I’m lucky enough to have a family that stays well prepared (grandma’s still around, her family grew beans to find their way through the great depression). Wood heat, generators, solar. They all live waaaaaayyy out in the boonies, know their way around all manner of tools (my uncle’s a welder, and another uncle is a master carpenter, plumber, and home electrician) and they’re armed. HEAVILY armed. Even grandma, bless her heart, can shoot straight. My whole mom’s side lives out there. They have plans to connect on the family farm via bicycle transit or motor cycles, and several are active .Mil with carbine courses under their belts (and a concealed handgun under their belts, all of ‘em). Of course I’m one state over, but I could make my way to them if I had to. It’ take weeks, months maybe, but I could get there, I’ve traveled that route before on a motor cycle and I could do it on foot if necessary. Of course, where I am, I’m relying on my neighbors (several carpenters, doctors, veterinarians, and a few Vietnam vets in the area, along with a couple very well-stocked local handymen). I’m the most heavily-armed member of the neighborhood, but I know there are WASR-10’s in every house on the street (and ammo for them, too!), and an avid IDPA competitor lives just up the road a mile or so. So my plan is to find safety in numbers. I’m also tied down with family here, so I’m not as mobile. If I was still a bachelor, or I didn’t have children, I’d be considering a more solo lifestyle, preferably on a dirt bike or other small, ultra fuel-efficient vehicle.
I live in town and have a family so depending on scenario, hunkering down at home may not be feasible.
None of my extended family is even remotely prepared for anything, so in a true shtf situation I couldn’t provide for them all if we wanted to preserve our supplies for my immediate concern which is my wife & kids.
If we had to bug out I plan on keeping it small & simple, unless we could partner with another small group in a beneficial way.
Living in urban northern VA if there was a superdisaster and the population was left in place without rule of law or adequate resources to survive, I imagine that it would turn to a small 3rd world country very fast. I’d plan on locking down my neighborhood and arming people while establishing a power base for myself.
– Oh, and is this a scenario where the government is going to eventually come and provide relief, or should I begin plans for expansion? –
Per light discipline, they have floods and spots, but not on infrared sensors or anything like that. They bought an old light board (think stage/concert board) and they control any strategic/defensive lighting from it. They’re looking into night vision too, for greater light discipline.
I live in a small town with no large city withing an hour and a half. I figure I would just hunker down and see what played out. Its only me and my wife so if I would have to move I could do it pretty quick.
I live behind a shopping center in a moderately sized suburb. There is a large hill between my street and the shopping center and only two roads that lead to my street. I am friends with several of the neighboring families and I trust them. They all have unique skill sets as well but only one family is armed.
I would block the roads and fortify my house. I have one friend who would be happy to provide overwatch from the hill. I want to outfit each house with at least one type of radio if not every individual. Depending on the situation, security shifts may or may not be necessary. I have grandparents in the area and my mom and sister who would probably shack up with me as well. Except for the lack of armament, I know I have enough people to hold down a spot. Moving anywhere far away would be hard. If I had to bug out I would want my brother and four other close friends with me. A small group of guys I know can move hard and fast.
Depending on everyone outside your immediate family is nothing more then a security liability. Many think they can trust persons outside the immediate family but I have to say that these same people you trust now could and would turn on you in a second should the need a rise in a us versus them situation.
I see this all the time as a LEO how best friends or family members will turn on each other over minor issues let a lone a SHTF event.
Staying put with family and a few neighbors unless conditions dictate otherwise. I live in a small neighborhood on the side of a mountain. Limited access in or out, but options for fall back defensive positions. The location itself is very defensible and makes for a harder target than the easy pickings in the valley below.
All of this is very true but there are ways to minimize the threat. And necessity may dictate otherwise
1).Start out making sure you share the same spirtual beliefs. To me this is probably the most critical in trusting each others intentions or how we’ll react down the road. Will you turn on me & kill me? Probably not if we share the same belief system & fear the same GOD. Of course anything is possible but this is the best way to minimize that threat.
2).As much as you can without compromising OPSEC, start reaching out to others now to form alliances and get to know each other. Seeing how they react/behave is different settings including wife & kids. If you know you’re kids are little animals and you can;t even really stand being around them, and your wife is the Bitch from hell, well then you may have a problem and may be better off going it alone.
3).Make sure you’re skill sets are outstanding and your contributions to the group would be sorely missed. I think most of us here have a wide range of outstanding skills that any group just would not want to live without. From mechanics to computers to military experience etc etc
4). Just like in the Corps, our mutual survival depended on each other. A lot of groups that do not presently exist will be created quickly due to this. “Me not exacly liking everything about you but you’re but your smart, a damn good shot and cool under pressure” is a good reason to keep you around & tolerate you. I need you for me to survive. This works both ways and most realize this.
5). Be flexible. I’m much better supplied than a few of the people I’ve recently met. But all my supplies do me no good if the horde’s come to take them and it’s only me, one man, defending them. I’m more than willing to throw my years supply of food for 2 into the common kiddy with your 2-3 months supply to gain your skill sets and back up, if I feel you’re the right person.
We have no family or friends in the immediate area who are prepared for anything other than daily life and some barely manage that. We’ll go it alone and as much as I’d hate to I’ll be turning everyone away at the door. You were warned and you didn’t listen, now pay the piper. I’ve taken the time, money and resources to protect my family and if people didn’t do the same I can’t help them after the fact.
I just moved cross country so all of my networks are useless. However, before I left I did setup some friends with other friends that would be useful.
My basic situation is that I am about 2 hrs highway drive away from some family and friends. Along that route there is a major city and the end destination is 1/2 hr out of another major city. My physical stores are non existant due to the move but are being rebuilt. Depending on the situation my plan is to either run there fast with as much as we can carry, or to bunker down at work (generator, security system, concrete walls, tools, gas tank). A few other people would be heading here as well.
I guess it would also depend on the situation and how long it would last. To answer the OPs question either way I would be with others either way.
The plan in place has been to fortify a single location so the like-minded family members; uncles, cousins, etc. can rally with my brothers and I. We started out with a single location, but have broadened that to include two other possible locations. For the most part, at least right now, it is a “Bring Your Own Gear” type of situation. Hopefully, by winters end, all three locations will be equally prep’ed.
. . . we learn from a man who survived during siege warfare in Bosnia. One of the things that he emphasizes time and again is strength in numbers.
I realize that is not a reality for most, myself included. My wife and I will bug in as long as possible as we live in a big city. We would then egress to family that lives out in a rural area. I have provisions stowed there for us currently.
This video has been posted before in this sub-forum but it is relevant in this discussion as well.
Monsters of Anarchy - Post Collapse Security Considerations
This can’t be stressed enough. I don’t care how well armed or well trained you are, or think you are, trying to go it alone is dangerous. Between Selco’s stories of his experiences in Bosnia, Fernando Aguirre Farfals’ stories during the collapse of Argentina in 2000 http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Survival-Manual-Surviving-Economic/dp/9870563457
Or the stories from the collapse of Zimbabwe, history repeatedly tells us you better have backup or your as good as dead, your wife and daughter as good as raped and tortured! I am doing everything I can to get at least 5-6 “like-minded” men together. When I succeed at that number, I’ll increase the effort to 12. It’s an ongoing effort. It taint easy…I know.
Roaming bands of armed gangs numbering 30-200 were common in every instance. Do what you can do NOW to find others. They’re out there, nervous & concerned like the rest of us. You have to (should, for your own good & the good of your family) make the concerted effort to find them. These thugs act badass but are really cowards at heart and will move onto a softer target if repelled sufficiently. And just remember, “Rambo” was a fictional character. There maybe 1 or 2 Rambo’s alive today. “You ain’t Rambo & neither am I”.
This can’t be stressed enough. I don’t care how well armed or well trained you are, or think you are, trying to go it alone is dangerous.
I concur. I will say anyone prepping alone or planning to go solo(Or single family unit) is only holding their supplies(And your women) for the first group that finds you. Solo is probably fine if the NG will be along in a few days. Anything more serious, yeah.
Unfortunately, finding a band of well armed friends(That you can trust with your family) that are up for such a thing is difficult.
I plan on a few thousand rounds of ammo, enough consumables to get through a week or 10 days. If it looks like long term, I won’t feel like playing that game and will save the last round for myself. (Better to be at ground zero and never know what happened, if it is that kind of scenario.)