When do you say NO!!!

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by kansasrebel, Sep 15, 2008.


  1. kansasrebel

    kansasrebel Monkey++

    I was talking with some friends today and the subject of when the shtf came up. We were discussing who we would share some of our stuff with and who we wouldn'nt. At what point do you tell people coming up to you for help NO!! And at what point do you remove them permanantly? This is a question I'm afraid we'll have to answer soon, though I hope to hell we don't.[shtf]
     
  2. Blackjack

    Blackjack Monkey+++

    If they aren't family, the answer is "I don't have anything".

    after that...?

    Now go away or I will taunt you a second time! /Outrageous French Accent
     
  3. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    The problem is compounded if there are loose lips among those you know and thought you could trust to keep your stores under their hats. A request by someone that knows you have "stuff" then denied, carries the risk of a midnight calling. The message is pretty obvious, you need to limit the knowledge.
     
  4. QuietOne

    QuietOne Monkey++

    Consider that when times get tough there will probably be laws enacted against "hoarders" with rewards for turning in such anti-social persons. That's you.
     
  5. FalconDance

    FalconDance Neighborhood Witch

    My standard answer to similar questions is "I hope I have enough for us and the kids, but I just don't know if there will be (enough)". That way our "stash" sounds pretty pitiful and iffy.

    Of course, compared to many, it is scanty. But it should suffice with care and ingenuity ;).
     
  6. NWPilgrim

    NWPilgrim Monkey++

    One good idea is to only distribute charity away from your home. At your house: sorry we have nothing here to give away. Take small amounts to another location such as a church to have handed out to the needy anonymously.

    I hear (not here but on other boards) guys brag about how in the middle of a hurricane or flood cleanup they have the grill going full blast and roasting up from their largesse of meats, onions, potatoes, beans, etc. Meanwhile their neighbors are scraping the last dregs off their pantry shelves. Show-offs will attract a lot of people including thugs.

    If I had a needy neighbor I would consider dropping stuff off to them anonymously rather than risk becoming the obvious local stock pile. Like another poster pointed out, the local and federal governments have executive orders giving themselves the authority to confiscate private stockpiles in times of emergency for the community good. Eat in private and don't give evidence of your surplus. Running a generator for all but the first few days seems like a public advertisement that you are the best prepped house on the block.
     
  7. RightHand

    RightHand Been There, Done That RIP 4/15/21 Moderator Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    This is part of a post on another board. The discussion was Ike and points out pretty clearly what can happen. This was for just a few days but imagine a longer term scenerio.

    "Best news is I got the six extras relocated - the generator being inoperable helped. I learned a bit about taking in people whose idea of preparation is a few gallon jugs of water, chips, and some noodles in a cup. Examples: I had filled 7 gallon containers and placed them on the sinks in the event of water loss - they sure go fast when you treat them like a faucet and let it run while you get soap, dry your hands, etc. I planned to run the generator enough to keep the fridge and freezer going - 2-3 hours in the morning and in the evening. I figured these were times when they could drop in a movie, relax under the ceiling fan, and enjoy some normalcy. As I am running a line to my neighbor (now 2 neighbors) so they can save their fridge and freezer I explained we needed to minimize power use - don't leave lights on, etc. We lost power midnight when Ike rolled in and I cranked up the generator the next morning and went in house a while later - a dvd and the 60 inch TV was going with one person watching, another was playing a game on their laptop which they were recharging, and a third was watching another show in another room, and lights left on in unoccupied rooms. I think they thought this was a hotel (I suspect I will not get a 5Star rating) - I ended up cooking most of the meals (it was either that or starve) while they made themselves comfortable. (Fortunately they fixed themselves lunch once - for themselves, I was left out of that meal.) I could go on but basically some people will use up things in an emergency just like they would on a normal day. Instead of preparing for the situation, being sparing and being self -sufficient as long as possible. I guess when they are out they will demand to know who is responsible for not getting them what they need. What did I learn - firmly assign tasks or better yet - be very careful of the folks you bring in."
     
  8. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    That poster did several things wrong....

    1) Took in folks who were not prepared in any way, especially mentally.
    2) Provided them a sense of 'normalcy' in an abnormal situation. Most folks will try to live as they are accustomed.
    3) Didn't lay down ground rules soon enough, and may not have enforced them when he did.

    I have a small group of like-minded friends ready for bad situations - we DON'T advertise our preps! My 'bestest buddy' lives close by - we can support and help one another easily. Other best buddy is across town, in a flood zone. He gets by okay, but needs more preps. We are helping him get better equipped. In a really bad situation, we'd have trouble getting to him quickly. But we would try. Once he gets a genset, he'll actually be very self-contained and ready.
    Anybody else comes calling - "Sorry! No help here! Call the Red Cross!"

    TS Fay gave us all a very powerful 'wake-up call'!
     
  9. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Have you a plan in place for all three to set up in one location for longer term cooperative (read as tribal) living? As in longer than several days at most. One gennie at full load is a lot more fuel efficient than three at part load, for example.

    One thing I for sure need to do is find a way to muffle my genset to a much better level than it is. If I can hear it at the far end of my plot (and I can) so can anyone else within 100 yards or more. That is nearly an invitation for dropins and questions, even if lights on in the evening could be interpreted any differently. I am a lot less interested in light than I am in the heater, reefer and comms. (Which reminds me, I need to find a way to disconnect the outside lights that are on photocell switches.)

    [beer]
     
  10. QuietOne

    QuietOne Monkey++

    Another thought: you and your family are prepped; enough food for, say, a year. The SHTF. Food gets scarce, martial law, rationing is imposed. A month or so goes by. Everyone is living on 1800 calories a day... except you and your family. People start remarking that YOUR kids aren't losing weight, that YOUR wife doesn't look much thinner, that YOU aren't gaunt. Word gets to the authorities. One night, a knock on the door...
     
  11. Tango3

    Tango3 Aimless wanderer

    The worst of all situations,betterdecide now(i.e. do I answer the door with the 12ga and.45 and relieve some govt lacky from his civil service position To keep the "sphaghettios" in the pantry????)This anti-hoarding/confiscation and redistribution(?) stuff is the ugliest and most dangerous partof the fema executive powers
     
  12. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    The answer is easy for me, I live alone. The 1911 goes with me to the door (or more likely, the window overlooking the door.) Either I eat my own stocks if I can keep them, or the penitentiary's, if they have any. Or dirt.

    [coffee2]


    [troll]
     
  13. Tracy

    Tracy Insatiably Curious Moderator Founding Member

    Thyroid problem (darn genetic trait!), and poor you with no medication to help it. ;)
     
  14. kckndrgn

    kckndrgn Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    What do ya know, I really do have a thyroid problem!!!

    My question is really just the opposite, when do you say YES?

    I would be willing to help those that help themselves (though if they try to help themselves my supplies they'll be on the lead diet). If you can provide me with something I need or want, then yes, I'll help them in some way.

    Oh and very few people know where ALL the food stuff is, I don't like to keep it all in one location in the house just in case that part gets the tree falling on it
     
  15. Tackleberry

    Tackleberry Krieg Hündchen


    The knock on the door will not be answered. If the door gets kicked in, some magazines will be emptied in the direction of said door. A badge or piece of paper does not give anyone the legitimate authority to steal food from one person, and give it to another. This isn't a communist state, nor will I act as if it is.

    [cow]
     
  16. toemag

    toemag Monkey++

    On another thread on same subject I said that they would have to be taken care of, and I was jumped on, looks like I woke some peoples ideas up some.

    Don't forget that if you are missing when the food is distributed, you will be missed, so you'll have to go and collect the meagre hand out's with the sheeple. The down side is they'll register you and when it comes time to provide central catering and accommodation at a central location with high fences and security keeping you in rather than protecting you from out side influences, you'll be on someone's list.....

    Better to have a secure bug out location and make sure that your neighbours think that you have gone to spend the SHTF time with family out of town, be as vague on that location as you can.

    As to shooting it out with the Fed's, you loose, they won't go away when met with resistance/force, they'll just get re-enforcements, and burn you out one way or another. (Waco, TX.).

    Improvise adapt and survive, but will it be worth the effort/sacrifice?

    Tony
     
  17. franks71vw

    franks71vw Monkey+++

    taser1Just make sure you have enough and setup the situation on your favor when they coma knocking lol[beer]
     
  18. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    Ghrit, my further buddy has his house high enough to not flood - he's been thru this many times. He does have his wife's sister and BIL not far away, on higher ground. They are not preppers, but are good country folk, with well-stocked pantry.
    They just need a good genset, and are then better off than 98% of folks around here. As Keith said, it just means he has his own 'island property' for a time....

    Little chance of looters or moochers, unless they have a boat and aren't afraid of snakes & gators..... [lolol]
     
  19. homeshow

    homeshow Monkey++

    all i can say is to stay very low on the radar. very very low.
     
  20. homeshow

    homeshow Monkey++


    i agree with this statement. i'll be willing to trade or give surplus to a very small group. javaman (a member here), Shane, Bruce, Ken. not all of these guys are preppers. they would make great room mates until the shit gets washed off of the fan though. don't knock the guys and gals who are not exactly what you are looking for. as long as they know they WILL be sharing the work load and their turn on guard duty.

    look the truth is that a TEAM is stronger than an individual and I need a chance at 5 or 6 hours of sleep every 24. i'm not going to lie to myself that my dogs can't be killed quietly and i can't be snuck up on when i'm asleep after a long hard day. also I can only fire 1 rifle at a time and in 1 direction at a time.

    cultivate a circle of prepper friends you may have to bug out to their house. or they to yours. you may have to leave town as a group. i know not everyone will work as hard as i do. some people may need encouragement from a spouse. like my girlfriend waking me up if i oversleep. for the safety of family and friends i'm willing to deal with quite a bit of B.S.

    i hope this encourages you to make more prepper friends.
     
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