I agree that most people are not prepared for, not only the unexpected, but the it's-staring-you-in-the-face events. (hello... economy)

Because I live in an earthquake zone I have always had a few gallons of water and a crank radio set aside. But after the huge earthquake in Japan and all its ensuing problems (nuclear reactors, countless aftershocks) I went on-line to find out more about emergency preparedness and found out about this whole culture of prepping. I still laugh when I think of that first evening, I stood up from the computer, hands on hips, and announced to my daughter, "I'm a prepper". Since then I gave myself permission to start 'collecting and storing' stuff. I am trying to stay organized and know when I've reached a reasonable limit to what a middle-aged woman stuck in a condo can do. (don't want to slip over into the 'crazy-hoarding-old-lady zone. So far, only one cat. lol.)

People living in the city and in apartments and condos are so limited in space and resources that often they become minimalists. They have nothing useful, except a few electronic devices and a credit card. If you mention to (some) people that it's a good idea to be prepared they just scoff and make glib remarks like "what's the point, they would probably die anyways". It's not like I don't think that could happen to me, but I prepare IN CASE I SURVIVE.

While I don't talk to anybody in my condo complex about anything, let alone prepping, I do have a like-minded friend across town that I can compare notes with.

Well, gotta go to work now, thanks for the topic to think about. I will not give up mentioning to people about being prepared in case we get The Big One in our lifetime.

"If you mention to (some) people that it's a good idea to be prepared they just scoff and make glib remarks like "what's the point, they would probably die anyways".

that's were the saying comes from, survival of the fittest. I was thinking all you up in the high rise could hook up with others on some land and co-op food storage.

So true Dacribbler...
People think- or even assume that someone will or should come and save them. That bothers me the most. Where is due diligence. A little personal responsibility?

Whether it is earthquakes or ice storms, even blizzards, maybe something like a chemical leak, etc etc... too many people shrug their shoulders at what could happen and assume someone will come and save their butt. My daughter and her fiance are in the essential services ( in an earthquake zone) and she has told me that she knows it'll be days or even weeks ( depending on the size and scale of the disaster) before she could even contact us in a s.h.t.f. kind of emergency as she would be expected to immediately respond to duty. But we have also had the conversation that essential services will be absolutely overwhelmed themselves, possibly even having to dig out from their own issues before they are even able to help others.

I watched a simple blizzard in a city shut everything down for a full 72 hours and all sorts of mayhem and even hysteria result with people without food, or medicine, roof cave ins etc etc... and that was "just snow"...

I don't care if people scoff ... I would rather be capable of dealing with most and hopefully (some day) all potential issues then be one of the masses pleading help because they didn't take the time to use a little common sense or think beyond their immediate need and gratification. There is something to that old story of the ant and the grasshopper.
Prepping was a way of life just a few decades ago, previous generations did it... You saved. You re-used. You did not over consume. You put away... I have been as reeled-in in moments by today's "must have" society but am hoping to keep at changing my mindset and get back to basics... ( not washing my clothes in the stream beating them rocks - yet ...lol ...but a more simplified approach to life and finances- though as far as gadgets go, I wouldn't part with my kindle e-reader for anything...but I still have and enjoy an immense library of my regular hard copy books! 🙂

The truth is most people especially in the urban areas have no more than 3 or 4 days worth of food at home tops. Even fewer have adequate amounts of water stored. If food shipments stopped the grocery stores would be cleaned out in less than 48 hours. Most people don't get that.

The truth is most people especially in the urban areas have no more than 3 or 4 days worth of food at home tops. Even fewer have adequate amounts of water stored. If food shipments stopped the grocery stores would be cleaned out in less than 48 hours. Most people don't get that.

it doesn't even have to be a local disaster. Several years ago on the hiway to Ft.McMurray there was a forest fire. The fire was over an hour south of Ft. mac, but the hiway was closed. Withing 2 days, there was no more milk or bread on the shelves. at three days, all fresh vegetables and produce were gone. on the fifth day, there was nothing on the food shelves but canned goods.

People are poorly prepared , no dough about it. so it comes down to a ethical problem. Would you turn away family friends strangers from your door. ?

You dont have to turn them away, but start trading for what your lacking, even if its just labor.

Would you turn away family friends strangers from your door. ?

In a short term, temporary situation like a major storm or natural disaster I would not refuse anyone shelter unless they looked like trouble makers.

In a long term, sustained survival situation:

Family - No
Friends - Depends who. My best friend? no. A casual acquaintance? More than likely.
Strangers - Yes, unless it was some circumstance like a lost child, elderly person or a woman with a baby. All able bodied adults and their families that didn't bother to make their own preps would be turned away. And obviously if someone like a well equipped MD showed up I would not turn them away either.

It might sound harsh but turning into Mother Teresa if TSHTF is generally not a sound survival strategy.

This is an excellent discussion and what everyone has said is exactly what we prep for. But who would you help ? Remember, what we've talked about, being a target. If you help someone, they will most definitely tell others and you now have a targeted address....And here's the kicker. Emergency services will tell people what they need to do to keep people calm. But the 48/72 hour emergency can turn into a full fledged S.H.T.F. rather quickly. So, the people you've helped on Monday will be back on Sunday when they have nothing and they know you have supplies.
So as cold hearted as it sounds, can you really help anyone with supplies? We prep for ourselves! As a member of a word wide volunteer search organization we are trained to put our own safety first so we don't become another victim...So what would be a good deed Today, could be your demise tomorrow...

Just my thoughts...

It would definitely depend on the situation, if its just the every day type situation then you wouldn’t need to worry. If it’s a SHTF situ and you haven’t left Dodge yet well you had better learn to hunker down have bars and chain link fencing on every window. Also metal shutters and Doors, and the means to defend your self. But we all know that will never happen because the Government would never let that happen right, and of course we all trust in every thing that they tell us right. OMG I think I’m going to puke.

But we all know that will never happen because the Government would never let that happen right, and of course we all trust in every thing that they tell us right. OMG I think I’m going to puke.

This made me LOL.
So many people think the government is going to save them. They think we will be all sitting in a school gym, lining up for meals, singing songs, waiting for an all clear to go home... idiots.
It drives me insane when people think that way. All I wish is that the Sh*t doesn't hit the fan while I still live in a town! I really do not want to be here when it all falls apart. My plan is to stay put, bug out only if necessary and right now that drive would be too long and leave too much behind. But, I will not be waiting with my hand out for a hero to come save my kids and I. Nope. I would be handling it myself... some major planning but most of it is common sense said outloud. The majority of the people around me and that I know, have no real common sense.

Here is the thing about problems, disasters, and /or SHTF: The individual situation with determine if you have to bug-in, or bug-out. For example, ice storms, blizzards, and record snow falls will keep you at home where you have plenty of food, water and fuel as it would be silly to even try to travel. Disasters such as forest fires, sour gas and chemical leaks would require you to leave without prior notice or packing.

I subscribe to the entire concept of Prepare for the worst and hope for the best, but having that said, I'll be bugging out at the first sign of any lawlessness or civil unrest. I've seen it before and i don't want any part of it. What ever is here they can fight over long after I'm gone.

Just remember if your route to bug out is a hwy, you and the rest will be there, people will run out of gas and want yours. If shits that bad, head for the bush, not the road's, even the back roads will be full of my neighbors all red neck, lmao, and really that no joke. Think about it, if you and your family had nothing put away and a car was coming down your back road, would you not stop then to see if they had food.

Hopefully you have already move away from low lands around bodies of water, nuclear power station, populated areas, Rail lines, sour gas and chemical leaks, fault line, earth quake zone etc.