# Do we as a nation of the prepared have a total plan?



## biobacon (Aug 20, 2012)

After so much reading here and watching on youtube and such it seems to me that we are a nation of the prepared. Do we have a plan? As a people do we have a plan to come together. Most of us are ready to go it alone but wouldn't it be better if we could plan ahead and all get together to rebuild if the SHTF?


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## Transplant (Jan 10, 2013)

I think many of us are building our own network. If and when something happens it is going to be near impossible for all the preppers to get together and build a utopia since we are scattered across the US. But what we can do is build a net work of those around us that we trust. When we build those clusters then we stand a better chance at seeing small clusters of viable communites pop in areas that have been effected. A lot will depend on our government. If we continue with the current polictical mentality that is in DC we might as well find caves to hide in because we have all been labeled as terrorist. But if we get a different mentality in DC then maybe we will stand a chance.


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## cnsper (Sep 20, 2012)

I think that for the most part it is going to be a free for all for a while. Then people will group together and start to rebuild. There were a lot of people that went it alone to build this country in the first place. Then towns and cities would pop up and we were off to the races.


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## biobacon (Aug 20, 2012)

cnsper said:


> I think that for the most part it is going to be a free for all for a while. Then people will group together and start to rebuild. There were a lot of people that went it alone to build this country in the first place. Then towns and cities would pop up and we were off to the races.


Good observations


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## swjohnsey (Jan 21, 2013)

Our government has a plan for survival. Of course it includes only them and not us.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

I cannot advise what percentage of the US populous are preppers, survivalists or adaptable enough to survive. But I can assure you that 1-2 years after a serious world changing event the percentage will be MUCH higher. Not because more people will become preppers, survivalists or adaptable; but because a whole lot of those who aren't, and aren't right now, will die off. So as we band together to survive when our preps begin to run low and a more sustainable lifestyle is required, then the plan you ask about will form based on location and community.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

Rawles has that whole "Redoubt" idea. I think it has merit for some.
If it gets real bad we might have to include the prairie provinces.


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## biobacon (Aug 20, 2012)

I just think that with all those people out there doing this stuff it should go main stream, preppers unit kind of stuff. Im not sure how to do it but maybe it could be done, maybe it should? A national club, a state club, a county club. IF the powers that be have plans, and Im not saying they do or don't maybe we should too.


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## Aliaysonfire (Dec 18, 2012)

I agree biobacon. There are a growing number of us, but as much as I'd like to, we aren't going to be able to feed anyone and a lot of grasshoppers will starve. I really like the idea of a prepper network though. That's why I popped up with my "own group." I thought that I'd see more preppers closer to me but this far I've only made contact with one from this site. I know a lot of people that are doing their own thing too, locally- and most of these guys are of the mindset of going it alone. If there was enough of us, loosely associated before the SHTF, we would have a much better chance. It boggles my mind that so many of us won't reach out past the anonymousisness of the Internet.


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## drfacefixer (Mar 8, 2013)

biobacon said:


> I just think that with all those people out there doing this stuff it should go main stream, preppers unit kind of stuff. Im not sure how to do it but maybe it could be done, maybe it should? A national club, a state club, a county club. IF the powers that be have plans, and Im not saying they do or don't maybe we should too.


It's a lot more mainstream than you would think, only a lot of people don't want to be branded with the negative connotation associated with "preppers". To those mainstreamers, There is a big difference from being prepared ( natural disasters, layoff, family issues) and living your life like tomorrow is doomsday. The Mormon church is probably the biggest and most organized preparedness group next to the US military. Ask yourself if your preparations include this big what if....what if the world runs smoothly for another hundred years?


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## Gravlore (Dec 10, 2011)

I guess they are promoting terrorism with 2 weeks preps? Ya know, since 'hording' food is looked at as terror!

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013...prep-for-two-weeks-on-your-own-on-quake-anny/


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## oif_ghost_tod (Sep 25, 2012)

drfacefixer said:


> It's a lot more mainstream than you would think, only a lot of people don't want to be branded with the negative connotation associated with "preppers". To those mainstreamers, There is a big difference from being prepared ( natural disasters, layoff, family issues) and living your life like tomorrow is doomsday. The Mormon church is probably the biggest and most organized preparedness group next to the US military. Ask yourself if your preparations include this big what if....what if the world runs smoothly for another hundred years?


As one of the latter, I understand the value of having a plan, the gear to carry out that plan, and enough training and practice. Still, IMHO, if prepping becomes your only pastime, or ruins your finances, personal life, or social interaction, then perhaps its time to dial it down a little.
Preparedness should enhance and simplify your life, not detract and hinder. Balance is key.


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## Griff (Jan 12, 2013)

If by total plan you mean needs/basics covered, then I'd say yes; we, the prepared, are about as close to all-inclusive as possible, but in a decentalized fashion (which is a great strength in itself). If you mean collectively speaking, I'm afraid that falls on the various emergency and incident management organizations' shoulders...who seem to like nothing better than collecting other peoples' stuff.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Gravlore said:


> I guess they are promoting terrorism with 2 weeks preps? Ya know, since 'hording' food is looked at as terror!


And that's the irony of it. One branch of government (FEMA) says be prepared to go it alone for 2 weeks in the event of a major calamity while another branch (DHS) says watch out for those people that have more than 3 days of food on hand. :brickwall:


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

You can bet that your friendly government has a well thought out plan for several different scenarios. I really really doubt that I would like these plans.


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## SouthCentralUS (Nov 11, 2012)

And that my friends is why I do not prep. I go to the store every day for dinner. And I suggest you do the same.


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## swjohnsey (Jan 21, 2013)

I am old enough to remember when we had Civil Defense shelters stocked with rations. Then I remember when they told us that nuclear war was unthinkable and unsurvivable. Then I discovered that there were elaborate bunkers for members of congress, the Supremes, the big shots in the excutive branch and their families. I guess I am a cynic.


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## biobacon (Aug 20, 2012)

Gravlore said:


> I guess they are promoting terrorism with 2 weeks preps? Ya know, since 'hording' food is looked at as terror!
> 
> http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013...prep-for-two-weeks-on-your-own-on-quake-anny/


This is exactly what Im talking about. Read those comments. This is something people are ready to have a "national conversation" about. Forget the talk show talking heads and anti or pro this or that government types. Someone needs to step up Jed Eckert/George Washington style and lead. There needs to be "real" national network for all the little MAGs and prepping families, militias, and zombie groups out there. Maybe we can dust of those civil defense signs and bring I back. My grandpa was in the civil defense after he got out of the army. Of course most of us are so scared by the government I don't think it could fly. Can you imagine the net if the POTUS started telling people to get prepared? I don't know maybe the Red Cross could start it up or yeah maybe the Later Day Saints could hit it hard core. Just my $.02


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## BullDozer (Jan 1, 2013)

When the stuff hits the fan, I, for one, advise you to watch the walking dead, the show may be in fantasy land, but it got me thinking. 

Main character stays alone for roughly 1 episode, meets a prepper and helps for 1 episode, leaves and goes alone again for one episode, then finds a group, and it gets bigger and bigger until now they are in war with other groups.


We will all go alone for awhile, join groups, factions, cults, small "countries" will form. And wars will arise between us. Human nature.


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## swjohnsey (Jan 21, 2013)

I am curious, can you eat zombies?


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## BillM (Dec 29, 2010)

*I think*



swjohnsey said:


> I am curious, can you eat zombies?


I think there is a drink called a "Zombie" ? :dunno:


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

swjohnsey said:


> I am curious, can you eat zombies?


Only if you use a pressure cooker for preparation. They need to be tenderized to make them palatable.


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## Startingout-Blair (Aug 28, 2012)

No way! That's rotting flesh! No matter how much you cook or season it, it is still rotting flesh! No way!


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## Startingout-Blair (Aug 28, 2012)

I recently started a group called the Blair County Mutual Assistance Group using Meetup.com as the focal point. It is meant to bring people together and I will provide classes on whatever subject they wish to learn pertaining to survival, prepping, and/or homesteading. If I don't know the subject well enough, I find someone to teach the class. I figure that by putting this group together, I can possibly choose specific people that I can trust to join a more personal group. I just started it last week and have 3 members so far. Classes include: 
Fire starting
Building a BOB
Canning foods
Gardening
Gun Safety
Gun cleaning
And more!


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## Foreverautumn (Oct 25, 2010)

swjohnsey said:


> Our government has a plan for survival. Of course it includes only them and not us.


I think they've got SOME kind of "plan" for us, after all, they've GOTTA have SOME "revenue-producing units" to work and slave for them, but we're at most an afterthought to them. *cough*superdome*cough* *cough*FEMA camps*cough*


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## drfacefixer (Mar 8, 2013)

biobacon said:


> This is exactly what Im talking about. Read those comments. This is something people are ready to have a "national conversation" about. Forget the talk show talking heads and anti or pro this or that government types. Someone needs to step up Jed Eckert/George Washington style and lead. There needs to be "real" national network for all the little MAGs and prepping families, militias, and zombie groups out there. Maybe we can dust of those civil defense signs and bring I back. My grandpa was in the civil defense after he got out of the army. Of course most of us are so scared by the government I don't think it could fly. Can you imagine the net if the POTUS started telling people to get prepared? I don't know maybe the Red Cross could start it up or yeah maybe the Later Day Saints could hit it hard core. Just my $.02


The problem here is media. There is a fine line with instructing on general preparedness and people questioning why paranoid that something is being withheld from them and panic ensuing. In a very low key manner the Red Cross, FEMA, and local civil defence does this - ask any person currently on Active Duty.

The internet as well as a number of prepping site fall victim to a moderate amount of proof by assertion. If something is repeated or reposted so many times then it becomes truth. Here is an example, google "National Defense Resources Preparedness" . You'll see pages of sites coming up stating that Marshall law is soon to be declared and the Government will be knocking on your door to take your goods. In reality, Its an update to a document(s) that updates and outlines roles and authorities in a national disaster. Everytime I PCS, I have to update and disseminate SOPs and the like. It is planning on a higher level. Read your history, this is not a ploy to take your goods. Government control occurs in times of natural disasters or war for a number of good reasons. Remember rationing during WWII - that protected against inflation and ensured an equality on distribution of goods.(ie reduced illegal profiteering) It also ensures that farming continues and nitrates are appropriated for both fertilizers as well as munitions and explosives. WWI was thought last less than 6 months because of the maximum amount of the nitrates Germany had on hand. WWII was ended because of the bombing of Leuna which eventually stopped the production of Germany's munitions and explosives. What if absolute free market remained during these times and foreign markets purchased a larger share of the US supplies. At the least, it means the cost of the war footed by we the people would be drastically increased.

In Natural disasters, there has been an abundance of food and medical aid for relief. It was not an issue in Haiti or Katrina. The issues were security and logistics. Coast guard and National guardsmen were being shot at and certain areas were restricted until there were enough security personnel to effectively rescue and secure areas. In Haiti, planes had to be turned away because excess food was only causing the looting problems to worsen and creating more violence.

These sites are full of great ideas, but they are also an easy target for marketing. A little fear goes a long way here and the survivalist market flourishes. Just look at ammo, its become its own horribley falsely inflated market. Its bought up because it is thought to be in short supply, and then we see it, we buy even more of it because its taking longer to reshelve, when in reality, there is simply less of it because we are buying more of it.


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## Transplant (Jan 10, 2013)

I think we are missing the BIG point here...prepping should not be something we do because we are afraid of our government. Prepping should be a way of life like our ancestors. I know my parents lived this life they had a HUGE garden evey year until my father died. We gather wild berries, dad hunted and fished. We raised our on meat. This was not something they did because they were afraid that pooh was about to hit the fan. They did this so they could feed the family though those lean times. Prepping is not like a diet. Dieting should be a life style not something you do to loose weight. Prepping should be a life style.


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## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

I believe that the "government" will track down anyone that has food stores so that they can "contribute" to the welfare of those who do not. It's easy for them to justify and any working person knows full well who gets the first share of their paycheck ... the government! The gov't. doesn't care that you worked for it nor do they care about the welfare of your family. That same mentality will be apparent WTSHTF. 

I fully expect our local government to be hitting up everyone in the area to confiscate (oops!), I mean "contribute" the "extra" supplies that they possess including solar panels for emergency use by the "government" clinics, etc. After all, what you have could be put to much "greater use" to benefit everyone by the government.

The Feds will be pushing this as well. If you protest you'll simply be told to come on in to town where "they" will take care of you by letting you stand in line while your supplies/preps are shared with everyone else.

Preppers will be vilified just as the rich are now. They will be seen as fair game by the government weenie heads that are in power. The problem with going too public is that you are merely painting a target on your home inviting the "have nots" to take what you've put back for the welfare of your own family.

We, meaning the US, is already 90 percent socialist so the principles are already firmly entrenched. If you think differently then please tell me why.

Cheers!

Steve


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## cnsper (Sep 20, 2012)

mosquitomountainman said:


> Preppers will be vilified just as the rich are now. They will be seen as fair game by the government weenie heads that are in power.


That is one thing that I can not understand about the liberal philosophy of taking from the rich and giving to the poor. Oh well it will come to bite them in the @$$ when the time comes.


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## biobacon (Aug 20, 2012)

mosquitomountainman said:


> I believe that the "government" will track down anyone that has food stores so that they can "contribute" to the welfare of those who do not. It's easy for them to justify and any working person knows full well who gets the first share of their paycheck ... the government! The gov't. doesn't care that you worked for it nor do they care about the welfare of your family. That same mentality will be apparent WTSHTF.
> 
> I fully expect our local government to be hitting up everyone in the area to confiscate (oops!), I mean "contribute" the "extra" supplies that they possess including solar panels for emergency use by the "government" clinics, etc. After all, what you have could be put to much "greater use" to benefit everyone by the government.
> 
> ...


Good points. I think that's why its got to be a national thing. For all the BS the NRA puts out there they do keep the anti gunners at bay, for now at least. A local gun club or even a big state gun club could not do that, ask New York. A national prepping group could do the same, It would be a hung bureaucratic crap fest just like the NRA but with 15 million members (assuming half of the 10% of the population or so they say are part of this are members) it could have a lot of power but only if we were all united. It was only when the colonial safety commities came together that they had the power they needed to make a stand (well that and the French LOL). But as I said above I would prefer it if some of us could get elected to higher offices and start changing things from the inside out as the founders intended.


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