Mutual assistance groups

If the balloon goes up and we still have internet or telephone I think my family will be fine. But we live about 2.5 hours apart and without some form of communication I'm worried. I've thought about the ham radio thing but #1 my 70 y/o mother wouldn't be interested and #2 I can't have any external antenna outside my apartment. So that shoots that one down.

I believe internet and phone would be gone quick. When we had the earthquake a few years ago I immediately called my wife and couldn’t get through. That was from one side of Winston to the other. Keep in mind that was a minor one too. Alternative comms will be essential in a SHTF scenario be it ham radio,FRS or anything else.
 
Every left wing nut in your family or neighborhood already knows about your guns and resources. They plan on teaming up with you when SHTF. They think you are going to save them and they are counting on it. You are one of the only people they know that has their stuff together. They saw a gun, gun mag, NRA sticker, t-shirt, whatever. They started watching you and talking to everyone else in the neighborhood. Just sayin
 
Every left wing nut in your family or neighborhood already knows about your guns and resources. They plan on teaming up with you when SHTF. They think you are going to save them and they are counting on it. You are one of the only people they know that has their stuff together. They saw a gun, gun mag, NRA sticker, t-shirt, whatever. They started watching you and talking to everyone else in the neighborhood. Just sayin
Thankfully I don't have any left wingnuts in my family lol. They're all like minded but unfortunately all I have left that I would really count on in a bad situation would be my mom, my sister, her kids, and an elderly uncle who has more knowledge of living off the land than I'll ever have. I wouldn't count on any of my cousins. And sadly they all live 2+ hours away.
As far as neighbors go, I'm very careful about putting my guns in the car to go to the range. I'm sure one or 2 have seen me, but I try not to advertise that I own guns. No stickers, hats, and no tacticool gear.
But I get your point, if anyone knew what I had they would be all over me in an emergency. That's one of the main reasons I try to not to advertise that I have guns and food and water stored.
 
Last edited:
What food are you stocking if I may ask? Canned goods? Wise foods?
A little bit of everything. For freeze dried food I stick with Mountain House. It's good enough to eat under normal situations so would be a real treat in an emergency. I also have a lot of canned foods as well.
 
Got family just north of the NC border in the SW Va mountains...already talked/discussed at great length with them about SHTF, what-ifs and plans on what to do.

Imo, attempting to go all John Wayne when sh*t falls apart is a good way to get seriously dead. You've got to have some form of support network.

And speaking of support networks...

Was discussing this with my better half a couple days ago. Personally, I think one element that will trigger SHTF is already in play. Right now, there is a nationwide shortage of 60,000-80,000 truckers. Think about that...everything you buy, from fuel to food to clothing to medicine has, at some point in time, been on a truck. When sh*t does not get from here to there, especially basic necessities, that's a huge issue. It's estimated that by 2021, there'll be a shortage of 100K truckers. That's a lot of stuff that will be delayed in getting where it needs to go, or it may not even get there at all.

They will have self driving trucks ready before long.
 
Dry beans, rice, pasta, popcorn, flour, corn meal, etc. in mylar or food grade plastic containers with nitrogen is a cheap way to store calories. $20 a week can make a nice cache of the basics if you stick with it.
 
My main issue is limited space. We live in a small apartment so freeze dried and cans are the way to go. Add in water, ammo, and other misc. stuff and you run out of space quickly.
 
So, in my self appointed, annointed and announced role as "that guy" I'm going to throw my hat and a pair of pennies into the ring.

I was in my own small way a prepper when I was married. I continued for a while after I wasn't but over the ensuing years I've changed my mind and stopped.

The subject of this topic is groups, connections what have you. If it really comes down to cases do you really think people as self interested, self involved and outright selfish as the herd are going to be reliable or trustworthy? Most folks would sell you down the river for a new iPhone, they'll surely slit your throat to have twice the meals when that's life and death.

Never mind that everyone you even approach is one more person who knows you're prepared and may talk to others. Even if your chosen partners are reliable, what about their deadbeat drug peddling uncle and his posse or another such lawless group determined to survive who know because someone else talked?

Secondly, without some serious resources you're buying yourself a small sliver of safety and anything that tips the scales that much is unlikely to end before your resources and your ability to secure them will. I agree, prepping for a short pause in basic services like a hurricane or storm is just basic common sense, but of we go WROL or TEOTWAWKI you're screwed, no matter how many cans of beans you stash. And not just if the gangs get you either, I suspect the most successful looters will be Feds confiscating resources for the "common good" to make sure they stay comfy and in the catbird seat. So unless you can fight armoured vehicles and armoured thugs in uniform....

Third, and I admit this may be my developing tendency towards a mild nihilism talking... Do you really want to survive a real collapse? Do you want to see the results of the statistics on die off and population reduction live and direct in your shelter with your family members as the stars? How many of your loved ones are on necessary medications right now? How many will die or become crippled by inches without them in a world without primary care? How many babies and kids and mothers and wives and elders do you want to bury every flu season, or when the crops fail, or when the last of the antibiotics are gone and a rusty nail may mean a lingering death? Do you want to decide who eats and who starves because the alternative is noone lives?

And while most of us could kill in self defence, can you kill over a meal? A shirt? A blanket? A bottle of aspirin? Because all those things might mean the difference between life and death, but could you kill a man, or woman or child for trying to survive at a non-immediate consequence for you and yours?

You may decry me as a pessimist (and I am) that makes none of these things less valid. I have simply chosen to address them and amend my decisions accordingly. I shall part well and hopefully remove vermin as I depart, but survive and rebuild and prosper? Pipe dreams.
 
Last edited:
So, in my self appointed, annointed and announced role as "that guy" I'm going to throw my hat and a pair of pennies into the ring.

I was in my own small way a prepper when I was married. I continued for a while after I wasn't but over the ensuing years I've changed my mind and stopped.

The subject of this topic is groups, connections what have you. If it really comes down to cases do you really think people as self interested, self involved and outright selfish as the herd are going to be reliable or trustworthy? Most folks would sell you down the river for a new iPhone, they'll surely slit your throat to have twice the meals when that's life and death.

Never mind that everyone you even approach is one more person who knows you're prepared and may talk to others. Even if your chosen partners are reliable, what about their deadbeat drug peddling uncle and his posse or another such lawless group determined to survive who know because someone else talked?

Secondly, without some serious resources you're buying yourself a small sliver of safety and anything that tips the scales that much is unlikely to end before your resources and your ability to secure them will. I agree, prepping for a short pause in basic services like a hurricane or storm is just basic common sense, but of we go WROL or TEOTWAWKI you're screwed, no matter how many cans of beans you stash. And not just if the gangs get you either, I suspect the most successful looters will be Feds confiscating resources for the "common good" to make sure they stay comfy and in the catbird seat. So unless you can fight armoured vehicles and armoured thugs in uniform....

Third, and I admit this may be my developing tendency towards a mild nihilism talking... Do you really want to survive a real collapse? Do you want to see the results of the statistics on die off and population reduction live and direct in your shelter with your family members as the stars? How many of your loved ones are on necessary medications right now? How many will die or become crippled by inches without them in a world without primary care? How many babies and kids and mothers and wives and elders do you want to bury every flu season, or when the crops fail, or when the last of the antibiotics are gone and a rusty nail may mean a lingering death? Do you want to decide who eats and who starves because the alternative is noone lives?

And while most of us could kill in self defence, can you kill over a meal? A shirt? A blanket? A bottle of aspirin? Because all those things might mean the difference between life and death, but could you kill a man, or woman or child for trying to survive at a non-immediate consequence for you and yours?

And while you may decry me as a pessimist (and I am) that makes none of these things less valid. I have simply chosen to address them and amend my decisions accordingly. I shall part well and hopefully remove vermin as I depart, but survive and rebuild and prosper? Pipe dreams.
I actually agree with a lot of what you say. I'm not a trusting person by nature, hence why only my close and immediate family knows exactly what I have.
As far as a true end of the world as we know it, I can't really say that I would want to watch everyone around me suffer needlessly. At the same time, I would want to ensure that my family is safe and cared for. If I was single and didnt have any family maybe I wouldn't be willing to try so hard but what ifs and what nots are hard to call in advance.
 
I've got something better than A1 sauce. My dad was a helluva cook and taught me his various bbq sauce recipes. I'm sure I can find something suitable to fat yankee roast lol.

The thought of eating DamYankee reminds me of the old Louisiana recipe for preparing carp. :)
 
So, in my self appointed, annointed and announced role as "that guy" I'm going to throw my hat and a pair of pennies into the ring.

I was in my own small way a prepper when I was married. I continued for a while after I wasn't but over the ensuing years I've changed my mind and stopped.

The subject of this topic is groups, connections what have you. If it really comes down to cases do you really think people as self interested, self involved and outright selfish as the herd are going to be reliable or trustworthy? Most folks would sell you down the river for a new iPhone, they'll surely slit your throat to have twice the meals when that's life and death.

Never mind that everyone you even approach is one more person who knows you're prepared and may talk to others. Even if your chosen partners are reliable, what about their deadbeat drug peddling uncle and his posse or another such lawless group determined to survive who know because someone else talked?

Secondly, without some serious resources you're buying yourself a small sliver of safety and anything that tips the scales that much is unlikely to end before your resources and your ability to secure them will. I agree, prepping for a short pause in basic services like a hurricane or storm is just basic common sense, but of we go WROL or TEOTWAWKI you're screwed, no matter how many cans of beans you stash. And not just if the gangs get you either, I suspect the most successful looters will be Feds confiscating resources for the "common good" to make sure they stay comfy and in the catbird seat. So unless you can fight armoured vehicles and armoured thugs in uniform....

Third, and I admit this may be my developing tendency towards a mild nihilism talking... Do you really want to survive a real collapse? Do you want to see the results of the statistics on die off and population reduction live and direct in your shelter with your family members as the stars? How many of your loved ones are on necessary medications right now? How many will die or become crippled by inches without them in a world without primary care? How many babies and kids and mothers and wives and elders do you want to bury every flu season, or when the crops fail, or when the last of the antibiotics are gone and a rusty nail may mean a lingering death? Do you want to decide who eats and who starves because the alternative is noone lives?

And while most of us could kill in self defence, can you kill over a meal? A shirt? A blanket? A bottle of aspirin? Because all those things might mean the difference between life and death, but could you kill a man, or woman or child for trying to survive at a non-immediate consequence for you and yours?

You may decry me as a pessimist (and I am) that makes none of these things less valid. I have simply chosen to address them and amend my decisions accordingly. I shall part well and hopefully remove vermin as I depart, but survive and rebuild and prosper? Pipe dreams.

Man you are missing the big picture. What if you hold put long enough to be stranded with you and your favorite porn star for the rest of your life? Just you two, some beans, rice and Fat Boy belts to play with for years! :p

I agree with the group perspective. Keep if very small and select. And not only do you need stuff, you need a decent place to go and plenty of skills. Not to mention the right attitude. Adding people to a group becuase they have a nice stash of ammo or beans is probably a bad idea. Adding a true friend that can build the space shuttle with toothpicks and duct tape may be a better path.
 
Last edited:
So, in my self appointed, annointed and announced role as "that guy" I'm going to throw my hat and a pair of pennies into the ring.

I was in my own small way a prepper when I was married. I continued for a while after I wasn't but over the ensuing years I've changed my mind and stopped.

The subject of this topic is groups, connections what have you. If it really comes down to cases do you really think people as self interested, self involved and outright selfish as the herd are going to be reliable or trustworthy? Most folks would sell you down the river for a new iPhone, they'll surely slit your throat to have twice the meals when that's life and death.

Never mind that everyone you even approach is one more person who knows you're prepared and may talk to others. Even if your chosen partners are reliable, what about their deadbeat drug peddling uncle and his posse or another such lawless group determined to survive who know because someone else talked?

Secondly, without some serious resources you're buying yourself a small sliver of safety and anything that tips the scales that much is unlikely to end before your resources and your ability to secure them will. I agree, prepping for a short pause in basic services like a hurricane or storm is just basic common sense, but of we go WROL or TEOTWAWKI you're screwed, no matter how many cans of beans you stash. And not just if the gangs get you either, I suspect the most successful looters will be Feds confiscating resources for the "common good" to make sure they stay comfy and in the catbird seat. So unless you can fight armoured vehicles and armoured thugs in uniform....

Third, and I admit this may be my developing tendency towards a mild nihilism talking... Do you really want to survive a real collapse? Do you want to see the results of the statistics on die off and population reduction live and direct in your shelter with your family members as the stars? How many of your loved ones are on necessary medications right now? How many will die or become crippled by inches without them in a world without primary care? How many babies and kids and mothers and wives and elders do you want to bury every flu season, or when the crops fail, or when the last of the antibiotics are gone and a rusty nail may mean a lingering death? Do you want to decide who eats and who starves because the alternative is noone lives?

And while most of us could kill in self defence, can you kill over a meal? A shirt? A blanket? A bottle of aspirin? Because all those things might mean the difference between life and death, but could you kill a man, or woman or child for trying to survive at a non-immediate consequence for you and yours?

You may decry me as a pessimist (and I am) that makes none of these things less valid. I have simply chosen to address them and amend my decisions accordingly. I shall part well and hopefully remove vermin as I depart, but survive and rebuild and prosper? Pipe dreams.
So essentially it will be life prior to the 1900's then. People survived back then too. I see your point and agree with some of them but the best we can do is be prepared as best we can. Prep/store what you can. Train and learn new skills now. Tdap up to date. Take care of your body etc. I believe those who are prepared would be more likely to survive. Humans have been around for centuries. "Life will find a way."
 
Last edited:
So essentially it will be life prior to the 1900's then. People survived back then too. I see your point and agree with some of them but the best we can do is be prepared as best we can. Prep/store what you can. Train and learn new skills now. Tdap up to date. Take care of your body etc. I believe those who are prepared would be more likely to survive. Humans have been around for centuries. "Life will find a way."

Excellent point. Take care of your body. I’ve been sick for about 3 weeks and have fallen into bad habits. If we are all fat, sick and out of shape all the rice, beans and bullets in the world aren’t much good.
 
So essentially it will be life prior to the 1900's then. People survived back then too. I see your point and agree with some of them but the best we can do is be prepared as best we can. Prep/store what you can. Train and learn new skills now. Tdap up to date. Take care of your body etc. I believe those who are prepared would be more likely to survive. Humans have been around for centuries. "Life will find a way."
The life expectancy was much shorter then but we would have all of the knowledge we have today, just not the equipment and infrastructure. We would still know how to formulate the drugs we have today and I don't think it would take as long this time to reinvent the means to produce them. Same with the equipment, we would still know how a CT scanner or a MRI machine works and we could make one a lot easier than the folks who had to make the first one.
A lot of people focus on an EMP as the sole cause of shtf. It could be disease, it could be an economic collapse, etc.
 
So essentially it will be life prior to the 1900's then. People survived back then too. I see your point and agree with some of them but the best we can do is be prepared as best we can. Prep/store what you can. Train and learn new skills now. Tdap up to date. Take care of your body etc. I believe those who are prepared would be more likely to survive. Humans have been around for centuries. "Life will find a way."

People did survive back then, but those people with that fortitude are in abysmally small supply these days. Take away their microwave and fast food and the majority are going to die and in their death throes kill most of the folks with forethought they know about.

We have become weak and helpless, just how They wanted us to be.
 
The life expectancy was much shorter then but we would have all of the knowledge we have today, just not the equipment and infrastructure. We would still know how to formulate the drugs we have today and I don't think it would take as long this time to reinvent the means to produce them. Same with the equipment, we would still know how a CT scanner or a MRI machine works and we could make one a lot easier than the folks who had to make the first one.
A lot of people focus on an EMP as the sole cause of shtf. It could be disease, it could be an economic collapse, etc.


How many people actually know how anything complex that is necessary to modern life works? Hell, how many people can even do something as basic as prepare a meal from actual ingredients? We've diminished the need for any form of self reliance to nothing. And when the people who think meat comes from a store rather than an animal get hungry, they'll resort to the only skill they have: that of taking what they want.
 
How many people actually know how anything complex that is necessary to modern life works? Hell, how many people can even do something as basic as prepare a meal from actual ingredients? We've diminished the need for any form of self reliance to nothing. And when the people who think meat comes from a store rather than an animal get hungry, they'll resort to the only skill they have: that of taking what they want.
Take a look, it's in a book.....
All reading rainbow jokes aside, we are fortunate to have old books. I have all of my pharmacology books from school along with the digital copies. My wife has all of her respiratory therapy books. My mom has several of the nursing books.
Find someone from every profession, I'm sure we're not the only ones to hang on to our books.
Yes everything is digitized but those books are still out there and as long as some idiot doesnt use them for kindling we will be ok.
 
Take a look, it's in a book.....
All reading rainbow jokes aside, we are fortunate to have old books. I have all of my pharmacology books from school along with the digital copies. My wife has all of her respiratory therapy books. My mom has several of the nursing books.
Find someone from every profession, I'm sure we're not the only ones to hang on to our books.
Yes everything is digitized but those books are still out there and as long as some idiot doesnt use them for kindling we will be ok.

There's a LOT of idiots.
 
How many people actually know how anything complex that is necessary to modern life works? Hell, how many people can even do something as basic as prepare a meal from actual ingredients? We've diminished the need for any form of self reliance to nothing. And when the people who think meat comes from a store rather than an animal get hungry, they'll resort to the only skill they have: that of taking what they want.

Here you go. You are welcome.

https://www.amazon.com/Knowledge-Rebuild-Civilization-Aftermath-Cataclysm/dp/0143127047
 
Last edited:
You can get something out of most any of the books on the subject and a lot out of others. However, do you have the tools and materials on hand right now to put the information to use? Do you have hammers, nails, screw drivers, screws, wood, wire, fence, etc.? If not, you are dang near starting off from scratch and will be better off studying minimalist survival books. Buy all the books (not digitized crap you have to read on a computer) you can, read the books and then make a list of the most used tools and materials you will need to accomplish the tasks. If you don't have them now you better hope there is a healthy barter system in you AO and they want what you have to offer.

If disaster happens or the hockey hits the fan those are the people that will help each other out without pretense. This is true for ice storms, local disasters, power outages, etc. Your house, your street, your neighborhood, your city, your state, your region, national, global are the rankings first to last where you need to concentrate. Think about what can happen to you locally before you concern yourself with the end of the world. Hell, if its the end of the world who gives a crap, lay back and enjoy the final ride because end means end. If can't do those things, no one will have you in a group anyway. You will be useless and will end up dead.

I'm trying not to preach to the choir but some of use have been through all the stages. A lot of money was spent, chances were taken, some good results and some less than mediocre. I continue to be amazed at the keyboard survivalists that probably can't light a fire with a damn bic lighter, put a worm on a hook or skin a squirrel. If you weren't brought up in the boy scouts (when we were really boy scouts) or by parents that thought enough of you to teach you a modicum of ways to keep you alive you better get humping now. "Be Preppared", get an old scout book and read it, try the stuff in it and then move on. Then get the LDS Preparedness Manual and memorize it.
https://www.amazon.com/LDS-Prepared...30840&sr=1-1&keywords=lds+preparedness+manual
 
Last edited:
Have you read that one? Some of the reviews indicate it isn't as helpful as the title implies.
One review suggested this one though: https://www.amazon.com/Back-Basics-...swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1549825583&sr=1-3
I haven't read either one, but I would like to find one that is actually useful!

I agree it is not as good as I hoped, but it did layout some fundamental ideas that could lead to technological advances if you are starting from scratch. IMO you still need some people with skills to make it all work.
 
How many people actually know how anything complex that is necessary to modern life works? Hell, how many people can even do something as basic as prepare a meal from actual ingredients? We've diminished the need for any form of self reliance to nothing. And when the people who think meat comes from a store rather than an animal get hungry, they'll resort to the only skill they have: that of taking what they want.

Weeks ago someone mentioned in a thread that he is buying old (1800's early 1900's I believe) cookbooks to keep on hand. Smart move. May also want to find old books on plants and herbs.
 
Never really put much thought in it. Family is my circle/mutual assitance group. Growing up in a tight knit extended family that allways practiced traditional methods of gardening / hunting / cooking/canning etc I figure we will be better off than most. Stocking beans, rice and oatmeal has never been a concern when I have a pantry full of canned good vegtables,pickels,relishes and hams hanging in the barn . We might fight like hell amongst ourselves but God help someone who threatens a family member.
 
Last edited:
Never really put much thought in it. Family is my circle/mutual assitance group. Growing up in a tight knit extended family that allways practiced traditional methods of gardening / hunting / cooking/canning etc I figure we will be better off than most. Stocking beans, rice and oatmeal has never been a concern when I have a pantry full of canned good vegtables,pickels,relishes and hams hanging in the barn . We might fight like hell amongst ourselves but God help someone who threatens a family member.
In an ideal world, I would have my family to rely on and vice versa. Unfortunately they live 2.5 hours away so without leaving my job, and my wife leaving her job, up and moving there isnt an option.
My hope is that before whatever s- hits the fan there will be enough notice to get the car packed and get to them.
Between the bunch of us we have food, water, first aid supplies, defense options, etc covered. I have an uncle who is a master carpenter, woodsman and excellent mechanic. Although he is a little too old to do much heavy lifting, his experience is valuable and he is a great teacher.
Time is what it all boils down to. Not time as in, oh crap I've had 10 years to prepare and I only have a box of ramen noodles and a 12 pack of cokes to show for it, but the time to get to them before it all goes south and travel becomes dangerous and difficult. Because at that point I do not want to be in a car traveling down a road with most of my belongings in the car with me. It would be perfect for someone to ambush or rob me.
 
Last edited:
A lot of y'all are lucky. My wife has some family that lives nearby, but no one preps or believes in doing so. Most of my family lives 8-10 hours away, but they don't really believe in being prepared either.
No neighbors or friends that we could rely on in this kind of situation either. We would be mostly on our own. :(
 
Last edited:
Have you read that one? Some of the reviews indicate it isn't as helpful as the title implies.
One review suggested this one though: https://www.amazon.com/Back-Basics-...swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1549825583&sr=1-3
I haven't read either one, but I would like to find one that is actually useful!

Back to Basics is a good overview. Of you are looking to get started with a homestead it is a good starting framework.

Skills you practice are essential. Have the tools to carry out the skills you have. Books can fill in the blanks IF you have tools and know how to do things. The foxfire books are good but don't usually break it down Barney-style. They assume a certain level of experience so they dont tell you the "breathe in, breathe out" level of detail. Use them as a starting point for things you want to learn.
 
a bizarrely helpful book is "the art of shen ku" by zeek. lots of info in that book...
 
It is.

Unfortunately, I think a good bit of the population is oblivious to it. They simply assume that hungry/go to the grocery joint, outta gas/go to Sheetz, outta Rx meds/go to CVS, trash can full/garbage trucks run once a week...

Yeah? Well, what if the shelves at Lowes are empty? What if Sheetz has yellow sacks hanging on all the pump nozzles? What if Walgreens didn't get that shipment of meds? What if the garbage collectors don't get by once a week?

Any of those situations would be enough to cause chaos in just a matter of days.
I don't think this is a big problem. The goods are still being delivered so the companies that are in charge of delivering all this stuff are still making money. Any real shortage in drivers can easily be remidied with a little increase in pay or other incentives, there is no physical reason for it. The only thing driving this "shortage" is pay rates and the utter lack of privacy and independance the trucking companies force on the driver's. They are all tracked by GPS, telemetry from the truck itself and video cameras. They know where you are every second, how fast you drive, if you miss a gear, when you take a crap. Who wants to live like that?

The point is if the goods are not being delivered lots of money is being lost, they won't let that happen. Of course there are other things that can stop goods from being delivered like the electrical grid going down (EMP, etc.), but it won't be for lack of drivers.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom