Again, I am coming out against neither preparedness nor prudence. But ranking "don't live in a place known to be susceptible to such a catastrophe" as the "first rule" seems a bit high on the list. It seems we can maybe agree that being prepared should be the first rule.

I digress. Sorry.

Been there, done that, not an effective argument. Just because things are worse somewhere else doesn't excuse what is happening here. The implication is that we have to wait until the situation here gets that bad before we can complain, or otherwise seek improvement. That does seem a bit contradictory to the fundamentals this country was started on. There were plenty of folks who ranted about the way things were being done right from the beginning. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that ranting and protesting is what keeps us from becoming like Afganistan.

The grass here ain't all that green anymore. We'd better start working on fixing things, or we are going to end up a nation full of individual agendas. I don't like that idea one bit, but it is quickly becoming the only choice that makes sense.

I'd say the former is an integral part of the latter, but then I suppose I have that luxury. I have to admit, going to Baghdad severely limited my preparedness, and there wasn't that much I could acquire, fabricate, or otherwise produce that was gonna help me if things went sour there. About all I had to keep me out of trouble was my wits and my luck, which must've been enough, cuz I made it home in one piece. Being prepared is an all-encompassing grouping, which encompasses location, gear, mindset, training, etc.

Nope, the first rule is the mindset. If you don't start with that, none of the rest of it will do you much good. That's why my motto is "Chance favors the prepared mind". <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Very well said... ditto from this corner.

Troy

Tom, Very well said. I would like to nutshell what I have read. People are going to do what they plan to do. The "EDOTHWAWKI" survivalist will head for the far reaches. The "go to my car rental business" will do just that and everyone else will do what they know or think is right. So the question at hand is... WHO IS RIGHT?

I would say IMHO, that at the least have a plan, then have a back up plan. Then USE COMMON SENSE!

My personal plan is to head for the hills (a prearranged place that is out of the elements). Monitor what is happening (otherwise why would you have to bug-out?). When it is safe, return to help where I can. And if necessary - bug out again. It is not one life long decision. It is multiple decisions that are made to each and every circumstance that you are put into.

However - I will always be there to serve my fellow man. I have made a life of it and it is at the core of my make up. If I have to retreat and re-group in order to occomidate that, that is what I will do. EPI

Yep that's pretty much about the size of it. You stay informed, do what you can, and try and make good decisions. Cooperation is desirable, sacrifice sometimes inevitable, and dealing with the ignorance of others is nearly always unavoidable.

I think that by far, the greatest aid you can render others is pre-emptive. You enlighten their views, point them in the right direction, and hopefully they will be ready. It helps them become more responsible for their own existence, which I think all of us want. We all need the help of others sooner or later, but it is by far preferable to know that we first done all we could for ourselves. That's one trait that ought to distinguish us from our children and pets, neither of which are meant to be self-reliant.

You enlighten their views, point them in the right direction, and hopefully they will be ready. It helps them become more responsible for their own existence, which I think all of us want.

I am not sure that I agree that you can enlighten anybody, you can express your view and they may or may not agree with what you are saying. It has been my experience that most people learn by trial and error (theirs or someone elses) and sometimes to drive the point home a hearty "I told you so!" helps as well. The only other way to Enlighten them is to show them (ie: Katrina) and then say I told you so!

I noticed that you and I are roughly from the same neck of the woods. Our views and what we see as very realistic and "do-able" plans, are something that someone in a different region of the country, thinks is a fantasy. We have the options of being within 5 hours of each border and our choice of mountainous Elk Park or flat Ft. Morgan. Our options are as limited as our needs demand. I understand where some of our peers are coming from. EPI

Going back to the thread title, there seems to be a consensus that the public evacuation shelter is best avoided unless you don't think you can make it alone. The debate is mostly about the alternatives. A lot of us wouldn't head for "the hills", but we wouldn't go to the shelter either, unless we were old, ill, pregnant etc.

I recently had a chance to speak with a person who had been "relocated" from a shelter. He stated that the 72 hour emergency bag he had brought with him was confiscated at the shelter, “for the greater good", IE redistribution. I think I’ll depend on me/family and head for the hills.

Yep, sometimes you gotta go to extremes to get it to sink in, but so long as you can control the situation (more or less), just about anybody can be educated. The caveat I suppose is being willing, even if they are dumb as a box of rocks. If they want to learn, then you can always reiterate, re-emphasize, or what have you until they can demonstrate that they get the point. Hiking the fjords of British Columbia educated a certain 16 year old when they thought they knew all about the outdoors from the weekly excursions we'd make into the forest behind our house. It's one thing to be mucking about in the rain and at the end of the day go home and have some nice barley soup and a warm fire and bed, quite different to be sitting at the foot of a glacier with the rain going sideways and trying to find enough big rocks to hold the tent down with, in the dark, then eating cold grub out of a cold tin cup.

You do what you can. Sometimes it's enough.