As a result of unforseen family circumstances, I may need to relocate to the area around Port Saint Lucie, Florida. After spending some time browsing through the "Strategic Relocation" discusion forums, I was surprised to see so many decidedly negative postings about Florida. As a resident of the suburbs of the Baltimore-Washington metropolition area (not by choice), my conclusion are that "realtively speaking", almost any area that I may move to should be slightly better? I have begun to conduct research on the positives and negatives of a relocation to that specific area and would appreciate and feedback that you may offer.
Florida is a good place to get trapped in, the way it would be easy during a crisis to get stuck and find no way out of Florida's Key West or New Orleans, LA or Lake Pontchartrain. Jacksonville, FL is a major military target, Cape Canaveral also, as is Washington, D.C.
Re: "After spending some time browsing through the "Strategic Relocation" discusion forums . . ." What you need is the book, Strategic Relocation: North American Guide to Safe Places, which has far more detail and information that you'll find in these forums. There isn't enough space at the forums for us to write everything that Joel analyzed, like in his book where he separates each part of the country, then each region of each state and analyzes the good, the bad and the ugly about safe and unsafe areas. He even broke it down from county to county (or parish to parish) in his book.
I own a copy of his Strategic Relocation book, so I can tell you that, basically, you already know your main answer: Neither Washington-Baltimore or Florida are "safe" spots. Even so, the book can tell you, if you're stuck in a not so ideal location, where the worst or most vulnerable parts of town are so you can avoid the most dangerous places, and what measures you can still take to boost your chances of survival.
But if you're sitting right on top of places like San Diego, CA, Norfolk, VA, Omaha, NE, Colorado Springs, CO, Seattle, WA, other first strike targets, Joel has often said don't even waste time trying to build a shelter if you're in a major blast zone; simply move. It's not a matter of "if" a big war is coming, but a matter of "when."
Good luck and stay safe.
I live in central Florida and want OUT.
After 4 hurricanes, last season I have had it FOREVER.
The further down the peninsula the more trapped you are.
The water table is so shallow you cannot easily build an underground shelter, unless you also make it "under water".
Every part of the state is an easy invasion route by sea or air.
There is a VERY REAL THREAT of a major tsunami event that could happen at any time. A wall of water 100 feet high , moving at 600 miles per hour is projected to hit the east CONUS. Millions will die with BILLIONS in property damage. It will make the recent tsunami in the news, look like a kiddy wading pool.
Partial clip >>>
Appalling as the World Trade Center bombing was, it's absolutely nothing compared to the apocalyptic event that is yet to come. Somewhere over the next stretch of time, New Yorkers will have to deal with a HUGE tidal wave of biblical proportions. Meet the La Palma Megatsunami -- and shiver.
Try to surf this: a wave almost twice as tall as the Empire State Building, and traveling faster than an airplane, at a breathtaking 700 kilometers per hour. Enough to give you the creeps, right? Well, it should. For the question is not if such a massive wave will one day slosh across the oceans -- but when.
And there's more disturbing news. If the Doomsday Wave kicks in, it'll be end of story for the US East Coast. New York City: gone. Boston: washed away. Florida, Miami, the Bahamas -- all history. Oh, several hundreds of years may pass before the Super Wave rolls in. But on the other hand, it could happen next month as well.
It all starts with a faint rumbling of the earth, thousands of miles away. Near the African shore, the volcanic island of La Palma will rumble with seismic activity, announcing yet another eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the southern half of the island. But this time, the unstable western flank of the volcano doesn't hold. A huge chunk of the island simply breaks off and drops into the Atlantic Ocean. Plunge! No; PLUNGE!
Immediately, up rises a tsunami. And not just a tsunami: the sea is pushed up something like 650 meters, as 500 billion tons of rock and debris hit the ocean. Witnesses to the event will see how a massive wall of water towers up and starts sloshing westwards across the Atlantic, at the astonishing speed of over 700 kilometers per hour. Destination: US East Coast.
end clip >>> do a web search
Many of the large cities, in Florida, have their very real high crime rates with gangs, drugs, and poverty.
Increasingly minorities are flooding the state and taking over many of the jobs, suppressing wages and benefits.
Nuclear targets are all over and the fallout zones leave not many (if any) safe zones.
It is difficult to grow a scratch garden even if you had a safe zone. Many large commercial farms are successful only because of irrigation and fertilizing by large machines, plus aerial crop spraying.. ( just try growing anything in a fallout zone anyway).
With satellite weather and the National Weather Service down, you never know when a hurricane will visit during season.
One good point (for a very few) is the easy escape route to the sea if you have a large enough craft to weather the trip to a safe haven.
Unfortunately pirates and that megatsunami will get you, or the natives where you land will rob you of your boat and all that you have, perhaps even your life and keep your wife. There will be little or ZERO warning during a nuclear attack, and there may not be enough time to put out to sea,
even if you do have in place a plan and a destination.
You may not be allowed to escape. If you try to move up the peninsula after a nuclear strike you may run into fallout zones or blast zones , which may
give you a lethal dose before you can clear the danger zone. There may be no one to warn you of the danger zones. You may be turned back by armed guards (military, law enforcement, you name it) to prevent you from contaminating their zone or you being contaminated by a hot zone.
(all for your own safety of course.)
Lawlessness will prevail. At any moment on your escape northward , you may be assaulted and killed for your gasoline, vehicle, and provisions
so that these rats can make their escape. Two legged animals will roam about with destruction and looting. Have your weapons at hand and be prepared to defend yourself and yours.
The best way is to do the research and escape NOW. Live in the safest area that you can. The safest area is not even in this country.
Perhaps South America or New Zealand or anywhere but China, Europe, former Soviet Union , or the good ole USA.
It is a sad day when you cannot live in your own country and feel safe.
:'(
I am wondering how bad an area Pomona, California, would be to live in, given the potential of nuclear strikes? Would Pomona survive if LA were hit with a nuclear missile? Seems like it would be just as dangerous. Pomona is about 35 to 40 miles east of LA. Also, since there is an Air Force reserve base here, east of us called March (formerly March Air Force Base), I would think that our chances just are not that good. Only God could help us.
Anywhere in the lower three fourths of Cal is a dead zone (kill zone).
The only fairly safe nearby area is northeren Cal
and southern to western Oregon.
GOD is helping you now by alerting you to the dangers.
Perhaps GOD will pull us out before BILLIONS are fried.
Have a nice day.
:')
I'm new to this forum and live in Fl. Like so many of us, I have little choice at the moment to leave. I have purchased some property in Star Valley, WY, though, and plan to build a retreat there. Can anyone comment on that area?
Jason, if you're moving to Pt. St. Lucie, at least it's one of the lessor expensive areas, and the real estate market has taken a down turn. While it lasts, it is a paradise down here.