[Succinct]

My wife & I are preparing for SHTF, but it dawned on me this morning how potentially pointless it could be - recalling the story line from the Twilight Zone story "The Shelter", where a single prepared family in the 1950's had a life-or-death struggle with their neighbors over their fallout shelter & food/water during a nuclear threat in Rod Serling's intellectual thriller, "The Shelter".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shelter_(The_Twilight_Zone)

We live in a socialistic wanna-be upper-class suburban HOA-controlled neighborhood but we have great neighbors, and there are many kids. My point is, how do you sort your close neighbors (some of whom probably didn't prepare anything) form the "Zombies" if the SHTF? Obviously, we'll only have enough for my family (maybe, if we get enough stored up). it could get real ugly with my neighbors, and that would suck. Mossberg won't care, but I might.

Anyone thought this one through? This is where rural living is better....

[MrKimber]

First, I would not tell anyone what I have in storage or for a shelter and stuff like that. Keep it secret and plan for more in your family than you have if you can. Personnally I will not "offer" anything to anyone out of the blue but if someone knocks on my door and says his family is starving I will feed them, no problem. I would recommend moving out in the sticks if possable. Just think how much food money or anything else money you would have to spend if you were living in a manufactured home on few acres instead of paying you current mortgage and HOA fee's and other costs where your at now. I know this doesn't help much, but there is still some time to prepare. If you can't grow a garden you might want to look into some long term freeze dried or dehydrated foods. They can store for long periods of time and don't really take up that much space. Also try your hand at home canning. Hit the local farmers markets and purchase fresh vegtables and can them up as much as you can. Canned foods can last for very long periods of time and before you know it you have a years supply or more on hand. A Ball Blue Book on Canning will give all the info you need to do this. Reaching out to those in bad need of help should also be part of your plan because it WILL happen, just don't over do it and don't tip your hand as to how much you have. Another thing we have been doing is buying the canned soups and chili and stuff like that at our local winco and wallyworld that is on sale. Sometimes a can of chili can be as low as 50 cents a can. We have purchased several hundred cans of food. This we will hand out while we eat on our home canned supplies and when that all runs out (barring hunting of course) then we will break out the freeze-dry. We have freezers as well but we don't see them as primary food since we may not have power. Yes we will eat on the freezer stuff too as long as it is kept frozen.

[user4]

This is a good discussion point. Being a man of faith, I will share my resources with my neighbors and trust in God to provide.

As a man of practicality, I am watching my neighbor's children and planning which BBQ sauce they would taste best with.


I kid! Seriously, the only thing you can do is the best you can do. It sounds lame, but in the end your conscience be your judge. Rural living is definitely better if you can pull it off.

[1984cj]

Teach a man to fish.

Make friends with your neighbors and get them interested in prepping for hard times. You can point out that FEMA even reccommends that you keep a 72 hour supply on hand at all times for emergencies.
Other than that I would practice Opsec. If the locusts have nowhere to get the food then they will move on.

[Dillinger]

This is a very good discussion point actually and I would like MANY to weigh in with their views.

1) I don't believe we will see the dreaded Space Zombies in my lifetime, so I am saddened about that - but content.

2) That doesn't stop us from throwing a few extra cans of this, or that, in the cart at the store and putting it on the shelves in the garage. Hey, you never know - Right?

I am with Ineff, conscience, for me, is going to be my guide. I am a generous person, by fault, but I have no problem taking care of me and mine first. There is no shortage of people in my little community, and a lot of them have jacked up trucks, and NRA stickers and other things that would lead me to believe that I will not be "alone" in the preparation department.

Then I have a few "other" houses in the neighborhood that will probably be first on the Zombie Buffet plan as they are Left leaning, Prius ( or other offensive vehicle ) owners and frequently can be heard at the community meetings complaining about noise from parties or other such non-sense.

In a Katrina type, short term situation, I feel that you would probably need to be able to take care of yours for a week. 7 days. That is what we plan for in a short term situation, with water and processed foods and things of that nature.

We have started growing some of our own veggies and "we" have taken a more active interest in survival type shows that show how to deal with life when necessities become scarce. I say "we" because I used to watch them and my woman would space out, get on line or leave the room. Then Katrina hit and suddenly she became the second coming of Sarah Connor.

I have a natural gas powered generator hard wired in at our place, so even if we have a ( flood/windstorm/tornado/Mt. Ranier blows it's cork ) and the power lines come down, the gas is always on unless the Earth splits open and the Main needs to be shut down. That means my house will immediately be more secure, but also attract more attention.

Luckily for me, most of my neighbors know that I work part time in a gun shop, that I enjoy my 2A Rights and that I carry quite a bit of the time. Try picking up your garbage cans from the curb one day after work with your shoulder rig on and see how quickly word gets around... LOL

I think you can get too wrapped up in your planning, so moderation is always the key. Don't go into debt preparing for Space Zombies when there are no reports coming out of NASA, you know what I mean? You don't need 10,000 rounds of AR ammo and a $3500 stick to sling lead just because someone on a forum is saying they have that set up.

Truth be told, 100 rounds of AR ammo and 50 rounds of pistol ammo, per person/weapon in the house, is a HELL of a lot of firepower. Especially if the situation is a Natural Disaster and the rest of the country isn't affected.

Now, in the event of total social-economic breakdown caused by the brains in Washington - well, that would be a whole 'nother story.

Do I think that WILL happen? No, probably not. Does that mean I am not headging my bets, just in case....

Well, I would defer to your own best judgement in that question....

JD

[IGETEVEN]

Originally Posted by 1984cj

Other than that I would practice Opsec. If the locusts have nowhere to get the food then they will move on.

Indeed, that would be the best strategy, I do not share or play well with others, unless they have something to contribute.

[matt g]

Originally Posted by Ineffable

This is a good discussion point. Being a man of faith, I will share my resources with my neighbors and trust in God to provide.

As a man of practicality, I am watching my neighbor's children and planning which BBQ sauce they would taste best with.


I kid! Seriously, the only thing you can do is the best you can do. It sounds lame, but in the end your conscience be your judge. Rural living is definitely better if you can pull it off.

Gives new meaning to the term "baby back ribs," doesn't it?

[user4]

Originally Posted by matt g

Gives new meaning to the term "baby back ribs," doesn't it?

Mmmm... Children *drools*

[bkt]

Encourage your neighbors, friends and family to stockpile what they can now. You don't need to go into lurid detail about what you have stockpiled. In fact, don't tell anyone. Give them information on food and water storage containers, sources of food, maybe help them getting a veggie garden going.

The more people who prepare now, the fewer there will be looking to take from you should the SHTF.

As for helping others in need...that will have to be on an individual basis. If you're my friend who I know prepared and for whatever reason your supplies are gone or you can't get to them, then of course you're welcome. If you ignored my advice to prepare and have an "I'll just go to your house if things get rough" mentality, you will get nothing and you will be forcibly turned away.

[matt g]

Originally Posted by Ineffable

Mmmm... Children *drools*

Are they really more tender than adults? I'd think the little ones would be stringy and tough, while a nice fat desk jockey would have tender, well marbled muscles.