If you're prepared for zombies, You're prepared for anything!
Colorado Zombie Outpost
Unfortunately civil breakdown, in varying degrees, is pretty common in this country, from the relatively peaceful "occupy Wallstreet" demonstrations to the more recent, and more violent, riots in Ferguson, Missouri. We at CZO are not about to argue the politics of these or any other related or similar incidents; our goal is to simply look at the events as a whole, right or wrong, and ask the question, "are you prepared"? Basic utilities, with the possible exception of electricity, would most likely not be interrupted. However, a riot tends to make a trip to the grocery store much more challenging (assuming there's still a grocery store to go to) so basic food stores are essential. Canned and dried foods are ideal for this situation. They don't require refrigeration and if necessary can be cooked (carefully) on an open flame. All of your preparations won't mean anything ,though, if you can't keep what you have, so the issue of self defense needs to be addressed. If you're not in fear for your life, or using lethal force just isn't your thing, there are plenty of non lethal weapons such as baseball bats, stun guns, etc. that quite effectively say "go away". However, in order to properly defend yourself, you really need to be able to answer lethal force with greater lethal force, should the need arise. Shotguns make particularly good home defense weapons because they don't require a lot of marksmanship, but it's also pretty easy to hit something unintentionally. For safety and effectiveness your best bet is a reliable hand gun. The choice between a revolver or a semiautomatic pistol should be based on your experience level. Anyone new to handguns should stick with a revolver since they're simpler to operate, simpler to clean, and generally more reliable. If you live in the Colorado Springs area, check out the section on our page for concealed carry and hand gun safety classes; if not, most gun retailers can direct you to a reputable class somewhere in your area. We at CZO strongly recommend that EVERYONE take a gun safety class at least every ten years. Colorado REQUIRES a hand gun safety class every ten years to maintain a concealed carry permit, we just think it's a really good idea.