24 replies to this topic

[Liles]

This concept just occurred to me having just returned from a trip to DC.Our immediate thought processes is to be prepared in our local area / environment, but what steps do we take to be prepared in the event we are traveling... specially by air and can't take things we might normally have access to due to airport security.So my thought was to propose the concept of a network of voluntary "safe houses" for members when traveling. The theory is members could volunteer to be a potential support option for other members that are traveling.It occurred to me after I got back that I should have reached out to some of the DC members before I left on my trip to try and set up an informal "meet and greet" while I was there.This is just a thought and I'd be curious to hear others' ideas and if there's interst maybe a "for internal use only" list of contacts by location could be established...

[900189515]

Neat idea! I lack space for any reasonable accommodations but the future may see upgrading. Security would be an issue. A mandatory photo (recent) etc, I feel, is necessary. Just hashing ideas. Anyone else? I think a safe place in strange territory will be appealing.

[Liles]

My initial hope was that there would be more of an interest within this community… and for those who are, a list of potential "safe house" hosts could be established and that group would become the foundation of a "working group". The "working group" would define the processes for obtaining candidate member information (some form of a template) and the validation processes upon "activation", etc…I agree 9001… a current photo should be mandatory for visual verification along with some type of verbal authentication mechanism… and of course it can't be used as a safe haven for illegal activity…I''ll be the first for anyone that finds themselves in the DFW area and needing assistance….

Edited by Liles, 06 July 2011 - 02:55 PM.

[Maverick9110e]

While this may not be exactly what your looking for, it's something i joined and its fairly interesting: http://www.americansnetworkingtosurvive.org/

[El Lobo]

Hi You can also build some websociety like joomla society (like on my website but Im in Poland). It may have geolocation modules. Registry users can mark on the map (integrated with google maps) thay location. The most important thing is to knowing each other and trust. It works. Best way is some tactical training or 'its tactical' picnic or something like that.

[Liles]

@Maverick - interesting site, will have to spend some time looking through the various info...@Wolf - one concern for any type of system will be information security... to protect the information of those participating. Though it would be ideal to have the opportunity to know or meet all those who participate, the reality is it wouldn't be very feasible since the purpose of this effort is to establish a network of "safe houses" that can be used by verified participants in time of emergency in the event they are travelling outside of their immediate area.Before this idea can go much further a working group will need to be established in order to work through some of this topics and develop a method for validating the identity of potential participants.

[El Lobo]

You Americans have problems even when ther is not a problem. There is no problems - only solutions.  You can always show on your cellphone (or something) that you can log on your account. Or you can use UpCode - every user of this forum can have some unique code printed and hide in walet. Every cellphone with camera and Java can read this code. On that level of security it will be more than enough.

[old fart]

My home is always open to those who serve or have served, we can always set up an extra cot and put extra plates around the table...law enforcement please don't kick the door down..we saw ya coming it's open sit down and eat your foods getting cold!/wp-content/forum-smileys/thumbup.gif

[tdbarge]

Definitely an interesting idea. Not sure if my wife would be on board at first, but I think she could be convinced.  There would have to be some intense vetting procedures if this were to ever get off the ground. I think it can be done though.  

[Liles]

@tdbarge - maybe explain it to her from the perspective of what if you were visiting in DC and the 5.8 earthquake was truly a disaster and the hotel were you were staying was damaged and deemed unsafe... having contacts in that area could make all the difference...I see the concept as just one more layer of having a plan...As for the vetting process... I agree it would need to be thorough and the initial meeting / identity validation process defined, but I don't think it would be as challenging as you might think.... look at it like this... we're all on this site so we must be like-minded to a certain degree and I have yet to see anyone present themselves in an unprofessional manner....

[docrader]

Any more thought to this topic?

[Mike Russo]

I am new here. I travel extensively. CONUS and OCONUS. This is a topic I have thought about many times. It's a great idea. Maybe open to people who have passed a background check, like a CCW holder. Trust is going to have to be key. PERSEC is a primary concern when letting anyone in your home, obviously.

[RealWoodsmen]

In terms of more thoughts on this topic, it's a good idea, but needs verification and communication. In the event of a non-world ending disaster, communication shouldn't be too much of a hassle. In the event of an EMP or something else that knocks down or otherwise overloads networks and such, communication would be a problem, along with digital verification. El Lobo suggested QR codes, which are pixelated images, square shaped, that when scanned with most any smart phone will show data. A string of numbers could be used to store things such as date, name, etc, and that string could be put on a QR code that you could laminate and have on your person. Once again, verification would be a problem, because who knows who might be able to fake those sort of things, along with if there were no cell phones or other devices to read those codes.  A childish but effective way might be a series of pass codes or catch phrases, such as if you go to a supposed "safe house" and you start off the conversation by saying "Well, how are you doing", that could be a signal that you were a member of this so called group. A saying that would be common, but with a random word or words thrown in, in this case well, or "at this fine time" or something of that sort. Just tossing up some ideas of the practicality of this sort of thing.

[hfm5872]

I also do a lot of traveling both CONUS and OCONUS.  This could be a life saver.  I agree there would need to be verification and communication.  Also a vetting process and participants need to be kept confidential.  No point having a "safe house" that is listed for the world to see.

[sgcaper]

This is an interesting idea. If the guidelines and procedures were in place I'd be interested. I'm in BK NY and opened my place to friends displaced by Hurricane Sandy. I know if I were traveling and something happened knowing there was a place that could offer a little more protection would be nice.

[Ken Bass II]

I was a member of a few of these (a lot of the hackerspaces also run a safehouse type deal) I've never opened my home up to random people but I have had a few online buddies crash out on the floor. More importantly I use the groups to find a nice hotel in the area. Something cheap, but not sketchy,you know, the hotel that looks nice, but always seems to be packed with cops or is on the news but would never know unless you were a local.

[assasinationday]

I can just imagine it now...

"Hey Honey, this is Ranger13B and Shotgun12G, friends of mine from an online forum...we discuss tactical stuff.  Anyway, they're both in town for a Survivalist Muster and are going to crash in the spare bedroom.  Don't worry, they have an areobed.  Um, you mind cooking us some dinner?"

But seriously, anyone in the NJ area (I live between NYC and the Shore) looking to make friends in "real life" drop me a line.  We can like, um...you know, go shooting or something.  You know, break the ice.  Then maybe you can meet the wife and try her meatloaf.

[sgcaper]

See I think safe house I think of it more as a place to go if you found yourself in a crappy sit. EX) If I was traveling in NYC and found myself stuck here during Hurricane Sandy knowing there was a place i might be able to go to be safe until it passed woul dbe great. I see it as a natural disaster place less than a place to just crash when passing through. If it were the latter I'd be out.

[Anderson]

Idk guys. It sounds nice and all but I hate having my own family in my house. Haha. Maybe a tent in the yard.

Although this makes me think of some kind of "hobo code" type thing. Symbols, certain phrases that could que it's members in on a situation or even just a clandestine way to recognize each other.

Would have come in handy last week, I was down in Orlando at a conference for work and saw a guy with an its patch on his bag...seemed to be in a hurry but what would I have said anyway, "hey man! We hang out on the same website?"

[Mother73]

Somehow, we already seem to have that house that everybody knows. Which is why we thought a guest house might be a good idea.( especially since I am not all that warm and inviting) Guests, I do not mind, but don't think I will bother to entertain you. And keep your hands off my coffee.