We recently took a short vacation and hired a neighbor’s 15-yr old child to feed our pets during our absence. As she approached our house one evening, she noticed a light on inside the house (and she swears she didn’t turn one on earlier that day during her morning visit). She assumed the worst (robbers) and called the police to come check it out. They arrived within minutes and conducted a ‘courtesy’ search the entire house—including our basement, which contains most of our stockpiled pandemic supplies. They found no robbers, of course, but now I’m wondering if they saw our preps (which are not insignificant).
The basement is oddly-shaped and the bulk of our supplies are slightly hidden by the HVAC blower. If the officer was only ‘scanning’ for human shapes, he could easily have glanced over the shelving laden with plastic containers full of supplies. Or, he could have seen them and stored that little fact away for future reference and I fear we may host an unannounced and unfriendly visit by him (and his friends) should the worst come to pass.
How many of you think your preps are a secret from others? Whom have you told of your plans? How tight-lipped are your family and friends with whom you’ve shared this info? Just curious about your other posters’ experiences….
We don’t tell anyone anything. Not neighbors, co-workers, or friends. They all pretty much think we’re odd as it is. So much the better. When all around us are sick, they will hopefully leave us alone.
“Poor people are crazy, I’m eccentric”.
I am not secretive with my preps. Mistake? Maybe. I tell people of my preps in hope that it will spur them to do likewise. Each person prepped will mean more food on the shelves when the run on the stores occurs.
Will have 8 adults, 3 teen adult, and 4 children. Hope to not need the guns for anything more than hunting, but you never know, especially when protecting children.
This guy does work for me in cash, 10 bucks an hour. The other day I handed him 40 lbs of rice, 20 cans of tuna fish, gravy mixes, beans, etc. About 75 bucks worth. I said, you probably havnt heard of bird flu, but youll thank me later. Put all this stuff away and pretend it doesnt exist, dont eat it. He looked at me funny, but somehow he knows I know something. The poor always think the rich have the inside track (im not rich) but compared to him I am. So he thanked me in a scared sort of way. I hope I did the right thing.
Children should be warned to never discuss what preps you have made. A careless comment at school can reveal much. Educate your children and get them prepared as well. Dont frighten them…instead discuss it calmly with them. Children are a lot more aware of things than we realise and are also a lot tougher. just remember with children they will take their lead from you so always be calm and assured when dealing with them.
Try to get others to take the lead on the community preparedness and stay well in the shadows. Never admit you have food or water or firearms.
Many of you have other ideas on this and its up to you who you tell. Likewise its you and your families who will bear the brunt of people who seek to take what you have because you did not have the sense to keep quiet about it.
In truth I would expect that for every 100 preppers at least 40 or so will be telling someone that does not nor should not know !
There are ways to get people aware of the situation and what they should do without revealing your survival plans and stockpiles.
It sort of runs in the family to be prepared at anytime. My mother(80)could have fed most of the neighborhood for 6 months at any given time of her life. Pantry is well stocked with rice and beans and canned goods. Water is the problem. Looking into easy purification ideas. I live in a rainy area, so I don’t feel the need to get bottled water. Getting out the scout manual to look for workable ideas. I don’t tell anyone I’m stocking up. Go to Costco and buy a little more than usual and it adds up.
John im sure you meant well. If he comes back to take the rest when the shops have noting left im sure you will understand.
Do you have a wife ? Will she understand ? Do you have children ? Will they understand. John….you are one of the 40 %
My grown married kids know I am prepped, but they live out of state. I have told no one in my community and I feel bad about not doing so. Maybe if they thought that some were, they would also. However, this is a very poor, rural county with low cost real estate. Its the reason we moved here from the city. I don’t know many people. I must just keep prepping and praying.
John— that was the nicest act of kindness I’ve heard today. Thankyou
Maybe because I have been warning people and officials to try and get up to speed on this I am in danger. I will have to hope others will get prepared, or, get sick and not be out causing trouble. Not good enough, I know. But living in a totally unprepared municipalty, no one could get prepared enough; one is far outnumbered and one has to sleep sometime. Better the municipality get abuzz and try to prep and plan before pandemic. I am trying to help now by getting people aware; don’t bother when it’s too late.
If governments were actually telling the public, everyone could try and prepare, and if troublemakers were going to panic and freak out, start looting early, ect, maybe they could start rounding those up now, as they break the law. The police and National Guard aren’t sick yet.
John, I concur with Oremus. I’m having my own inner struggle with this. I’ve sent out info to a few friends and family and only 2 people paid any attention. That doesn’t mean they’re doing anything about it…it just means they listened. I’m wondering at what point do I stop/start talking?
I told my brother the other day that I was prepping and he knows how tight I am with our money but that still didn’t seem to make him understand how important I feel this is. I thought about writing him a letter, along with a few others in my close circle that has articles re: BF and says something to the affect of: “Because I love you I have reserved 4 cases of Ramen and 50#s rice for you. If you think that your family would like to eat more than that for a few months then you might want to gather the rest on your own as my finances can’t accomodate much and the shelves at the grocery store will be bare when it gets here.”
I share the same opinion as Retired Paramedic in MI.My daughter and granddaughter live with us. My daughter was recently diagnosed with R&R M.S.There is some controversy about M.S. patients taking flu shots so her level of health has to be maintained.I can’t afford to help people if and when this pandemic blows up.My family is my first concern,and hopefully people will keep a very watchfull eye on this.I’m sorry if my attitude sounds harsh but there are plenty of warning signs and should prepare accordingly.
John - I did the same thing a couple of days ago. But I took a bit of a different angle - only because of the relationship in this particular case.
We have some window washers who come and clean our business’s windows and they are both a bit ‘off’ mentally but work hard. They always bring their 3 yeard old son with them is almost always dirty, tired and underfed (but loved). They could never afford to stock up on food for a disaster. I gave them some of the food I had just purchased at Costco -large bags of rice etc. But I paid them their usual fee for the work they did then I said casually, Oh my boyfriend and I both went to Costco and happened to pick up the same things so we have so much of this and we’d like you to have it for a rainy day.
It’s not much but it may help a bit down the road.
John: You are a noble human being and an inspiration. If we gain our life but lose our souls, what’s the point?
A friend today is not necessarily a friend tomorrow. I found that out the hard way and this “friend” knows. They have probably told every single person they could think of to spite us, so we will have to be on the lookout— although we need to do that anyways.
I would not tell anyone (nor let anyone see it) except for immediate family. I stapled up sheets around the area to keep workmen from seeing it, still easy to access but much more private. I even pay cash at the grocery store as much as possible because I don’t want the checkers seeing my name on my checks. I also prefer not to use those “shoppers cards” unless it is a big sale and I really can’t afford the items without using the card.
Of course, my Sams/Costco stuff shows up under my name, but by prepping far in advance, I don’t think they would pay any attention at all. If asked at Sam’s, I lie. Say its for a church event. I wouldn’t ask someone what their condom purchase is for, so they don’t need to ask why I’m buying so much food!
I don’t think we should worry so much about keeping food stocking a secret. The Mormons have been doing it for ages—I don’t think there is going to be a run of Mormon robberies—or maybe on the state of Utah.
My 79 year old father lives with me, thinks Bird Flu is a serious problem, and knows its wiser to just keep quiet about what we have. Nevertheless, he blabs to Everyone. Talks to neighbors, repairmen, people at church, the doctor, anyone who will listen. He’s very proud that his daughter and son in law are taking such good care of the family. I just act like he has Alzheimers.
Surviving a Cat 4/5 Pandemic disaster will require you all who consider surviving this event to seriously evaluate the way you do your thinking.
Im talking about survival. Im talking about defending yourself and those you love with deadly force if neccessary.
Being prepared to take a life and watch those around you dying. Neighbours….extended family.
Im preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. Being decent and nice goes out of the window as soon as this becomes H2H on a serious scale. Being pleasant and kind and friendly and being seen as that guy who really cares frankly doesnt interest me if this thing becomes a reality.
Im all of the above right now. But the survival of my family takes top priority.
You really need to work out what is more important in your lives. If being a decent guy is top of the list then be a decent guy. Im not going to tell anyone what they should do and this is simply my own opinion on the matter. However people talk. They cant help it. Most people I have ever encountered cannot keep a secret. They just have to tell someone.
You tell just one person outside your immediate family and your position and that of your family is compromised.
People on the whole dont fully realise the nature of man and what we humans are capable of doing to each other. When the food and supplies are gone in the shops with no end in sight things are going to turn very very nasty. Neighbours will turn on each other and when desperate will not hesitate to kill and murder in order to survive.
A kind act is not a kind act for you and your family if it exposes them to Great danger of this kind. Frankly it is stupid and irresponsible. That ofcourse is just my opinion and everyone is entitled to their own.
Remember…..you may think that only one person knows. But who have they told. Who have the people they told ….told.
A secret is no longer a secret and neither is your survival food and suplies when enough people know about them. Tell them to keep it secret and hope that they do ? Well best of luck. Like I said people talk.
Do my views make me a nasty bad person in your opinion ? Frankly I dont care. If I could ever help someone I would But I would never ever put my family at risk.
I guess we all have different ideas on how to survive this terrible thing that approaches.
Fortunately, the guy is 65 years old, can hardly walk and is dumber than a door nail. He is nice, but has no car, walks everywhere to work and hardly knows anyone. Devil, your right on all accords. This was a calculated risk. I do have a wife, kids, dogs, guns, alarms, etc and a second house that is prepped also. This will be my quarantine house. I will screen any relatives that decide my house is safer than others. Keep up the fight.
we are all starting to sound crazy. God will provide..unless everyone has forgotten about him. Will there be anyone with an ounce of compassion for others during this ? What if Mother Theresa had attitudes like these ?
Wondering in Ariz :God helps those who help themselves. He also gave us brains….so use them !
John….you sound like a guy I know who is also a good friend of mine. You should be applauded on the fact that you have taken your preps to this degree. Just be careful who you tell….and best of luck.
This is one of the most important threads yet. I made a few sarcastic posts on “How much ammunition is enough” that were intended to show that defending a home against a mob will have bad bad outcome. The best defense is widespread preparation, yet you endanger yourself by sharing the knowledge of the need to prep.
It would be wonderful if there was an anonymous re-mailer where you could send a friend an email that had something personal in it so they know it is from someone they know….but also contained a summary of the threat and a quick summary of the preparations required and some links to a few sites that are of interest.
Could Flu Wikki put a web based remailer together? Then again I guess a postcard would work pretty well.
Would Flu Wikki consider formatting a post card or letter that could easily be printed and mailed anonymously via US Mail that is a consolidated summary of threat and prep? If people could download it and print it they could easily mail themselves along with all their neighbors in the hope that those close to them would become part of the solution.
Maybe is could be a lead item on a thread that could simply be cut and pasted. It could contain an exec summary, testimonials from credible experts, a prep plan and links to relevant sites.
re: Eeyore 12:47 — “How many of you think your preps are a secret from others? Whom have you told of your plans? How tight-lipped are your family and friends with whom you’ve shared this info? Just curious about your other posters’ experiences….”
Only my girlfriend and the UPS delivery guy know for sure.
This is a definite dilemna for me. I have encouraged neighbors and family to start preparing because - as many here at Fluwiki have already stated - when more people prepare, it lessens the threat to our families. However, that said, I am a bit concerned about those that I’ve encouraged who simply blow it off. When the pandemic occurs, I worry about those at my door for help. I think it would be difficult to turn them away.
This is particularly true with my husband’s grown children who have 5 children of their own and refuse to prepare in the slightest way. I have encouraged them, but I know they laugh at me behind my back. What will happen when things get bad, they are flat out of luck and they all show up at my door? I’m willing to share - of course - to a certain point; however, I have an eight year old to also think about, and I don’t want to put him in jeopardy because these adults refuse to take responsibility.
Quite vexing.
Like crfullmoon I live in a community where no one is preparing. I have tried to talk to many people and the municipal council regarding the problems pandemic would cause for our community and possible solutions. There has been virtually no positive response. Because of our business situation we(myself and my children) will be leaving the area when this virus (or another) goes H-H and going into isolation. Noone other than my immediate family, who is coming into isolation as well, knows what our plans are and it’s staying that way. I am usually a generous and giving person, I volunteer a great deal in my community, but a pandemic will not be ‘normal life’ by any stretch of the imagination. I care about the people in my community and if there was movement for preparation occuring I would even consider staying. There isn’t, so I won’t. I have no intention of risking my children’s safety for any reason, they are my first responsibility. People have been killed for as little as a single cigarette, and that in a time of plenty. It’s best not to have any illusions.
I am careful not to tell about preps. I mention the bf to people to see their reaction —like have you heard about the bird flu. As yet only one friend took the bait and she is now getting ready and it has been nice to have someone to talk to about this. As far as a ful basket in the store, for years I have seen full baskets and have just thought they have a large family. There is just two of us and I like to shop big, less often so I often have a full basket. I just think people are busy and they don’t even have us on their radar screen, I don’t think they even really see us. NOW.
BillysBlue—whilst discussing the BF with friends and family, I’ve been reminded often of two parables: “Henny Penny” and “the Ant & the Grasshopper.” If you’ve forgotten these twin tales of preparation from your childhood, the brief versions are summarized here:
Henny Penny wanted to bake a cake, but couldn’t get any of the other farm animals to help. But, when the cake was fresh out of the oven, all the animals came to help eat the cake. Ms. Penny told them only those who’d helped to prepare the cake could eat the cake (a nice way of saying, “get stuffed!”)
From Aesop’s Fables (a must read for all new parents, by the way), the Ant prepared all summer for the coming winter. The Grasshopper played all summer. When winter’s wrath appeared, the Grasshopper arrived on the Ant’s stoop, begging for a bit of food. The Ant said, “I warned you all summer and you did nothing. Now you will die.”
Grim, indeed. But if the worst happens, could you take food from your family and give it to another, knowing you may be harming your own? A tough decision I hope I never have to make.
Like many of you I have shared my concern to family and friends to prep for a possible outbreak of BF. Some are listening but others are waiting to see what happens. Only my sister has started to prep. I also have tried to get my respite provider that comes to care for my family on Fridays to plan for her family, but to no avail. She shows concern but seems to have roadblocks in getting started. Because she is in my home in an intimate way, she knows all about my preps and told me in jest that she would just come to my home if needed any supplies. With a smile on my face but a gentle firmness in my voice I said, “Oh no you won’t, that’s why I’m forewarning you about this problem” I would agree with those that try to get others to prepare but stay quiet about what you have done on a personal level. I care about others and am particularly concerned for children whose parents can’t or won’t prepare so I have decided that I will make a donation to my local food bank every month. It may be spitting in the wind of the problem, but I need to feel as a human being that I did something beyond myself. I know others are reaching out in caring ways while still being private about their stockpiles.
My wife thinks I am nuts and this site is my total support. Here is a tip for privacy.
As I fill each cardboard box I make a list of each prep item to include description, quantity, size, weight, and expiration date.
Then, I seal the lids and draw a “nonsense” code, such as “delta 555″, or “JJ 202″ on the side of the box. I keep a list in WORD of each code and the contents of each box. It reads like a table of contents in a book.
“JJ-202″ canned corn 15 0z.=12 (Jan. 2007) honey 5lb =2 (Jul. 2008) canned salmon 15 0z. =10 (May 2010)
At a glance, I can see what is in the basement and know where to find any item or when something needs to rotate out for current consumption. I also write a false description on each box like “old shoes” or “lawn mower parts”. The basement looks normal with the usual junk and boxes. Even my “F,D,&Happy wife can’t figure out what is stored. If she did she would freak.
It only natural that we want to warn people we care about. I like the idea of being able to do this perhpas through the fluwiki. That way we dont risk revealing too much to people who may turn on us.
Melanie/ DemfromCT what is the possibility this could be arranged as some of the points above have stated ?
Frankly I feel this makes a lot of sense.
Here’s are two freaky questions: (More rhetorical in nature - but if you feel like sharing…)
1. You are telling people (covertly - through an anonymous postcard even) to stock up. You don’t think about it now, but they take it seriously and stock-up to a 6-month supply. 3 months into a bad-case scenario - your supplies start running low because you figured 3-months was good enough (oops). How are you going to find more food?
2. You just came home from work and there’s this anonymous card in the mail box urging you to “Stock up now!”… You already have (6-months even) and have done a good job of keeping it quiet and secret-like. What are you thinking right then?
…
DA,
I don’t understand what you are asking for.
“newguy – at 09:49 Would Flu Wikki consider formatting a post card or letter that could easily be printed and mailed anonymously via US Mail that is a consolidated summary of threat and prep? If people could download it and print it they could easily mail themselves along with all their neighbors in the hope that those close to them would become part of the solution.
Maybe is could be a lead item on a thread that could simply be cut and pasted. It could contain an exec summary, testimonials from credible experts, a prep plan and links to relevant sites. “
(You can kead a horse to water but you can’t make him think.)
States/countries should have used some of their money to do a prep mailing, and in whatever languages an area needs. (I am afraid they “plan to”, but will wait too long and be caught “with their pandemic plans down”.
(“lead a horse to water” but you can’t keep me from making typos, oops)
A Freudian slip? The horse you referred to was the non-prep breed! ‘Think’ is a nice play on words!
“Will there be anyone with an ounce of compassion for others” pleads one kind heart, echoed by others.
I certainly plan to give freely of my perceived excess when well into the pandemic. FREELY BUT FAIRLY.
Roughly six billion needy, say? So each, in fairness, of equal need will receive one-six-billionth of my excess. Form a neat queue, please, and no shoving or queue-jumping!
As I think about it, here in Australia, I may go for sainthood and give each applicant one-twenty-millionth!!!
This is a sad question. I am a public person, and it is my nature to be totally frank about everything. In this case I am impeded by two obstacles. 1) I don’t appreciate people mocking me when I raise the issue of Avian Flu preparation. 2) I don’t want to be expected to take care of folks other than those in mu family who are helping me and supporting me as I prepare for a possible pandemic.
The upshot is that I am honest with my loved ones about where we stand and what I believe we should do. I am the family leader in such things and they do listen to me and cooperate.
But I only have one friend I talk to about this.
Noone has ever said one mocking word to me, but I tailor everything to the person I’m speaking to. I look at their face, and eyes, if they move back an inch, I stop. People will find out eventually, and it doesn’t have to be from me.
Also if they lean back, it means stop instantly. Leaning forward, moving towards you, asking question, all good. Read body language, tone of voice, expressiion.
Nearly Ready - I am in the same boat. The only people I can talk to without any hostility are my sister and one friend. If I say what I believe and worry about, others think I am nuts. I feel sad, because I really what to help others.
The following is what I now do. If I mention something about the bird flu to someone I have not talked with about this before, I see how they react. If they ask questions, I answer them and follow up with a little more info. If they don’t ask any questions, but just kind of look at me, I change to another subject. After a while it is easy to tell.
This is one reason I read Flu Wiki almost every day. No ridicule, and we help each other.
JV, I’ve sorta taken it the same way… I joke about it once, gauge the interest and then feed as much as the interest dictates.
At this point I’ve found I’m now getting ‘bird flu’ updates from several people…
“Hey did you here about…??”
It’s nice that I’ve stirred some discussion - I hope it means they’ll take steps to prepare for themselves.
Anastasia – at 14:50 “If we gain our life but lose our souls, what’s the point?
Well said, Anastasia. I have lived in my rural, isolated community my entire life. I have taught a generation of five year olds their abc’s, 123′s and the basic principles of sharing, cooperation and just getting along. There is no way I am going to quietly hord as if these beloved friends and neighbors were not a part of my heart and soul. I have been directing family, friends and parents to as many internet resources as I can so that they might have a heads up. People KNOW my family is preparing. Heck, I pass along as many tips as I can. Most people just sort of indulge me and take it as me being a bit eccentric, but others are asking more questions and are slowly getting a bit more prepared. I put aside what I refer to as share boxes in the event that someone does come calling in need. I put aside extra canned goods at our church in our storage room. I announced to the church what I was doing and why I was doing it. Others are bringing things in as well. We have always had a rainy day room put aside for hurricane relief or to help families down on their luck. If the worst comes to pass, then I will give what I feel comfortable giving away. Everyone has guns here, so I guess we have our own MAD program in place. But somehow I just don’t see things coming to that. We have always taken care of each other through some pretty rough times. While panflu has the potential to be the mother of hard times, I just can’t see leaving God out of the equation and relying just on myself. Folks laughed at Noah and they tried to storm the ark when it was too late, but he still shouted warnings to all that could hear because it was the right thing to do. I’m sorry for the sermon and I don’t mean to be preachy, but this is a test I don’t wish to fail. I warn people when I see danger on the horizon. If that warning brings danger to myself then God will help me know the right way to handle each situation as it comes along. I know everyone has their own beliefs, but these are mine and I’m sticking to them.
FAITH is my most important prep item. JMHI
Here is my draft at the cut and paste anonymous mailer…..
RE: BIRD FLU (H5N1) It has been said, “Very little can not be accomplished, when followed by the ultimatum, OR DIE.”
Dear Friend Neighbor Family Member:
We face an undetermined, but potentially immediate and catastrophic threat from Human to Human transmission of Avian Influenza (H2H H5N1). The worlds leading virologists and politicians are doing what they can to quietly prepare for this event. They are limited in what they can accomplish. The US Govt. Site on pandemic influenza warns that the government will not be able to assist. Individuals and families must begin personal preparations. http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/tab3.html
Antibiotics do not help in the case of a virus. H5N1 is very similar genetically to the 1918 pandemic virus The 1918 virus killed 50% of the pregnant women and 2% of the rest of the world The current mortality rate of H5N1 is approximately 50% with full medical intervention. The United States and other wealthy countries Health Systems lack surge capacity.
Is this just SARs or Y2K hysteria? No, expert opinions range from a 10% to a 50% threat of a pandemic taking hold within the next twelve months. Pandemics are regular events that are as old as man or beast. We have had a really good run with modern medicine during the last eighty years. Much of this is due to the research effort that went into trying to understand the 1918 pandemic. (See “The Great Influenza” by John M. Barry)
Until the virus actually mutates to an H2H form, scientists can not make a vaccine specific enough to work effectively. Using current vaccine production methods it is estimated that it will take between two to three years to produce and distribute vaccine to the world’s population. “Social distancing” is the only way that you can protect yourself at this time.
Expect 50% absenteeism and interruption in the supply chain goods and services. People will stay home, either because they are sick, they are caring for loved ones, or they are afraid to go out. You should be prepared to survive for at least three months without outside help. This is not Hurricane Katrina, the whole world will be in this at the same time. THERE WILL BE NO HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT. It simply will not be possible to draw on resources from other areas to help you.
Those who have already prepared will not be telling you where their supplies are. That is one reason I am telling you this anonymously. I do not want you knocking at my door in need. You will need a source of water (consider a ceramic water filter) you will need food supplies (approx. 1500 calories a day per person and approx. 1500 calories a pound for dry rice and beans), you will need an energy source for heat and cooking. Some feel that Tamiflu and N95 respirator style face masks (not just masks from a hardware store) rubbe3r gloves, disinfectant, and other items that can be researched at www.fluwiki.com There are places like www.honevillegrain.com that specialize in bulk food sales for long term storage.
When considering whether to prepare personally I decided that I really did not want to be one of the people staying at the Convention Center in a Katrina event. Worst case, preparation would be beneficial in any other disaster, even if H2H does not occur immediately. If you are prepared, you have a chance of surviving long enough to make it to the vaccine stage. It is up to you now…spread the word.
Sincerely,
Quietly Quite Concerned
Anonymous mailer
I think I will send it to my Friends and Family along with 5 copies, and 5 blank envelopes with stamps on them. I will ask them to include 5 copies and 5 stamped blank envelops with it and forward it in the same manner. The extra effort of stamps will show it is not some BS advertisement. I will also be quite pissed… if I do not get at least one letter back to me. I guess I will know where I stand if I do not!
anonymous – at 21:20 Great letter and I think I will use something similar to make flyers for the local businesses. Of course everyone will know it is me, but what the heck, I can live with being the crazy birdflu lady. I just want my friends, family and neighbors to continue living right along with me when this is all over. Thanks. :)
My family know I am prepping. My brother is Mormon, so I look like an amateur. There are two friends who know I have supplies, and they are welcome on my door anytime with their families. They live a few thousand miles away, so that is not likely to happen. I do not mention the bird flu much, since Utah is full of Mormons. Prepping here is a way of life for most of the population, and no reason is needed. The few non-Mormons that I spoke with months ago think the whole thing is crazy. They are the minority in this state, so I guess I am lucky about that. That I live in a town full of them is the downside.
I’m in the Katrina section of Louisiana. I am beginning to prepare after meeting a complete stranger that told me about this site. THANKS! People will do anything for food if there is none readily available. I have seen it. I have lived it. And I am only talking about a short time of little to no deliveries or services. Those that fail to prepare will do whatever they have to to take what you have. God fails to exist where desperation does. Get over it folks. The dry spots of New Orleans were looted first; the other areas were next. We kept our guns loaded and ready to fire. And I would have not thought twice about it. Gather in groups. It helped us.
I thank everyone for their opinions and ideas so that I may double my effort to prepare. Hold your neighbors accountable. Letting them know with that letter is a great idea. You can fix fat and you can fix ugly… but ut you can’t fix stupid.
NewAwlins…thank you! I posted on a thread…”how much ammo is enough” a brief summary on the futility of “conflict oriented approach to survival.” On a long term basis, cooperation beats conflict every single time. Even if you manage to claw your way, through conflict, to survive, you are going to be on sleep aids the rest of your life, if you do it by going hard on the world. The only thing that will really help any of usactually increase our odds of survival, is a well prepared and well informed cohesive group, that works together and keeps at least 10 feet away from you. Spread the prep word to your neighbors and group up.
NewAwlins…thank you! I posted on a thread…”how much ammo is enough” a brief summary on the futility of “conflict oriented approach to survival.” On a long term basis, cooperation beats conflict every single time. Even if you manage to claw your way, through conflict, to survive, you are going to be on sleep aids the rest of your life, if you do it by going hard on the world. The only thing that will really help any of usactually increase our odds of survival, is a well prepared and well informed cohesive group, that works together and keeps at least 10 feet away from you. Spread the prep word to your neighbors and group up.
Ganygirl….are you PC…me too
Melanie My apologies for replying rather late to your post above. I was talking about the possibility of sending a letter or leaflet to ones neighbours anonymously so that ones own security is not compromised as had been sugested further up this post.
Anonymous: The above letter is very good and straight to the point. This is exactly what I was meaning. I had also thought an anomyous remailer might be a good idea and that perhaps that could be done through the wikki. Maby it still can although with such things there is always the possibility of someone abusing it. Sending spam and such like.
Perhaps the most secure way for those of us who may have a very good reason for wanting to stay hidden is the use of a letter such as this. The only thing I would say about it in these politically correct days is to take care someone doesnt find out its you who sent it. There are people who shoot at relief helicopters bringing in food ( Katrina) and there are people who would try and abuse you for spreading so called Panic !. We all know here that this is vital and that even a well written letter like the one above can be taken out of context by stupid and PC people.
Nevertheless I think it might be the way to go.
For those of you who live in friendly rural communities perhaps the direct approach is best for you. However it still carries a risk.
Sherry : “FAITH is my most important prep item. JMHI”
Yup…..totally agree. But Faith alone either phycically or spiritually wont cut it…..but I know you know that already :)
Melanie…is it possible to have a three way fold down leaflet or similar that could be downloaded in say pdf format that could then be printed out and distributed in a similar vein to the letter above ?
For anyone who did not understand : PC=Political Correctness.
I am prepping now and I havent even told my partner! is this a first? ps its getting harder to disguise/hide my prep items
Yeah she might start to wonder why the bed keeps rising higer and higher off the floor. Maby you should tell her about the cases of beans underneath it. :)
I am trying to keep this marriage together Devils Advocate! I dont need any additional “issues”! (smile)
Well best of luck m8 in all that you are trying to do :)
I have been thinking a lot about how to anonymously bring the preparedness issue up to friends and neighbors, etc. w/o tipping my hand. If one of the food storage and preparedness equipment companies I bought from issued a special catalog with a very attention grabbing cover alluding to Katrina and suggesting getting ready for bird flu, I might (and I know this is going to sound bad) offer up the names and addresses of people I care about for a one-time mailer. I wonder if it would get their attention.
Beltway Betty - Please reconsider that action. Many times mailing lists are sold, resold, sold again, pirated along the way, then resold and recopied some more.
I am still getting mail from lists I was on when I worked at a place in the 1980′s. I’m sure your friends and neighbors would not necessarily appreciate that “favor”.
I know the idea isn’t perfect. I am just trying to think of what style of unsolicited mail would penetrate my normally jaded “sift and toss” routine. I agree with Eccles on the mailing lists - though I do have to say that the two companies I have purchased from have a strict no share privacy policy and I have not gotten any unwanted mail from third parties.
Let me make another suggestion. For all of you thinking about sending a letter or a postcard - bravo! The only way that it is going to catch people’s attention, get read and hopefully be taken seriously as having been sent by a concerned person is if you hand-address it (fudge your handwriting a bit if you’re afraid of being found out). If I received anything that was computer printed, I’d think it was a marketing ploy of some sort and out it would go.
If we keep chatting, maybe we’ll come up with the right solution!
I briefly mentioned H5N1 to a lady at church on Sunday, whose husband is a doctor, and I thought surely I would get a favorable response from her - I was really rather hopeful since I have not gotten many favorable responses (I am up to 2 so far). She rolled her eyes so far back in her head, she looked like a great white shark enjoying lunch. I am sadly going back to my “I ain’t tellin nobody nothin’” phase. And I’m darn sure not telling anyone about anything I am doing to prepare. The news is out there, people are just not heeding the warnings.
I mention the topic of bird flu, and if they are open and concerned, I talk further. I have also been leaving copies of the CDC pandemic plans for families, as well as some of the fluwiki preparedness guides around in the lunch/break room, and they continue to disappear, so folks must be reading them. Some of my immedidate co-workers are now prepping.
If people blow it off, I don’t discuss it further.
I made my first run for N95 masks at the local retail haredware chain yesterday. I started with 6 boxes of them since I already have my mold abatement mask and refills from the Katrina cleanup. The trick is to check out those sizable purchases at the contractor section of those stores. That way no one is too nosey as to who you are and why you are purchasing in quantity. I saw someone I knew and told them I am stripping the wood trim in my house. They don’t ever come over and if they had to ask I know they aren’t preparing.
I haven’t told anyone in my family. Most of my relatives are sheeple and trust the govt. to take care of them. If a worse-case scenario happens, and by some amazing coincidence I survive and a relative or two survives I’d help them, but I’m not going to advertise it. Most of my friends & relatives think the bird flu is all hype. AFAIK, I’m the only one I know who is prepping. If someone else is, they are keeping silent about it.
I have informed my family of the need to stock up. My Mom has started to stock up. I have told my brother his wife and 7 kids that they need to stock up, they said they will not worry about it they will just come to mine for food. This is a situation I will not know how to deal with but I will say my children will not go hungry for anyone. After their comment I have not told anyone else.
I hope for your family’s sake that your brother lives far away. I think that it is much better not to advertize your preps and set yourself up as a target. Perhaps admit you have a week worth of food but not that you have hidden a month+ of food. If my “brother” said that to me I would send them a copy of the Aesop tale of the grasshopper and the ant and say no more.
fable here: http://tinyurl.com/rzgz9
I am so glad I am not the only one who doesn’t know what to do or say about preparing to others! I haven’t done too much yet but have a pretty complete list so I can start gathering. Most people who I talk with about the topic look like the preverbial “deer in headlights.” I never bring it up myself - only talk about it if it comes up in conversation. Most think it will be like the whole Y2K “crisis” - a whole lot of nothing!
LauraB
I tried discussing BF with a few friends casually and they quickly changed the subject. At first, my wife and I were going to keep quiet about it. Then we decided that, for us, that was not the moral thing to do. So, my wife prepared a one page introduction in which she said that she has learned that “bad things CAN happen when you least expect it” and that being prepared for emergencies is just a wise thing to do. She mentioned that she hoped our relatives and friends would read and heed what I was writing. I then prepared a three page commentary on what I had learned about the BF—what happened in 1918, how pandemics have historically reoccured on a regular basis, what many experts were saying about H5N1, and what the possible effects could be. I was realistic about the possibilites, but told them that preparing to look after yourself and quarantine for several months might be your only hope if it did occur. I didn’t overhype it but also pointed out that the potential for extreme outcome was there. I mentioned that we had paid house insurance premiums for 28 years with nary a claim until out house was destroyed by a tornado in 2002 and the claim was over a quarter of a million dollars. I likened preparations to our buying insurance—you have to have it even though you may expect to never need it. I said that the cost of preparing was probably less than they paid for one year’s house insurance. I made specific recommendations on what to do first and what to hold off on until H2H occured somewhere in the world. I gave them a list of food that was storable and would feed a family of four for up to six months. I also printed off two preparedness guides from fluwikie. I took all of this to a local printer and had about 75 copies printed and collated at a cost of about $50 (would have been more but the printer was a neighbor who was getting a copy too and she gave us a price break since we “were doing good for our fellow man”. Some we handed out in person and some we mailed to out of town family and some friends we don’t see regularly. Each large manilla envelope was hand addressed by my wife and had our return address on it. So far, we have distributed about 65 of these packets. I didn’t know what to expect and sort of anticipated most people would laugh and pitch it. Surprisingly, we have received MANY responses thanking us for the information, saying that the material was eye opening and has caused them to begin their own preparedness efforts. We received no negative comments. I think the key was we didn’t make it sound like the end of the world was imminent but that this was a matter that they needed to take seriously, and to understand that it was entirely likely that government and hospitals and the medical community would be unable to adequately respond to and that they might be pretty much on their own to deal with. We did not come right out and say that we would not have the ability to help them, in addition to ourselves, but we worded it in a way that we were preparing for ourselves and our two adult children and their spouses and they should do the same.
I think you guys sending out info packages are incredibly thoughtful people. I haven’t decided yet whether I’ll do that or not. I mentioned to two people about the news lately regarding bird flu. I said I wasn’t doing a lot (not true) but that I bought some masks and extra food just in case. Both responses were what I expected “I’m coming to your house if bird flu spreads here”. On one hand I feel they were somewhat not taking it seriously but on the other hand I do think there are people who will never prepare and expect to get looked after. Even in my own extended family I’m the practical one who paid off her mortgage years ago, retired early because we wanted to and planned it that way. In the meantime most of my siblings are living beyond their means and one said “ I have no intentions of planning for the future; I’m living my life now and if that means debt so be it.” Only problem is when there is a financial crisis guess who gets the call. I don’t lend to anyone anymore. I see too many people buying the new cars, taking luxury trips and wearing the latest design. They made their choices, and I’m making mine. I plan to hand out a care package if someone arrives on my door but they’ll either pay to replace the items or work it off in a worthwhile chore. This decision allows me now to sleep at night.
John-Ohio is there any way you can post a pdf version of your letter so that I can do the same? I’m sitting here with ABC News article Be Prepared & the Pandemic Flu Planning Checklist for Individuals and Families posted on pandemicflu.gov and need something else to go with it.
It probably won’t work for preps, but there is a surefire way to keep people away (even though unintended)… tell them if they show up they’ll have to work! We have a small cabin in a very beautiful part of the country, with gorgeous views and lots of wildlife. All our friends and family say they want to come up to the cabin on their vacations and spend some time; we tell them that’s fine, but if you come up you’ll have to work (that’s what we spend all of OUR time doing there, building a deck, remodeling, clearing brush, etc). In five years, not a single person has come to visit us at the cabin ;-)
Thanks Kim, your response gave me a chuckle; it’s a good idea.
This thread has been very helpful. My wife and I are very frustrated about this topic. We are pretty sure our neighbors aren’t going to and haven’t done any prep and bringing it up is a sure way to let them know we have. I’m all about wanting numbers and be with a group but not a group of people coming to my house because they have no supplies. We’re in a larger city so the one friend who is with me on planning will leave the second he can for the country. We’re staying.
I work at a small non profit and talked to them about emergency planning and they laughed me out of the room. I was in shock. These are smart, informed people who joked that I was some survival nut and if anything happens they’ll just come to my house. They’ll be surprised by my lack of a welcome wagon. So no neighbors, friends or coworkers. I suspect family will show up at our door and how can we see no to that….but these are a few older parents, they can’t help…they’ll only drain our supplies.
Right now the plan is to see what happens when it breaks out, if we’re alone, we’re alone.
I have opened the discussion on bird flu to some of my dearest friends. Some knew about it, others were baffled. I called our township and directed one of the township staff to the fluwikie site. She was shocked. She said that she had heard some things but because they had had West Nile they thought they knew how to handle a virus.She said she would keep watching.
One of my really “intelligent” friends said that she was just too annoyed with the government to listen to a thing they said. She said that they were just stirring up a hornet’s nest and they were being totally irresponsible. She commented that the Swine flu of 1976 was all hype and an example of government getting out of hand.
So I didn’t tell aher or anyone what I was doing by stocking up– just gave them some directions on how to get the info themselves. I will do what I can - but have told the kids to stay quiet, because it might become dangerous in desperate times for us to talk about our preparations.
When I buy my items - even from the suppliers mentioned here, I don’t have the heart to say what’s its for.
The other day I was in Sam’s buying a flatbed of supplies. There was another couple beside me with the same amount of supplies. I wanted to ask them if they were stocking the cabin up north too. I thought the comment might be funny. But one look at their anxious faces, I changed my mind.
I thought that everything would be gone by way of masks, gloves, batteries etc….but I guess too many people have gotten used to being spoon feed by the media and it seems like they are full up and fed up.
I have given up on telling anyone anything. Folks have not been receptive when I have tried to introduce the subject, and now, as we begin ticking down, I really would rather not have too many folks know what I am up to.
The other day I was buying a load at the supermarket, and didn’t stand out too badly except for the stack of cases of Ramen in the back of the cart and the several gallons of water. The guy on line ahead of me looked at the cart and said “Long camping trip coming up?”. I just said “something like that.” and let it go.
Eccles, I have found myself doing the same thing. I have quit discussing BF with people. I am now just quietly going about my business and trying to stock up. I have a few friends that ask me for updates, but if I’m not asked, I don’t offer. I was wondering about Leavitt’s comment about the tuna and pwd milk? I know there’s a whole link and all, but I bring it up here because he suggests storing it under the bed. Why? I mean, not everybody is limited in storage space, and why would under the bed be such a great place? I guess I’m doing the same thing as others when they pick apart his comment, when all he was doing was suggesting preparation and using this as an example. Just a thought?
Eccles I’ve given up as well.I used to bring up bird flu in a roundabout fashion, you ask their opinion.Only one person was prepping,everyone else thinks its a crock!My daughter and granddaughter live with us we tell the grandaughter nothing.Yesterday we received a 55 gallon drum and other water jugs,she asked about them we explained we are planning a long camping trip for summer.I hate to lie but we can’t tip our hand.I truly fear for the unprepared and uninformed I think they are screwed.Sorry about the language, I am so angry sad and frustrated.I tried to tell them and now its on their own heads and the heads of their families.So be it!
I sent my family and friends a long email about the bird flu. I have had interesting responses from none at all to “and to think we thought you were the rational one of the family.” One of the responses that stood out to me and seemed the most genuine was from a friend that said, “I am upset with you for making me add this to my list of things to do and worry about. I have enough stress in my life right now and now I am forced to deal with this because I can’t ignore the facts you have presented to me.” I think she will thank me later.
All:
How will we really act when TSHTF?
Humble and I aren’t quite sure…
I know a few truths:
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it:
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
Kinda profoundly poetic and true.
[PS: Some people who are searching may be irritated, but He loves you, too!]
Timber - I can’t claim to be all that religious but I do subscribe to the notion that you get what you give.
Once I get my family all settled, I will be sure to do what I can for my neighbors and community. I do not talk about my preps in front of my kids though, because I think they may spill the beans <pun intended> to the wrong people. I think that keeping your stocks private is a reasonable thing to do.
If Webster states he has enough for 3 months, then I don’t feel like such a fool for being the subject of a documentary partly on prepping for panflu. I’m not sure how to feel. I think it’s important to show people what to do — they may have never had to do such a thing before and don’t know how to go about it - - but there is a certain unease as well. It’s hard to know what to expect. In 1918, cities were like ghost towns, as people did not venture out much at all. We need to ensure that there will be some mechanism for distributing some basic foodstuffs to the needy in each community. This will be essential to maintaining order. I hope TPTB understand that food in the belly brings more peace than bullets in the body.
Mother of Five said: “Eccles, I have found myself doing the same thing. I have quit discussing BF with people. I am now just quietly going about my business and trying to stock up. I have a few friends that ask me for updates, but if I’m not asked, I don’t offer.”
Same here. I’ve stopped speaking about it all together, but my prepping continues. I’ve had one family member actually ask me WHY I’d stopped talking about it. I told her that no one cared, and I didn’t have time to spend on people who arn’t willing to listen. She said that she was willing, so I told her a few things, and her response was “So we’re all going to die?”
That about summed my reason for the silence right there.
I’ve stopped wasting my time. I hope as time goes on, they’ll turn to me for advice and help, but as far as prepping, by that point I’m sure it’ll be too little too late.
Ugh — I know that this issue brings a lot of diverse people together, but count me out when it comes to defending my family against my neighbors at the point of a gun. I’ve never held one, never will hold one, let alone shoot it, and am not sure that life would be living if it means fighting off people who have been neighbors for 30 years. Count me among the hopelessly naive, but I’ll never be one of the hard-core survivalists who head for the hills with a cache of gold and enough ammo to blow up the region: far better to concentrate on educating others to take precautions than to deny our basic humanitarian impulses. PS: If my Green Beret son is with us, he’ll also have to come unarmed…
unitarian..I am with you..no big guns here, or shooting my neighbors. I agree with you about educating everyone about BF. I wish you and your family well.
From Australia. Reading the above comments really drives home how isolated from the rest of the world we are when it comes to being kept up to date with issues of major importance. We have had only very limitted media coverage of BF’s progress (October 2005) and virtually no mention of the consequences should it go the way of H2H… Might have something to do with us hosting the Commonwealth Games at the moment!!!! I have started stocking supplies and late last year put the question to the local GP What happens if a pandemic starts and a family member needs Tamiflu? The answer was No Tamiflu likely to be available and unlikely she would be in surgery either. “ The GP wrote a script for the family that I promptly had filled and put it in the back of fridge. In retrospect I feel a little nervous about the fact that I told some other families what I had done when trying to convince them that they should also take out some Pandemic Insurance”. Now of course Tamiflu is rarer than gold. Really worries me that sometime in the near future a friend with a sick family member will knock on our door…
timber ,Amen to what you say
THE POLICE ARE YOUR FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Doggone it, joseph: I just said a few nice things about you! Now you’re acting bad again.
Right now, we need the best you have to offer.
I want you to look back a year from now and say, “YES! I’m glad I tried to help!”
(Same for me….)
Omega: u managed to get Tamiflu? When was that? I asked for a prescription because i was “going to indonesia” (my pants are indeed on fire) and the pharamcist said the govt had taken it all
To be distributed as they see fit.
Yes Omega us Aussies want to know how you got the script! buying it over the net is costly and you wonder if it will ever arrive and if it does if it will be the real thing. Any advice Omega would be great thanks
Like it or not, I don’t think that you can hide your preps for more than a month after the flu. If you are not running around your community looking for food - I would assume that you have food. Better keep the guns loaded, but the sadder commentary is that so few of us would share. How bad would it have to be before you shared something with your neighbor’s starving children? Would you sacrifice your comfort for thier life? Would you die for them? I don’t know if I would, but I know that I will struggle with the question. Hopefully God will give me a peaceful way out.
AD asked a couple of days ago if there was any way I could post a PDF version of my three page letter to my friends and relatives in which I cited a lot of information about the panflu threat and some specific but reasonable steps they should take to prepare. I have no idea how to do this (post a PDF document here) but would be happy to do so if someone would instruct me. So far, we have distributed 65 sets of these packets (which included several preparedness instruction printouts from fluwikie), and have not received even one negative comment. We have received many comments from people who said this really opened their eyes and they were going to take it seriously. We decided that, morally we couldn’t live with ourselves if we knew that this could be coming and didn’t make every attempt to alert others that we care about. What they do from here is up to them. We did make it clear that their solution wasn’t “have enough gas to get to John’s house” (LOL). I compare this to driving along and seeing a house on fire and not taking the effort to try to alert the occupants and call the fire department—how could I live with myself later?
omega @ 5:14 on the 16th---check your Tamiflu label---mine says : Store @ 77 degrees F (excursions allowed from 59 to 86 degrees F)--your fridge may be too cold for safe storage.
Sherry,
I can appreciate your faith statements and your desire to believe in the best in people, but I fear you have your head buried in the sand a bit.
James 2:20 says “Faith without works is dead.” James 2:14 asks if there is any profit in faith if it has no works?.
These people are taking positive actions based on their beliefs by putting THEIR faith in action! They are preparing based on their beliefs and acting based on their lack of faith in the SYSTEM and thier experiences with geting help from others in times of disaster.
Katrina should be a wake up call for anyone who is paying attention. The government can only do so much and can seldom act very quickly if the disaster is big enough. Their have been many pandemics in the past when millions died, many from starvation due to failure of the food distrubtion infastructure.
Several countries in Africa are near disaster today due to the death of everyone from 15 to 60. Who do you think will feed the children if all the parents are dead? Faith will not feed a single person, and while Jesus fed 5005 with 5 loves and 2 fishes I haven’t heard about anyone doing it in my life time!
You need to wake up and quit baggering honest sincere folks who beleive they need to prepare for a coming disaster! If we are in the “End Times” as many bible scholars believe, then the kind of preperations being made by those here are very WISE!
Okay, In all honesty, I’m running scared. I AM PREPARING too!!! I have a family farm in south GA… Over 650 acres of fields and woods… The property is backed by a large river (with an extremely deep ravine). Its also miles from any real urban area… A couple of hundred miles! I have managed to secure several months worth of provisions— [incuding my medications —methadone (I’m a recovering heroin addict), antibiotics, over-the-counters,etc. AND lots of food and water…] My girlfriend and I have purchased a 100+ year-old sugar cane mill AND a metal tank (for fermenting fuel)… We are growing sugar cane for ethanol… we have a truck that runs on it. we’ve had really good luck with it so far! THIS IS ALL HIDDEN DEEP IN THE WOODS ON OUR PROPERTY>>> sorry for being a jerk… I have a way of letting fear turn to sarcasm…
P.S. PASTOR JOHN:
If this IS the End Times, then those who have prepared would be the same ones who are not Christians!!!
Those that believe in Christ will not suffer through the end of the world… REMEMBER!?! (p.s.s. I’m not saying that I believe in anything like that--- just that I’d rather be prepared before hand — than find out that the rapture was not at hand!!!)
I could have worded that whole thing a little bit better…
Joseph - you certainly seem to be prepared. Good for you.
I realized how important it was to be prepared after (yes, I’m going to say it…)
9–11. I am willing to look paranoid to those around me who are not thinking ahead…
Maybe we’ve advanced so much as a society— That most people would simply die in the event of a “plague.”
In the 19th century, this kinda thing happened all the time… People were naturally isolated… prepared by default…
Joseph - Thanks for trying to be honest and sincere. It is probably a more useful approach—especially in writing. (that doesn’t mean we all can’t poke fun every now and again!) I think we all are feeling nervous and anxious. At the same time, I sometimes wonder if I am overreacting to this whole thing. Responding to this threat the way I am (with all the prepping and thoughts about it) is so out of my nature and I have to step back and review all the facts to make sure I’m not just getting caught up in all the “hype”. (Invariably, I conclude that thinking about the pandemic and planning for it to happen soon is the right way to go. :-)
Back to the thread topic, I will not advertise my preps. However, as a way to encourage my family and select friends to do so, I need to lead by example and that means showing or telling them what I am stocking up on. (As I said earlier though, I have kept my kids out of the loop so they don’t go inviting their whole class over to take a look. )
I thought you lived in a poor neighborhood with people asking you for handouts.
Humbled, Joseph is playing games, watch it.
That’s okay. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. Even if he is game playing, the fact that he is here and posting probably means he is getting information that makes him feel better. If he says something or does something immature, I would just ignore it or make a joke about it and not let it bother me.
Thanks for the heads up though!
…It takes a lot to ruffle my feathers. (Pun intended) <sorry…couldn’t resist! hahahahaha>
IT’S A FAMILY FARM… I HAVEN’T PROFITTED FROM IT!!! MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER OWNED IT… STILL IN MY FATHER’S NAME… A USED SUGAR CANE MILL IS NOT EXPENSIVE!!!
I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT. i DO NOT HAVE money to spare. I live in an apartment complex that accepts section 8 residents… but that’s not important… what is important is that I was being a jerk before… that doesn’t mean that I lied. I still worry about whether or not i’ll be able to leave in time. my girlfriend will not want to leave her job… the farm is a 4 hour drive away… I may not even have the gas… YES— MY FAMILY has money! i was trying to stir things up… i apologize… If you want proof— I’ll do what i can from now on… but i’m not a liar… just an ass.
Thank you, HUMBLED. I’m sorry that anonymous doesn’t believe me.
I don’t think you are a liar or an ass.. (well maybe you are an ass, who knows??) BUT, I also think you are freaking out about all this and don’t really know how to ask for help. If you quit pissing people off you may get some assistance here. :-) Don’t make me look foolish for defending you, k?
joseph: considering the cloud we are living under i think a young man can be forgiven for being a young man. But be good now i’ll give you a paddling! ;)
You’re welcome joseph… :-)
Being prepared takes away the fear, whether one is a biblical believer or not. If storing food gives you confidence in facing the future then go for it! Based on my understanding of the bible the day will ocme when I will not be able to buy or sell. Believing this I would be foolish in not preparing for that time!
For those who believe they will be gone before anything bad happens (the early rapture folks) tune out :) For the rest of us let’s get ready for the bad times coming! I would tend to agree with those who are paranoid about others who would take advantage of their preparations! Hunger has a way of destroying the civilizing factors in human nature!
Who really knows what lengths parents will go to when their children and they themselves are hungrey or sick? Prudence says keep your lips zipped :) Wise men understand their opportunities for survival are inversely proportational to the number of people who know they have something they want.
Yes God has protected his people in times past. In the case of the biblical Joseph it was through storing 7 years of grain for the lean times, and some of you where wondering how long you should prepare for? :) Joseph prepared for seven bad years by storing food!
Regardless of what we think is going to bring the bad times, if we believe they are coming, we need to prepare by storing FOOD! It is a biblical principle! Love this site :)
About the anonymous mailer - it’s a really good idea, gives good information and is something that really should be done.
The only issue I have with it is that it’s too long. I know from experience that many people frequently don’t read stuff unless it’s set out in few words, probably bullet-pointed. There are always those who look for detail, but they tend to be in the minority. If people don’t even want to talk about it, will they read a full page of something that drops through the door?
Having said that, I should now set about making a bullet-pointed list, which I haven’t yet done.
—In the case of the biblical Joseph it was through storing 7 years of grain for the lean times, and some of you where wondering how long you should prepare for? :) Joseph prepared for seven bad years by storing food!--
Good point, Pastor John (01:13)!!!
I’ll make sure to pick up a bible in my next round of preps….my sister came by to babysit last night and went to the basement to discover my stockpile…but I’m okay with that, I’ve now moved to our next phase of prep. I feel we have enough for a year (family of three) so I feel its my duty to start planning for the others. Why punish those I love just because they don’t believe its coming? I think its okay to just protect only your home to a point. What would be a shame is if you stop there and don’t consider those you love.
Does anyone have recommendations for what to say to those near and dear who, when told to prep, say “I’ll be coming to your house”? Of course this answer is unacceptable, but since nothing is going on right now - I don’t want to lose a friend over it by saying “no, grow up, be responsible for yourself for God’s sake” I would like to find a kindler, gentler way to handle the situation. My daughter is telling her cousin who will be coming to her house that she needs to bring her preps to her house once a week, but we do not have the storage space for someone else’s preps here. Anyway any advice for handling this situation? thanks Erika
Personally I think saying “no, grow up, be responsible for yourself for God’s sake”, Is exactly the response you should give them. Then hand them a list of recommended preps for a family their size. Tell them you’re my friend and I love you, and that is why I am doing this now.
Erika – at 11:12
As someone who lives in an isolated area, I’ve run into the same conundrum.
It isn’t unkind right now to make things clear and snip it in the bud. I’ve tried to talk to my close friends and relatives about this with variable results - some people just walk away from me and believe me, I’m delicate about it. Others treat it as a joke.
I’ve told some of them that they’re welcome in the event of an emergency but they have to know the rules and they have to bring their preps. The good thing about that is that for those who are open to discussion it opens a huge range of possibilities.
As for storage space, that’s a problem. Only if your loved ones let you know can you plan for it.
I think it isn’t the wisest thing to tell people about what you have stashed away especially drugs such as Tamiflu. We can only picture in our minds as to what people will do to get your food and drugs. Take a trip to your local sheriff or police station and ask to see the crime logs. Then you’ll think twice about revealing the gold that’s in your house.
Growing up in New York City I would break up my money into different pockets so that if I was mugged I could hand over a fist full of singles and hopefully retain my serious cash tucked away - I was only mugged once when I was seventeen - by a twelve year old in Washington Square - his hands were in and out of my jeans’ pockets in a flash - I caught one of his hands and threatened to break his arm off - he readily handed me back the 20 he had grabbed with his other. I would advise preps to break up their stash and hide it away. A little muscle in some form or another couldn’t hurt either.
Erika, I have struggled with your question as well. I’m certain our house will be the first my brothers and sisters families will head to. However, but they also are among those who are above preparing for BF. I hestitate to send the Emergency PrePare. Lists because unfortunately it is within themselves to ridicule individuals like myself and make our names known amongst their peers. Our own parents have told me not to mention anything to them.
Although I believe they have had just as much info blasted at them as I have and respond to it differently then I have, I still think it comes to just doing the right thing. If the worse happens I pray…I hope I would remain steadfast in my convictions by not refusing shelter, water, food. As a Christian, it is our mission to keep the VISION OF ETERNITY in sight and the value of it in our hearts….I think you have to ask yourself what makes you want to get up in the morning, this world or the next? And when the BFlu comes and goes, assuming the worse has happen and you lived through with all your choices….what then will make you want to get up in the morning?
The greatest step we can take for BF preparation is PRAYER PREPARATION. We will do what we can do in the physical and prayer for all else outside of our control. Remembering who is in charge.
“Yes God has protected his people in times past. In the case of the biblical Joseph it was through storing 7 years of grain for the lean times, and some of you where wondering how long you should prepare for? :) Joseph prepared for seven bad years by storing food! Paster John”
I actually Have been aiming for this period of food storage for several years now. Frankly I am amazed at people who actually think that a three month food and water supply is going to last them through a Pandemic Flu let alone what ever else comes along perhaps as a result.
Before a vaccine can even start to roll off a production line it will take a Pandemic of some sort to happen first and the earliest that a vaccine can be produced will be 6 - 12 months …..at the very earliest!! Then to produce 6.5 billion doses of vaccine may take a considerable period of time to manufacture….perhaps several years !
For those who have 3 months supply you have a lot more that the average joe but what happens after the three months are up ?
Is a Pandemic flu really going to hit the economy as hard as some people feel it will ? If it does will we have jobs to go back to ? How will we live with no income ? How can we buy food in the shops ? Will there be any food in the shops to buy ?
You guys sure 3 months is enough ? I dont. Thats just my opinion ofcourse.
On a similar note here is an interesting link to a telecast on Avien Flu and some other factors for consideration..
http://www.tomorrowsworld.org/cgi-bin/tw/telecast/tw-telecast.cgi?action=view_telecast
Erika, one response I’ve used is: “I’m trying hard to prep for my family, but I just can’t afford to prep for yours, too. You need to start.” I think some folks really do think going to someone else’s better-prepared house is enough of *a plan.*
I’ve also pointed out the pandemicflu.gov’s information about how there could be widespread disruption of transport, and how this would effect the stores (they usually haven’t thought this through so I go slow and explain it ) and then, I lay it on thick: I say, “If this happens, are you prepared to hear, ‘Mommy, I’m hungry?’ “
One option is to tell folks who are planning to come over:
“Are you sure you want to spend 6 months cooped up with us, because once you come, no one is going in or out. You are welcome to come, but you’ll have to bring your own food and water, will there be room in your car?……. No, I’m not kidding”
I think people aren’t planning to shoot their neighbors, hopefully a rifle will SCARE the neighbors (the nice ones anyway), and folks are planning to shoot others who demonstrate hostile intent in words or deeds.
Now that I am building my stockpile I am taking this into account. The most convenient palce to store is in the unfinshed part of our basement. But that’s where the utilities are and there are always repair people in and out. I also don’t want the cleaning people knowing there is stuff around. I agree that most think prepping is crazy - you get that :look what happened to Y2K response. However, I can live without the ATM working for a week. I can’t live if someone in family dies. I am in some ways wboth dh and I come from small families, none of whom near live near by. Hopefully they will humkder down and stay put.
Is three months enough? I don’t know. I figure I’ll do my best to get us to a 3m supply (you guys are so much better prepared) then once that is done, assess the situation and build up some more from there. It’s just not financially feasible, nor do we have enough space, to go way beyond that at this point. But hopefully down the road yes.
I will not tell anyone in my neighborhood what I am doing. Lucky for me my closest neighbors tipped me off to what kind of people they are. They have litle regard for property rights. case in point, my neighbor to the south of me cut down one of my trees on the propery line without any warning and when I confronted him about it he gave me a bogus story as to why he did it. He told my wife an entirly different bogus story. He is dishonest and dangerous. This sort of thing was repeated by him and one other neighbor a few other times.
But even nice people can have a dark side under the thin layer of civility. If thing turn ugly people will have lots of time to stress over and plan out ways to make sure they and their families do not die. Also the mind has the amazing ability to twist thing around to justify the most criminal of behavior.
If the power goes out I am going to keep all traces of my preps hidden from the outside world. If either of the neighbors try to sqeeze me for some food I am going to turn the situation around and remind both of them that they both have edible foliage (fruit trees & cactus) and swimming pools (put water in shallow open containers to outgas chlorine) and that they should not be asking for anything from poor ole me. Also I have 13 peoplr on my list of those who are welcome into my house, whome I have an obligation to give food to if they need it (family in my area and 3 close friends). I would communicate to the neighbors that “What little I have will be even less as we take turns checking up on each other (Hopefully this will communicate that there is a small network of people to contend with if anyone gets out of hand). These guys will have to catch me outside to talk to them. I would not open the door for them.
I have talked to a few people about this at work (30 miles away from my home)and it seems that most are completly unconcerned about this or terrorist attacks of the infrastructure. Prepping for even 2 weeks seems to push the envelope of their thinking.
This may seem a little cold hearted but here in the USA people riot when their football team wins. I was in LA for the Rodney King Riots. This is no exageration: I live about 20 miles from downtown and in my neigborhood you could smell fire all night long.
One last thought:
“People who prepare are paranoid whackos before a disaster and they are horders after the disaster hits”.
Sounds like you need to put up a good strong fence on your property line with some very thorny rose bushes on your side of the fence.
The higher the level of preparedness within a given community, the safer a place it is to live. I’m all for gently encouraging people to open their eyes and making intelligent decisions. As I see it there are two reasons why people do not prep…fear and indifference. I may ot be able to persuade everyone to prep, but each person that does is one less person that I worry about becomming a threat in the community.
I am beginning to relocate some of my stockpile throughout the house. It is a pain to move things and I hope I don’t forget where I have put them. However, in this way, you don’t have a huge stockpile readily visible or accessible. My fear is a robbery would wipe me out of everything.
Therefore, I am “hiding” items throughout the house in smaller quantities. I plan to hide some supplies (and cash) in the trunk of my car also. In this case, should you have to leave your house in an emergency, you have a small stockpile.
I have an apartment, so I don’t have a lot of places to put things. I’m thinking of hiding some of my canned goods in a box in my storage closet. It’s outside of my apartment, but in the same building, and the storage area is locked. At least, that way all of my preps won’t be in the same place if someone should break in and steal them.
EmilyH-
Make sure that the boxes don’t weigh so much that you couldn’t easily move them. Also, label them as something no one would want to steal—kids school papers, or something like that…
Yeah, I will do that. Thanks.
As I build more preps I am definitely keeping them in closed brown packing boxes with numbered labels. I’ll keep a separate file with the # and the contents of the box.
Next time you see the neighborhood squirrels hiding their nuts around I bet you’ll have a better appreciation for their ability to plan, to have enough, to hide from others & be able to defend their territory. Sorry I couldn’t resist.
I am making a meal plan for everyday and what ingredients are needed so I will have the right supplies.I only buy what I know will be used up. 12 months is our plan. we live rural and even got rid of the ducks, geese and chickens. Comfort foods for the kids and balanced meal. You have to stay healthy thru it all too. I’m even stockpiling for my horses, dog, cats and rabbits. Can’t get to feed stores if stuck at home. I have only talked about it with my parents and when I mention it to some people they think I’m crazy and they say they don’t have the room to stockpile. They are the crazy ones.
prepping gal: its funny you should say that. Whenever i’ve felt the need to prepare for something unpleasant (and it has happened before the BF ) my family would all go: “Uh oh…Mums gone squirrel again!”
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