[dreamtech]

Hey,
I took a deep dive through this forum during the weekend, that was more than great! So here is my topic I read a bit about what to do if SHTF and lazy neighbours "take what they want". But now imagine this-some guests from further away, lets say a 5 hour flight, come to visit you. They are a family-husband and wife (what if they had kids too?). And suddenly during the visit you have a SHTF situation and they become stuck with you. So, according to rationing numbers and plans, now your reserves are to halve and you also need at least two more people (the guests) to take with you to BOL. What would you do? Are you prepared for that?

 

[DuneElliot]

It's something I think about. I prep for me, but since I have a room mate, I can't very well kick them out if SHTF although she might attempt to go home (which would be dumb).
My parents live with me for 3 months of the year, so I factor them into the equation too. Yes, my preps would be seriously depleted, and would go down in time, but I can't do and plan for everything. I keep building my stocks as I can afford it, so the more I put aside, the better off we all will be.

 

[Blackberry Queen]

I'm one who tries to stock extra for unplanned guests. I would actually prefer to have additional adults with me, bug in or out. IMO, if things are bad regionally or statewide, then it's bad enough to need extra adults to stand watch, help with gardening, etc. we have a big enough house to hold a few extras, and same with the BOL. If we didn't, I would be buying tents and more camping gear to accommodate more.

one of my ultimate goals is food storage for 8 people for a year, and seed reserves for 12. I periodically send food to the BOL where my parents live full time.

I'm definitely prepping on a tiny budget but I will be a safe place for friends and family as long as I can. Some people scoff at that attitude or think I will change my mind if my kids are hungry, but again, if it's that bad all over, then there's safety in numbers.

 

[cdvaight]

I'm one who tries to stock extra for unplanned guests. I would actually prefer to have additional adults with me, bug in or out. IMO, if things are bad regionally or statewide, then it's bad enough to need extra adults to stand watch, help with gardening, etc. we have a big enough house to hold a few extras, and same with the BOL. If we didn't, I would be buying tents and more camping gear to accommodate more.

one of my ultimate goals is food storage for 8 people for a year, and seed reserves for 12. I periodically send food to the BOL where my parents live full time.

I'm definitely prepping on a tiny budget but I will be a safe place for friends and family as long as I can. Some people scoff at that attitude or think I will change my mind if my kids are hungry, but again, if it's that bad all over, then there's safety in numbers.

I agree completely. There are 2 adults and 3 kids in my home now. I would welcome 4-5 more with my goal as enough food for them.

 

[Nomad 2nd]

What SHTF?

 

[Blackberry Queen]

What SHTF?

Good point, because if it has to do with a Nutella shortage, I'm barring the door and hiding out with my stash.

 

[Hershel Green]

Hey,
I took a deep dive through this forum during the weekend, that was more than great! So here is my topic I read a bit about what to do if SHTF and lazy neighbours "take what they want". But now imagine this-some guests from further away, lets say a 5 hour flight, come to visit you. They are a family-husband and wife (what if they had kids too?). And suddenly during the visit you have a SHTF situation and they become stuck with you. So, according to rationing numbers and plans, now your reserves are to halve and you also need at least two more people (the guests) to take with you to BOL. What would you do? Are you prepared for that?

Being a Red Cross Disaster Aid volunteer it won't be a problem.....plenty of community and outside resources to tap into ....

 

[Brimasmom]

I'm with our city's medical reserve corps, so I will likely be mobilized in the event of a SHTF scenario. I would make sure that they deploy me to the senior center a few blocks away from where I live (I have the luxury of choosing where I get deployed). Since it would be really close to where I live, I would have the advantage of being fed/housed by the corps until/if things calm down a bit.

It would be a real advantage to have trusted people holding down the fort at my place while I handled things as a first responder. The only people I would let in my door even in the best of times are people who I would trust with my life anyway, so no worries there.

In all honesty, I'd be grateful to have some unexpected allies on my side to watch my back, even though they'd quickly deplete what supplies I had. I guess I need to better prepare for that eventuality.

 

[DuneElliot]

I also agree with other's statements...I'd rather have a few more mouths to feed and people to back me up and support me than be on my own.

 

[Brew]

Hand them a couple boxes of shower curtain rings and a map marked to get them back home. Hopefully they paid attention to John Candy during the training film.

 

[MI.oldguy]

The disaster shelter is that way......(pointing)....

 

[indracanna]

I often ponder this, but fortunately where I live, my surrounding neighbors are also preparing for whatever may come, we already have plans in place for securing the surrounding area as well as helping those that may be stuck out.
We rigged up a cannon to shoot out care packages over the wall. All it includes is a SAS Survival Guide and a handkerchief.

 

[Writer's Block]

I have said, many times and on many topics, that this is the sort of eventuality that points out how essential it is to make a plan.

Making a plan and putting it on paper lets you (and members of your group) go over it for holes, flaws, and what ifs.

Personally, I plan assuming many more people will be here than just me and my MAG. While my family live too far away to even visit often, one of my MAG members has lots of family in the area. I plan, therefore, for the possibility that things might be such that they will come here for aid/be invited here.

I have pointed out the guest thing many times on these forums. It is all fine and good to have your plan be "me and mine" until TEOTWAWKI occurs while your wife's sister and her family of husband and three kids is visiting.

This is also why I have what I call "give away bags". I have made up some very basic, BOB like sport bags as survival kits. I can use the gear myself, trade the contents, whatever; all without affecting my MAG and its stores of supplies. The PLAN though is to give them out to certain neighbors, friends, or the like that may come to me for help. There are people who might come and I don't want they to stay here (but don't want to send them away to die), or those who will (regardless of the danger) try to make it home to family etc...These are the people I make these kits for. I don't have a lot of them, and have no intention of being a mini-Red Cross, but I am planning in order to be able to help others.

 

[Moccasin]

Hey,
I took a deep dive through this forum during the weekend, that was more than great! So here is my topic I read a bit about what to do if SHTF and lazy neighbours "take what they want". But now imagine this-some guests from further away, lets say a 5 hour flight, come to visit you. They are a family-husband and wife (what if they had kids too?). And suddenly during the visit you have a SHTF situation and they become stuck with you. So, according to rationing numbers and plans, now your reserves are to halve and you also need at least two more people (the guests) to take with you to BOL. What would you do? Are you prepared for that?

Well, I'd look at this as an Act of God / One Of THOSE Things, so kicking them out probably wouldn't be an option. Unless they were the kind of determinately foolish people who are going to get themselves and everyone around them killed in a crisis. If they are, they'll probably demand to leave and try to make it back home. If so, give them money, DON'T let them know of my supplies, and wave as they head off, probably never to be seen again.

If they're more intelligent, though, then we'll discuss the situation and figure out what to do. Subject to the understanding that *I* am in charge. I'm the one who has made the plans; they may bring new insights and skills to the mix, but I'm the one who's thought "What happens if things blow up? How do I / we survive?" Unless the new pair are also survivalists, I'm ahead of them in my thinking, and they'll have to follow my lead. Rationing, OPSEC, security, new ways of doing things; and most of all, attitude. If there is a collapse, the expectations and normal responses of regular life are out the window, and you'll have to make new rules up on the fly. EXTREME caution will be the word of the day; and if the couple can't handle the idea the world may now be out to kill us, and we may have to respond in kind, then things will not go well...

 

[SazTam]

Anyone who comes to my house friend wise, knows i prep. And 90 percent of them are p reppers themselves.

That being said... the friends who are here on a regular basis. One we would have to hold back from him trying to get to his farm, wife and kids. One would be more than welcome as a marine and combat vet. And the third would mount an expedition to go get his supplies to return here for the safety of numbers.

 

[lean]

I agree with whoever said the more adults under one roof the better.....for MOST people their BOL is going to be their primary home....

when I stock, I stock with extended family in mind....I go thru what rooms I'd have to clean out to make extra bedrooms....how we would set house "rules" ....how we would limit travel and combine trips amap....

we got to hang together people...be ready for it...

 

[NoFlyZone]

Being a Red Cross Disaster Aid volunteer it won't be a problem.....plenty of community and outside resources to tap into ....

Don't count on that Hershel...

If your area is in a category 1 SHTF, but the SHTF is a category 4, 300 miles away with more people/area impacted, where do you think the lion's share of those outside resources are going?
Where the limited resources will do the most good!

I live in a unique location. I am surrounded by rivers on three sides.
If it all falls down (say New Madrid throws a shoe),the bridges would all be down and concrete runways do not play well with EQs. No quick and easy access to Western Kentucky.
The only land route into my area would take any relief effort past the City of Memphis
More people in need means relief supplies would go there before they came to Westrn Ky.

This is one of my biggest motivation to prep, because I can't count on anyone else to do it for me.

Also...as a volunteer, what makes you think that you would be allowed to take resources home for you're own personal use?

 

[LordOpie]

more adults would be good... assuming they contribute and aren't a burden.

most of the people I know would be a burden. They cannot wrap their heads around reality.

I had two family members stuck in Mexico during the last hurricane. They ran out of water. Saw first hand how society changes during such stress. Were stranded for days waiting for an airplane to take them to Houston.

I asked if this experience changed their perspective and if they were going to be more prepared for such things in the future.

Idiots both nodded their heads yes, but then proceeded to stick them back up their own butts, i mean, back into the sand.

I would WELCOME someone into my home and share what little i have, if they had the right mindset. Most people I know are freakin' morons and would probably get me killed due to incompetence or poor judgement in a SHTF.

 

[Hershel Green]

Don't count on that Hershel...

If your area is in a category 1 SHTF, but the SHTF is a category 4, 300 miles away with more people/area impacted, where do you think the lion's share of those outside resources are going?
Where the limited resources will do the most good!

I live in a unique location. I am surrounded by rivers on three sides.
If it all falls down (say New Madrid throws a shoe),the bridges would all be down and concrete runways do not play well with EQs. No quick and easy access to Western Kentucky.
The only land route into my area would take any relief effort past the City of Memphis
More people in need means relief supplies would go there before they came to Westrn Ky.

This is one of my biggest motivation to prep, because I can't count on anyone else to do it for me.

Also...as a volunteer, what makes you think that you would be allowed to take resources home for you're own personal use?

My perspectives are based on actual experiences that span over 25 years. We serve ourselves best when we serve our neighbors and communities.

 

[NoFlyZone]

EDIT:

I'm not sure I understand.
Is that 25 years of taking Red Cross resources for your own personal use? Because it sure sounds like it to me.

And who, exactly, are you serving? Yourself or your neighbors?