You Need Your Neighbors

Many have the idea when things go south that they'll load up and drive to distant retreat out in the wilderness.

Thats fine on the surface of things but its also fraught with peril. Will those planning on retreating recognize events soon enough? or will recognition along with millions of others doom their travel plans? Can they make through clogged highways? Even having made it to a remote retreat do they have strength of numbers to hold back a determined foes that knows tactics? or are you assuming it will be some unorganized rabble that comes for you and yours.

A lot of unknowns can happen between normality and collapse - that extra hour or two of indecision could be all it takes to thwart well laid plans.

Granted if you now live in the inner city and have not moved or are soon to do so. The only advice I have is get out now while you can. Short of that each and everytime theres even a whiff of trouble you should be rolling without delay even if its nine false alarms that tenth could be deadly.

If plan A is beating out to a retreat then do you have a plan B of bugging in? or are all your eggs in one basket?

From conversation, reading and observation it seems many have only done plan A and are staking everything on it.

I think plan B is just as important to establish as an option.

Part of plan B is to go talk to your neighbors, get to know them. You'd be surprised how many are open to at least mild preparedness subjects such as hurricane, severe weather, ice storm and earthquake outages.

Most everyone is aware of failures of government with the likes of Katrina and more recently Sandy responses.

Its not hard to leap to more pointed what ifs with neighbors who show some inkling of concern with short term events as listed above.

These would be your network within the neighborhood - in turn they would have some influence with those they know well.

The prime thing is to find other preppers if any, secondarily find those who just need validation to start preps.

From there its possible to broach cooperative defense of the neighborhood as long as you are not pushy or too insistant - when frustration sets in give others time to absorb whats at hand, most will come around if given time.

Identify the natural leaders within the group (not power seekers) and walk perimeter as you were the attacker. Identify weak points, places of cover, areas to infiltrate and flank.

Map these out and plan barriers, posts and areas offering crossfire to defend weakpoints. Don't forget automobiles set up as zig zag barriers or adhoc bunkers.

From this map it can now be determined how much manpower will be needed to mount a defense.

reply to post by Phoenix


Don't forget! The best way to defeat your enemy is to disrupt their supply line................

Originally posted by seeker1963
reply to post by Phoenix

 

Don't forget! The best way to defeat your enemy is to disrupt their supply line................

I agree...........................................

However plan B requires a neighborhood defence be set up before any spoiling operations can be mounted, cart before the horse as it were.

With Cypress, New Zealand and Italy talking about theft from depositors its not hard to surmise what would begin to happen with depositors in other countries wanting to make sure they did not have their money outright confiscated.

If these governments pull off the theft then economic armageddon suddenly becomes visible on the horizon.

In your neighborhood many of those who ignored things for so long will begin to wake up and realize whats coming.

I'd say the time to start communicating with your neighbors is upon us if not well past due.

Sure you'll still run into disbelievers but remember as things get more obvious they'll come seeking you out if you remain courteous no matter reaction to initial conversation.

Don't,
Approach with I'm prepared or mention prepping directly.
Wearing camo or slogan shirts
Come on too strong or fervently
Violate opsec

Things can be as informal as saying,

"We can't predict when these things may happen but everything I've learned points to a high chance of them occuring soon, if they occur lets all meet at Joe's, until then it'd be good idea to do what you think is right to get ready" Followed by "If you need anything at all or need advice I'm just down the street, heres my number"

Or more formally on an event driven basis,

"we are having a neighborhood meeting at Joe's house tomorrow evening regarding situation X and its possible effect on our neighbors security and welfare"

Succinctly cover situation X and it best and worst case outcomes and their possible effects on neighborhood.

Make available 3 to 6 simple things others can do to make ready - offer more indepth help to those who want it.

Ask for volunteers with expertise in medical, construction, military, engineering and other applied fields that may be helpful.

Schedule a followup meeting for next day with all interested neighbors

Meet with volunteers right after first meeting and discuss assessments needed for water, food, sanitation, medical and security.

At second neighborhood meeting,

Each person in charge of an individual item presents plan for needed action to serve the neighborhood and makes request for volunteers.

At this time an election should be held to agree on leadership. If you are a better organizer then let someone else step to the plate - preferably someone not asking for it but who shows those natural abilities we all recognize.

Getting to know your neighbors is just as, if not more important, living in a rural area. It's something we've been a little lax in, that really needs to happen. I think some of it is because we're still working on the interior of the home, getting it painted the way we want, etc. to have folks over more often. We know some, but we need to know more.

What we do have, is a group of friends who just happen to have various skills that will help in a SHTF scenario. They all love the ranch as much as we do, and come over often, etc. A good group is the key to survival in any kind of scenario, if you ask me. A group has a much better chance of getting by, and putting up a defense against others who may try to take what we have. Also, nobody can know it all, and we have a pretty good team, and get along with each other well.

The commute is the big challenge though. For everyone (me included, if at work), getting to the ranch takes about an hour or less normally. In a SHTF scenario, who knows? (may even have to walk).

reply to post by Gazrok


In SHTF you must have enough people to post guards. Its not reccomended that anyone exceed four hours on on duty least fatigue set in. With setup you have two at a time would be best. Four hours on twelve hours off rotation would allow folks to do other duties such as gardening or hunting.

Minimum 8 adult people - better if over 12

Consider force mutipliers like nightvision and gpmrs radios which is now fairly affordable. Post one guard directly on approach the other off to one side and forward so there is flanking fire support in the 2-3 minutes it takes rest to respond to trouble.

Cooperative neighbors still offer the best early warning.

reply to post by Phoenix


Yep, from our paintball hobby, we already can do the comm system thing. We have numerous binoculars, scopes, but yeah, I'd love to get some first gen nightvision. We did night paintball a few times, and used some loaner nightvision, and Oh man, what a difference in a battle....you just don't know until you've put it in practice.

I actually need at least 3 sentries to cover all vantage points, 4 would be more ideal...but 3 would be effective. Of course, random patrolling is part of it too, but still maintaining coverage of all approaches and the perimeter.

But, as you mention, need neighbors, because with 3 sentries at 4hr shifts, that means you need 12 people, just to guard! Right now, that'd be everyone I have in my group! Looks like I'll need to add some.

Cooperative neighbors still offer the best early warning.

My most immediate neighbor (older lady) certainly lets me know of anything out of the ordinary...kind of a hobby for her. Of course, in a SHTF scenario, she won't be long for this world...but yeah, good point.

reply to post by Phoenix


"You Need Your Neighbors"?
Some neighbors seem to need me way more than I need them.

Leviticus 19:18

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD

Matt 5:43 (Refers to above Scripture)

You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy

Mark 12:28-31

28One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked Him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these

Proverbs 3:29

Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you.

Proverbs 27:10

Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative's house when disaster strikes you-- better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away

The bible isn't all doom and gloom; can't do this, can't do that. There's LOTS of spiritual TRUTH to it's teachings. Try to get past the "religion" of it all; and the TRUTH will set you FREE! Learn, then apply it's PRINCIPLES and you shall be FREE INDEED!

Do you think "the man", "TPTB" don't know God's principles?

Deuteronomy 15:6

For the LORD your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.

The bible isn't religion, it's PHILOSOPHY!

Philosophy

1. Love and pursuit of wisdom by intellectual means and moral self-discipline.
2. Investigation of the nature, causes, or principles of reality, knowledge, or values, based on logical reasoning rather than empirical methods.

Come on y'all, we gotta get it together; BEFORE it's too late. We still got some time left.

a reply to: this_is_who_we_are I wouldn't trust my neighbours as far as I can throw them?

Hi bigpaul, I have seen you posting on a few threads regarding survival and prepping but a lot of them are old, I am bit of a prepper myself, UK based.

Why not start your own thread with your thoughts and advice now you have hit the big 20?

I would welcome a new prepping/survival thread and would appriciate your input.



a reply to: bigpaul

a reply to: nonspecific ok i'll see what I can come up with. I see you are south west England same as me, anywhere near North Devon?

Not that far south anymore but lived just outside Bideford for a few years, I only suggested it because you might not get much input on old threads.

Take the plunge, say what you think and see what happens.

I

a reply to: bigpaul

a reply to: nonspecific already done it. Bideford is 20 miles from me, my family comes from Barnstaple, I am in North West Devon just North of the North of Dartmoor.