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5 Tips to Surviving in the Urban Jungle

Have You Ever Heard This Term Before?

In the military (and sometimes in law enforcement) we use the term “combat arms”. Have you ever heard of it? Many have not, but because you are a loyal reader of the Fight Fast blog, you probably have.

This is not a term you often hear being used in casual conversation. It’s actually the term used collectively to refer to the military troops who participate in both actual and simulated land-based warfare as well as the planning and implementation thereof.

Combat Arms in the Army

In the Army, for example, the main folks to whom this term refers are usually the infantry which consists of soldiers who are trained to fight other soldiers face-to-face. When I was in the military this term was also used to refer to the unit who helped with the transporting, loading, and firing of weapons such as cannons (artillery) and referred to firearms instructors as well.

How Does This Discussion Help You?

Well, there are several factors that contribute to one’s survival such as personal skills, the armor provided, the weaponry, the aiming skills, the reflexes, as well as the speed and the agility with which a person can move about.

In this article, I am going to give you five combat arms tips taken from combat that will increase your chances of survival should YOUR shit ever hit the fan.

How To Pick Locks. (Who Needs Keys?)

You may find this shocking, but picking open a standard "tumbler" lock, (like the one on your front door), is pretty damn easy when you know how it's done.

And in a "meltdown" survival situation, (once the smash-n-grab crowd has stolen everything not tied-down), the food and water and secure shelter will all be behind locked doors, (which explains why Special Forces are often trained in lock picking... and why they carry a set of lock pics with them).

It's a lot of fun learning this skill, (it doesn't take long)... and kinda nice to help out that buddy locked out of his house after the wife discovered what really happened on that "no money down" real estate seminar in Vegas.

>> Check Out "Lock Picking Kit" Here. <<

1. Always Be Alert

The first skill you need to develop is the ability to be totally alert. You would not believe how many unalert people are walking around this earth, especially with the abundance of mobile devices. I see them in cars causing accidents, walking down the streets and falling into open manholes, on the bus, in restaurants, and the list goes on and on. If you want to stay alive in an actual combat scenario, you cannot be one of these people.

By not being aware of what’s happening around you, you face the risk of not being ready and making the wrong moves (if any moves at all) in times of danger. You will not only get yourself hurt or killed, but if you are in the company of others, especially other combatants, you put their lives at risk as well.

2. Stay On The Move

My next tip is to not stay in one particular area for too long. In the military, we only hunkered down if we had to. When we were on the move, we moved. An enemy can come along at any time and kill you, and you won’t even know what hit you. It’s essential that you keep on the move.

I am not saying to jerk around and act like an idiot. Just be alert, vary your position a little and keep your eyes open and senses up, especially if you are in unfamiliar territory. Mobility gives you the opportunity to evade enemy fire, helping you avoid getting killed in the process.

3. Keep Your Guard Up

I don’t want you to be completely paranoid, but a good combatant always has a certain level of paranoia. The truth is that if you are caught off guard, whoever surprises and confronts you has the opportunity and possibly the ability to kill you. Your best defense is to be alert and ready to take measures that will allow you to kill the enemy instead. Remember, I use the term “kill” because I am comparing you to a combatant soldier.

4. Talk Your Way Out (If You Can)

If you have to, be prepared to talk your way out of a situation, or at least talk to distract the enemy until you can strike. While talking you want to get to the point real quick and then move quickly. The movement may be to strike or simply to run safely from one point to another.

5. Learn to Use Concealment and Cover Effectively

My last tip is that you should learn to walk, crouch, and run alternatively with your combat arms. Among the skills needed for survival, speed is one of the most important because the speed with which you are able to move safely will determine how quickly you can get from one point to the other without being detected.

When shooting we often say, “smooth is fast.” So yes, move with speed, but move smoothly. This will prove extremely useful when used in combat maneuvers. In general, you want to present the smallest target possible, and you want to duck and hide behind concealment and cover. By the way, here’s a quick little lesson for you.

There is a difference between concealment and cover. Concealment is just something that hides you from your attacker, like a door or wall. It will not stop a bullet from hitting you. Cover, on the other hand, will stop a bullet. For this, you get behind the engine block of a car, or a steel or brick wall.

Final Thoughts

Knowing the dangers that await you during a disaster is half the battle. Preparing your response is the other half. Learn how to hone your survival skills to protect yourself and your family.

How can you use these tips to prepare yourself and your family to survive a disaster scenario? Let me know by leaving your thoughts in a comment down below!

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51 thoughts on “5 Tips to Surviving in the Urban Jungle”

  2. Knowing who the enemy is, in the first place, is a big deal! We might expect “friends” or “family” or “neighbors” or “government” to automatically come to our aid in times of disaster.

    They don’t…Not even churches and designated agencies. First and most important skill is that of cultivating dependable–and I do mean dependable–allies. Worse yet, the DESIGNATED agencies and “friends” may turn out to be your worst enemies! Following floods, nearby tows doubled down and protected their survivors against looters. Where I live, the city HIRED looters and then sent us the bill, and the church designated to help refused to even acknowledge requests for help. So recruiting REAL help is the BIG ONE!

    Reply

  5. Thank you for the information and the reminders. Sometimes one may forget and your tips brings the tip back to mind.

    It’s always a pleasure to read your tips and remarks…Thank you for your thoughtfulness…..

    Reply

  6. When scanning your surroundings, look for movement. The enemy may blend into his surroundings if he is wearing camo gear. Once you see movement then focus on it…..if it is a person in camo, they will develop before your eyes. Remember he is looking for you in the same way ….scan by moving your eyes only as much as possible. No camo is perfect!

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  7. Not much new there. My basic system, if you can call it that, is sort of a cross/mix of, one of my gods/heros, the Shanghai Buster, William Fairbairn, and Clausewitz. Fairbairn being more tactical and Clausewitz more strategic, if that makes any sense, plus what my daddy taught me. He was an amateur boxer who ended up in the Dutch underground in WW2, fought in Israel in 48 and ended up in the Canadian Armed Forces. Also studied Judo from another Sense. Any way, just wanted to say thank you, enjoy reading your stuff. Oh one more thing, years ago I had an older lady friend. Found out her daddy served with Fairbairn on the Shanghai Police Force. Funny how things turn out wouldn’t you say,?

    Reply

  9. Once, who ever, decides they want to bother this old guy, I am in deep trouble. Police and no one else is going to help me. My first effort will to be to hide. I have little mobility. I

    could walk two miles and that is all. If you have some good ideas about how I can hide if someone comes to my home, I am ready to listen. I will have about two minutes of

    warning time before they are at my door. They will want to kill or capture me to put me in the equivalent of a concentration camp or jail. In a large group of people where an old

    person does not live long. They die. For that reason, I want to avoid being captured. Being captured is the same as being killed. It will just take some time for the situation they put

    me in to kill me. If they would just leave the old people alone, they would die of natural causes. However, I do not think my adversary is that nice. They will bother and capture old

    people. I plan to not cooperate with being captured. I am well trained and equipped. One or two people I could kill, but I think it will be more people than I can handle.

    If there was a group of people I could hang out with, I would take that option. In a group, we would have a better chance of surviving. I have not found such a group. When I try to

    qualify people to hang with me, I ask one question. Would you kill to protect our food supply? If the answer is NO, they do not qualify to be in my group. Most of them want to give

    away our food. They are very nice people, but not people to be with in a tough situation. They are not hard reality thinkers.

    Reply

  12. I think #1 is the most important. I have seen people walking down the street with absolutely no idea what is going on around them. They walk out right in front of my car, and not even see me. It’s a good thing I watch where I’m going, and where they are going.

    Reply

  13. Never thought that way the were times where I was paranoid but I haven’t really worked on my verbal kick to get out of a situation so I’ll start working and researching that in the mean time do you have any tips ?

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  15. In my experience, you never know what hides inside the head of a smiling face.
    You are absolutely correct. Act normal; yet inside, always be prepared to strike, run or hide in a flash.
    At work, scope out these potential places of cover…have an escape plan already in mind…a hiding place..a plan B…etc..

    When out with loved ones, take a quick glance around and get a feel for the environment while your enjoying your time.
    Always be ready….couldn’t agree with you more!

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  16. Wow when you can get information like this its alsome.Thanks to Derec who is a bad ass,and also Fight Fast for getting all the matieral just like this Thanks drc

    Reply

  17. former Sgt paratrooper & 46yr law enforce/SRT good stuff, solid, spot on. these tips especially good, short/sweet to aid you to instruct those civilians you find and trying to help. been there done it!

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  18. This is an excellent way of saying the right thing. Many people fail to prepare in time to prevent tragedy such as a Huuricane they procrastinate and there is always a time they say to themselves . Oops I forgot something than they pay the price. Such has happened in Florida, and Texas in.tje past years. So Tske this advice and tips put them in a File On your PC, Tablet, Note book , or cell Phone. Prepare for the un known never take for Granted . Prepare react and take action because in those moments can save your life, Your friend , Neighbor or your family.

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  21. Thank you, Mr. Derek Smith for sharing some good info for people who like to think ahead of disasters — those with true survival desires.

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  25. Thank you. This has helped in my 17 yrs since a First Union bank disaster
    My bank account was hacked
    I was not offered premier banking and I have been living pay check to paycheck since then
    I worked hard as a National Air Force Combat Paratrooper for four years and I find this non communication appalling
    If someone opens a bank account with $100,000’s then you best bet they should offer premier banking.

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  28. Thank you Derek, your stuff is always awesome. Oh if more people were alert than how little crime there would be! Still, each of us has to do our part, not just for us but for our families.

    Your blog reminded me of something I’ve been thinking about for the last several weeks. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Homes books, states:

    “Most people see, but they do not observe.”

    After the observation stage comes deduction, then action. Thanks again.

    Reply

  29. Hi, as a former Marine, none of this is new info for me, but thank you for the refresher regardless!
    I do think there are way to many distracted people wandering cluelessly through life, and info like this should get to as many of them as possible… although there are quite a few who will have no clue even if they’re informed, lol. But those are the ones most of the rest of us never have to worry about unless we are saving them.
    Thank you for your service, and for the info.

    Reply

  30. Gracias por darnos a conocer sus consejos de supervivencia. Aprecio mucho todos los artículos que se han publicado en este medio.

    Reply

  31. Great advice. As ex-military trained, albeit a long time ago, these habits have become second nature. These days the urban jungle and the battlefield have a lot in common. Always take a wide arc when going around a street corner or any feature that obscures your view of the exit point.

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  45. Robert Deen thanks for your support. You mentioned some of the greats and I study them too. For some of you, you know this stuff. However some don’t. I hope to remind folks like you and educate those who don’t know.

    Reply

  47. Derek, Your thoughts are very useful. I have used many of these before when in the wrong neighborhood. But, it was refreshing to hear your tips again. Bravo

    Reply

  50. I think it’s pretty cool what you do. I think it’s a great idea that you share your knowledge. To tell the Gods honest truth – it’s very necessary. Keep up the Awesome job. Bravo!

    Reply