military always performs so well and civilians don't. They don't have to think because they have already prepared for something similar.

No worries <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> I was agreeing with you fully, I didn't take it as any criticism. Actually, I think you could combine the small paramilitary idea with the bug out to the hills deal and really have a much better chance of success. That's why I would head for the cabin where I can hang for an extended period and have a fortified position to defend from. There shouldn't be that many marauding gangs out in the middle of nowhere, and if there happen to be some, well, I will have the element of both surprise and preparation.

If I couldn't get to the cabin or my plan b, well, I am still suitably armed to acquire more stuff to support my cause. That doesn't sound very humanitarian, but you do what you gotta I reckon.

Grab my bushcraft rucksack, jump on the motorbike, head out of town an enjoy myself in the bush until the pet has found a different playground.

I saw the movie and enjoyed it quite a bit. I also studied the radio show in communications classes in college though so I may have enjoyed it with a different perspective than many. As far as what to grab in 60 seconds if aliens were destroying my city in 300' tripod robots and there was mass panic in the Bronx. I'm thinking I probably would have passed on the box of condiments (had to see the movie to understand that comment) and just added the firearm to my normal EDC. In my case I would have a 2 year in tow so a diaper bag with as many diapers as I could stuff in there would also be mandatory but that's about it and that could be done in less than 60 seconds even considering the 45 seconds I would waste making my wife spot panacing come to her senses. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

This is truly a nightmare survival scenario. On the run from aliens, which you know nothing about, facing the total breakdown of social order and support. Avoid other groups of people, travel well off the main highways, and find a secure wooded site to wait it out. Better know your edible plants and survival fishing, you might be there a long time.

The standard equipment in a BOB, if set up for long term survival should get you through. This movie really drives home how important it is to have it packed and ready to go at all times, and have a "escape the city" plan

Dean

OK, first half, my BIG grumble with how they did EMP.
-EMP MIGHT mangle your starter, but you can on the battery.
-EMP WILL destroy the chip that runs your fuel injector. That minivan ain't moving.
-EMP will NOT effect an engine with a carb. We only saw it for a few seconds, but wasn't that a Cobra? Not a single chip under the hood, it wouldn't have just stopped.

Second bit, why do you think I hate cities. :P One minute to clear, I grab everything I can put my hands on real fast, and go. Period. If that means bugging out with the EDC, so be it.

In this particular senario, if I was close enough to see the walker come out, my first action would be to soil myself. I won't lie. I know the state of the art, and anything that far in advanced of it.... I can't run very well these days. The knee doesn't cooperate.

Now, I have another question for everyone: who here has, just for haha's, thought about an alien invasion in thier planning sessions? <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> What can I say, I'm a geek.

Anything electronic you can pretty much forget about having working after EMP. That includes your LED flashlights, regulated batteries (like CR123), cell phones, electronic ignition, or complicated vehicle setup, ect. The only vehicles that you can still get going are pre 1970 or so with a manual transmission that can be push started or simple two stroke type vehicles.

Anyway, I would grab my BOB (which is already loaded with 2-3 days food, clothing, ect), a gun, and hop on my dirtbike. From there I would head up to my equipment yard which has plenty of pre-1970s vehicles in running condition (from our plow trucks to heavy equipment), a well, a generator, large underground tanks of diesel, gas, and oil, tools, a high security fence, as well as plenty of other good stuff.

9 and counting, though I am getting old enough to dress like the professor and not Brad <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Most likely, any vehicle with an alternator is done. You may get 20 miles or so on the battery, but the diodes and regulator in the alternator are solid state, and an emp will pretty much toast them as well as the electronic ignition, a fuel injection controller, and there's even a good chance it will fry the ignition coil! A good emp proof rig would most likely run on diesel with mechanical injector system and as little electrical as possible. Not very state of the art, but fairly bulletproof when kept to close tolerances.

The rest sounds like a survivalist's dream come true.

As far as aliens go, find someone with a head cold and have them sneeze or cough on the bad guys.

Got to agree with the first reaction...if it comes to that scenerio, the best you can do is HIDE!!! and hope they go away.

P.S. I haven't seen the movie yet, but if aliens with far superior technology are wreaking havoc, it's probably going to take more firepower than I can supply with my 1911 or 870...good luck big green machine.

The EMP wouldn't damage automatic watches, LED light. LED light doesn't use microchip. I hope it doesn't have a chip. The movie is a bit ridiculous when it came to the part where everyone is leaving for the ferry in such calm order. The soldiers should have post scout to detec enemy movements before they reach the civilians at the ferry.

I would disagree. LEDs are solid state devices (light emitting diode) and are very susceptible to emp. If by automatic watch you are referring to anything with an LCD/LED display, you can kiss the electronics in those goodbye as well. I've smoked my Timex just by having it too close to a radiating antenna. It's not just about ICs, any solid state device is susceptible.

Obviously Spielberg and Wells never saw "When Mars Attacks" or they'd have brought Slim Whitman in to save the day. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

You mean Slim Pickens??? Whitman was a singer (some folks thought, anyway). Pickens rode the bomb down in "Dr. Strangelove"

Troy

You're showing your lack of age, Sweetie! Slim Whitman was the real savior in Mars Attacks, with his Indian Love Call song:

"Oo-Oo-Oo-Oo, Oo-Oo-Oo-Oo
When I'm calling you
Oo-Oo-Oo-Oo, Oo-Oo-Oo-Oo
Will you answer too?
Oo-Oo-Oo-Oo, Oo-Oo-Oo-Oo"

You just never know what's going to save the world!

Sue

Bingo!!! Give the lady a Kupie doll. <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

I stand corrected <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Automatic watches are spring driven analog watches. What makes them automatic is that they are self winding.

Leo

Okay, only I would add that any small mechanism that uses a crystal as a timing source could also be rendered from an EMP, as crystals are also susceptible.

I am glad I inherited an old railroad wind up pocketwatch. They don't keep the greatest time, but they can easily be calibrated and are pretty darned rugged.

now that the dvd is out, and I have seen the movie, I can comment and resurrect this thread.

obviously Tom Cruise should have had more canned goods and maybe mre's in the house and a bug out bag prepared. never mind the plot inconsistencies big enough to drive trucks through, as in some electronics working after an emp blast and of course, that minivan he's driving is one of the few working cars on the planet. His watch, phone, lights and everything else not working, but the minivan works, the tv reporter van with monitors and vcr's works, military communications and vehicles work [that's possible if there electronics are hardened against emp].

of course this is an end of the world as we know it scenario, but it illustrates that people should be more prepared than they are, even for regular disasters, I'm not worried about a martian invasion, but I am prepared for realistic problems.

Meanwhile, I wonder if one or two people that have wandered through the forums here by accident may have thought they had wound up in the basement with Tim Robbins. HAHAHA