# How to get....



## Cabowabo (Nov 6, 2012)

I've talked to my parents about prepping before. But they really haven't been all that receptive to it. However when I was home I was able to talk my girlfriend, my sister, and my mom into purchasing fire arms. (This is a huge step because she previously didn't want any guns in her house) . 
Anyway I got her to read One Second after, but I need an idea on what to follow up it with to help her see why prepping is important. I don't want to try to get her to watch Doomsday Preppers, but I want to stress why I believe it is so important to prep. I need to know what books are out there, that will help show someone why prepping is important, and some ideas on how to get her more interested in prepping. If I can get my mom interested my dad will be more likely to go along with it. 
Thank you


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## -JohnD- (Sep 16, 2012)

Have you tried the "just to be ready for ______ storm" approach? Since most areas have some kind of bad weather and anyone that has lived there for long has first hand knowledge of it and how bad it can be. Then you could point out that even the Gov. suggest that you keep X amount of food and water on hand and couple that with the slow response to "Sandy" in the north east, it might get them started. I think one of the keys to getting people to start is focus on local events (tornado, hurricane, blizzard, flooding, etc...), then punctuate it with how "the government will help us" is often slow and ineffective.


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

My dad is a prepper, but when opening discussions with close friends, I usually go the natural disaster route. Around here, that means tornadoes, power outages... most are receptive to casual conversations that center around things like that which are common in our area.
Or go the Red Cross/first aid way, mention taking a cpr-first aid class, especially if they babysit any grandkids, or they or their friends have heart problems, etc. 
Baby steps that center around things and people important to them, so they see the value in the time/effort investment.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

The easiest way I've found to get people on board is to walk over to the electric panel and throw the main. Then ask them what they plan to do in this situation should the power not come back on for a week. 

I normally add a couple extras like a) you're not allowed to leave your property, b) unplug the phone line outside the house, c) you can use your cell phone until it's dead but then can't recharge...


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Jerry D. Young

or

Jerry D. Young to preview a few.

Another one I liked was Atlas Shrugged


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## Trinka (Feb 16, 2013)

I gotta say if One Second After does not grab some one.....they just are not ready.....

That's the best book I know to get folks to "think"...

The Gov. response to disasters should show any one...they are not the answer...people are the answer, being prepared is the answer...


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## Axelight (Apr 21, 2012)

Cabowabo said:


> I've talked to my parents about prepping before. But they really haven't been all that receptive to it. However when I was home I was able to talk my girlfriend, my sister, and my mom into purchasing fire arms. (This is a huge step because she previously didn't want any guns in her house) .
> Anyway I got her to read One Second after, but I need an idea on what to follow up it with to help her see why prepping is important. I don't want to try to get her to watch Doomsday Preppers, but I want to stress why I believe it is so important to prep. I need to know what books are out there, that will help show someone why prepping is important, and some ideas on how to get her more interested in prepping. If I can get my mom interested my dad will be more likely to go along with it.
> Thank you


Try these, Cabowabo. They are all pretty good in relation to the need to prep, Jakarta and Lights Out are a couple of the better ones:

Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
The Jakarta Pandemic by Steve Konkoly
Lights Out by David Crawford
Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
Earth Abides by George R. Stewart

I've been trying to nudge my own folks along for a while as well, but it's a real uphill battle most of the time. All we can do is keep trying. Good luck!


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## d_saum (Jan 17, 2012)

ZoomZoom said:


> The easiest way I've found to get people on board is to walk over to the electric panel and throw the main. Then ask them what they plan to do in this situation should the power not come back on for a week.
> 
> I normally add a couple extras like a) you're not allowed to leave your property, b) unplug the phone line outside the house, c) you can use your cell phone until it's dead but then can't recharge...


While I have to say that I get your point, I hope you are throwing that main in your house, and not someone elses... because if someone walked into my house and, even if they were a good friend of mine, just went over and killed my power... I'd be P!SSED!!!!!!! You just crashed my computers, messed up my DVR, reset every clock in my house, erased the channel programming on my tvs, etc.. etc.. etc.. and all for theatrics. I'd NOT be a happy camper. 

On the flip side though... I love the idea of that being an excercise to get people thinking.... just not a fan of some dude walking over to my fuse box and killing my power.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

d_saum said:


> While I have to say that I get your point, I hope you are throwing that main in your house, and not someone elses... because if someone walked into my house and, even if they were a good friend of mine, just went over and killed my power... I'd be P!SSED!!!!!!! You just crashed my computers, messed up my DVR, reset every clock in my house, erased the channel programming on my tvs, etc.. etc.. etc.. and all for theatrics. I'd NOT be a happy camper.
> 
> On the flip side though... I love the idea of that being an excercise to get people thinking.... just not a fan of some dude walking over to my fuse box and killing my power.


Yes, I only do it at my house _unless I have permission._ I've done it at another person's house but had the husbands permission as a point to his wife.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

Cabowabo said:


> I've talked to my parents about prepping before. But they really haven't been all that receptive to it. However when I was home I was able to talk my girlfriend, my sister, and my mom into purchasing fire arms. (This is a huge step because she previously didn't want any guns in her house) .
> Anyway I got her to read One Second after, but I need an idea on what to follow up it with to help her see why prepping is important. I don't want to try to get her to watch Doomsday Preppers, but I want to stress why I believe it is so important to prep. I need to know what books are out there, that will help show someone why prepping is important, and some ideas on how to get her more interested in prepping. If I can get my mom interested my dad will be more likely to go along with it.
> Thank you


There are all kinds of informational-booklettes that are available through different agencies as well as informational pamphlettes that you can print-off on your own color-printer and leave them around the house so that they will take a look at them.

Ages ago I wrote-up a .pdf that I put on here about being prepared for a house-fire / condo-fire and what to expect.

With the time-change, there has been alot of advertisements on the radio to check the smoke-alarms, batteries, CO2 alarms, fire-extinguishers, etc in and around the home.

Sometimes, people are so surrounded by the message "*be prepared*" that it gets lost ...


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## CulexPipiens (Nov 17, 2010)

Ferfal's book, Surviving the Economic Collapse. http://amzn.com/9870563457

It isn't fiction and it's one of the more likely scenarios that we are going to experience here.


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

You could show them articles about hyperinflation. Like this one:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperinflation


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## Transplant (Jan 10, 2013)

Try taking the "if you buy extra then you can wait to there is a good sale and buy groceries instead of having to shop every week" approach. Women understand that.

I made another post about we got started. My hubby lost his job and I got paid once a month so I had to really cut corners and make the food stretch. I will try and find the post and add the link.

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f2/looking-some-help-opinions-17351/

Suggest that they save their reciepts and compare prices over several weeks months they will see the need to buy when things are on sale or buy now for later since all prices are doing are going up up up

This is a link to blog and he has compared prices over the past 5 years. It is interesting to look at. http://www.grandpappy.info/hfood1yr.htm


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## mpguy18 (Sep 7, 2011)

Cabowabo I commend you for trying to motivate your family into action!

I had the opposite problem - couldn't get the wife, kids or other family behind even a little prepping... until we we were hit with a 12" snow storm in the south. Out of power for six days, no water (on a well), had to cook outside, use a 5 gal bucket for a toilet, etc. 

What got them over the hump was: regular lifestyle interuption, creature comforts such as regular hot meals and hygene, and the total lack of support. 

Remember FEMA's motto is "The first 72 are on you", hell it's on their site.

What natural disasters happen where your family live? This is the easiest way to make it "real" for them. Then slowly build off that. Tornado alley - have a BOB by the bed in season for an example.


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## d_saum (Jan 17, 2012)

ZoomZoom said:


> Yes, I only do it at my house _unless I have permission._ I've done it at another person's house but had the husbands permission as a point to his wife.


Ah.. copy that. lol.. In that case, I think it's an EXCELLENT idea! :congrat:

I bet that guys wife got the point pretty fast huh?


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## bahramthered (Mar 10, 2012)

Make it a game. Ask them how they'd deal with a zombie apoclypse after you just brought over a season of walking dead. Then point out how those preparations would totally deal with a more likely disaster like a weather event. At the very least you'll get them thinking and that's the best prep.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

ZoomZoom said:


> Yes, I only do it at my house _unless I have permission._ I've done it at another person's house but had the husbands permission as a point to his wife.


You can do that at my house to make a point to my husband...

Please.


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## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

Zoom-my inlaws. Mil won't do anything to build up her lung function (has oxygen) and thinks the govmt will solve all problems.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

goshengirl said:


> You can do that at my house to make a point to my husband...
> 
> Please.





dixiemama said:


> Zoom-my inlaws. Mil won't do anything to build up her lung function (has oxygen) and thinks the govmt will solve all problems.


Sounds like I should make a road trip. :wave:

Y'all should ask your non-preppers what their plans are for a 1-week power outage. Give anecdotal info based on history in your area where there's been outages or other "situations".

If someone does have a condition that requires electricity for a medical condition, they should seriously be considering what happens when the electric goes out and what they're going to do.


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## txirishmp83 (Nov 22, 2012)

Try Lights Out by David Crawford one of the best I have ever read. just my opinion.
Dan


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## GroovyMike (Feb 25, 2010)

Lights Out is good. But not as good as Alas Babylon (though dated) or Patriots by James Wesley, Rawles.

Anything by Jerry D. Young is worth reading and there is a lot of other good stuff available online like “Sorry, You’re on your own”


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## invision (Aug 14, 2012)

I agree with Jerry D Young, Rawlings, and I would like to add the 299 Days series and Joe Nobody books. The first one in the 299 Days is probably the best to explain just "why" you have the need to prep...


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## Cabowabo (Nov 6, 2012)

The Main Reason I'm hesitant to ask them to read Rawlings is because of how heavy he goes on gear. I'm trying to get them to think about why they should prep, once I can get my mom to start thinking about what could happen I can then introduce her to Rawlings, or even the 299 day series. I have Lights out on my E-reader. I'll have to bump that to the top of my reading list and recommend that one to her to read. Like I said my top goal is getting her to start thinking about it through reading those books. And then once I get her to start thinking introduce her to Rawlings, or the 299 day series. On the flip side my girlfriend is loving the 299 day series.


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## LongRider (May 8, 2012)

Since they have agreed to buy a gun for self defense start by focusing on that. Lots of people begin by taking personal responsibility for their own safety than become more aware of the need to prep. A must read for anyone who carrys a firearm is 
*In the Gravest Extreme*: The Role of the Firearm in Personal Protection by Massad F. Ayoob
and these book by John Lott are excellent pro 2A books to help them learn what they learned in the media is BS. Seeing how the media distorts something may help them look at issues like prepping in a different light. One thing you can tell them about these books is that John Lott was anti ALL guns, extremely pro gun control until he studied gun control. So not just another gun guy validating his own opinions. Which in turn may help them open up to the idea of setting aside some of their own misconceptions about guns and prepping.
*The Bias Against Guns:* Why Almost Everything You'Ve Heard About Gun Control Is Wrong  by John Lott
*More Guns, Less Crime:* Understanding Crime and Gun Control Laws, Third Edition by John Lott


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## d_saum (Jan 17, 2012)

Cabowabo said:


> The Main Reason I'm hesitant to ask them to read Rawlings is because of how heavy he goes on gear. I'm trying to get them to think about why they should prep, once I can get my mom to start thinking about what could happen I can then introduce her to Rawlings, or even the 299 day series. I have Lights out on my E-reader. I'll have to bump that to the top of my reading list and recommend that one to her to read. Like I said my top goal is getting her to start thinking about it through reading those books. And then once I get her to start thinking introduce her to Rawlings, or the 299 day series. On the flip side my girlfriend is loving the 299 day series.


Lights out was quite good... but I'd absolutely recommend "One Second After" over "Lights Out". My Aunt read One Second After and was a little disturbed by it (in a positive way). It really hit home for her, especially when I told her that, while certain liberties were taken with the book, most of it was absolutely accurate and possible. I would not call her a "prepper" per se, but.. she's definitely better prepared, and more open minded to stocking up.


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## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

We have had week long power outages and still nothing. It's mainly when water is high in spring and winter. We have a 4wheel drive pick up full size that can go wherever we want. They depend on us to go out and get what they need if the power is out. 

Trust me, medical conditions be damned; they won't do anything.


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## LongRider (May 8, 2012)

Just occurred to me the *SHTF School* web site started by "Selco" who survived a year in a modern day SHTF scenario after war torn Bosnia left his city destroyed without resources and cut off from the outside world might be a good source of information knowledge and experience about what happens in a modern city when SHTF


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## Turtle (Dec 10, 2009)

GroovyMike said:


> Lights Out is good. But not as good as Alas Babylon (though dated) or Patriots by James Wesley, Rawles.


Oh, for the love of God, I beg of you, do NOT ask anyone for whom you have the tiniest shred of affection to read anything by Rawles. I've read furniture assembly guides from Ikea that do a better job of character development and storytelling.


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