People say that society is about nine missed meals from anarchy. Even if that’s not exactly true, prudent people will still prepare for adverse events…weather, civil unrest, a power outage…whatever. Preparation plans include having spare food, water, cash, medications, first aid, and other basic supplies to accompany a positive, can-do attitude.
Some folks believe that if and when things go sideways, working with their neighbors will be a great plan. Some might even think that working with those neighbors is the best plan for them.
If my neck of the woods, smack in the middle of flyover country, is any indication, if your plan is to rely in almost any way upon your neighbors for anything beyond a weather-related or other short-term emergency, you’re potentially doomed. Especially if you live in an apartment building.
Younger individuals will begin suffering withdrawals within hours of the batteries running down on their electronic devices. Heaven forbid cellular service and the internet fail. Families with kids will face their own potential for danger (more on them in a moment). Older folks may or may not bring useful skill sets and physical abilities to the table.
Aside from things like having band-aids as well as food and water, there’s the matter of providing for the common defense. You may have extra guns and/or ammunition. Are you planning on loaning firearms out to your neighbors? Even in the best case, that’s short-sighted and ill-conceived.
If you’ve spent any time at a public range, you’ve seen how untrained, inexperienced people handle guns. It’s as if the bang switch is the natural rest for their trigger finger. When holding a gun, they have the spatial awareness and self-control of a three-year-old when it comes to muzzle control.
Then there’s the matter of hitting anything besides the broad side of a barn.
Sadly, too many fudds, internet commandos and gear queens are woefully inept at putting rounds on targets that are more than bad-breath distance away. A “man card” alone doesn’t help at all in developing that skill set.
Doubt me? Have you been to a Project Appleseed shoot? How many can put three for three shots on the 100-yard equivalent target right out of the gate? Too darn few, that’s how many.
They have lots of excuses, ranging from they’re “just warming up” to “my sights are off” to “I’m not shooting off a rest” to “scope’s loose” to “bad ammo” to “I had an itch in an indiscreet location.”
Wise and prudent folks – men and women alike – will seek out and hook up with like-minded peeps with useful skill sets well ahead of a crisis. Good people will seek out other good people with character, integrity and a modicum of preparedness in their personal lives and possessions.
Denial of bad people doing evil things in your community has no survival value. Neither does a country club membership, flashy cars and jewelry or $1000 purses.
Proper planning prevents poor performance. Make those plans while the sun shines.
I can assure you those unprepared, untrained, gun-free neighbors of yours will become less and less helpful to your survival with each passing day of social breakdown. When their kids are hungry and begging for food, they will do ANYTHING to get some food. That includes putting a bullet in their well-meaning, well-supplied neighbor’s back if push comes to shove.
Why, if you loaned them a firearm, you might even get shot with your own gun.
Ditto if you gave them a box of ammunition.
Flat out give your neighbors a gun, even temporarily? You go ahead. Darwin will take care of the rest.
Don’t be a fool. Get prepared now – and that includes networking with like-minded folks with character, skills, and abilities.
Make a plan for where you’ll go in a longer-term emergency. Bugging out to an unspecified location is a recipe for disaster as well. Identify a destination now where you will be welcomed. Why if you’ve networked with like-minded folks, they might even help move your critical stuff to that retreat location. Of course, you’ll have to reciprocate with others among your group, but that’s a small price to pay for safety and security.