# Signs of preparedness



## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

Somebody comes into your house. Let's say it's a plumber or the electrician, or just a neighbor...Assuming they're up on all thing preparedness-wise, what are the tell-tale signs tipping them off so that they're gonna say, 'He's prepared'? Are there any in your home? And do you care?


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

Annie, I live under the premise of "my house, my rules." Yes, that idea works, but the fact of the matter is that I'm just too lazy. Here's the issue.

I have two pairs of jeans, as everyone knows. But having a decent belt (one that is 1 3/4s inch wide with lots of letters on it) forces you to really have to work to get the belt off with going back through every loop and the holster. I just found it better to leave the handguns on my jeans.

So when the repairmen come now, they either make a simple remark like, "Nice SIG," or "I shoot, too," and they go to work.

I surmise that armed citizens are no longer a fantastic thing. Over 10% of Wisconsinites carry daily, with the numbers rising.


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## jimLE (Feb 8, 2014)

what ppl see when they come into my home.is limited..on account i live in a apartment ,with limited locations and space for my preps..even then what they see and notice mostly is canned,dry foods and bottled water..but yet i do have preps setting out mostly looking like everyday décor.like oil lamps,candles.a sewing kit..and as for as others knowing that I'm prepared for what ever.mainly non-preppers.i don't like it.on account they know that can come to me for what ever..as for as others in my home goes.its just my dog n me.and i don't think she's gonna talk..lol


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

In WI you can just drive down the road and tell. Large garden, couple nice "older" vehicles, big stack of firewood, shooting range and targets behind the barn etc. 

NOBODY gets in your house, that's just common sense security. Take the time and learn the skills necessary to maintain and repair your property. Should be one of the highest priorities on your prep list. Cause once the SHTF who yeah going to call for help?

You do bring up a point that should be taken into account. I wonder how many repairmen actually keep a list of houses and what they see? Whether for their own future use or sell to others. Heck maybe even get a kick back from thieves for the info.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

jimLE said:


> and as for as others knowing that I'm prepared for what ever.mainly non-preppers.i don't like it.


It's not just the obvious survivor stuff you have to worry about, but when society does collapse, we'll guard our food--while other survivors want our toilet paper.

There's an old "The Twilight Zone" show where only one neighbor in the entire block has a fall-out shelter. All of his "friends" turn on him, and successfully knock down his shelter door. The camera draws back, showing two space aliens who opine, _"Just scare them and they'll kill themselves..."_


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## Marica (May 5, 2019)

Living in rural Mississippi the handyman, the bug guy, the guys at the propane store are all pretty familiar with the joint. Most of them know the fellow who built it himself and thus they know the guts of the place pretty well. But they are part of the community in a way that repair and installation folks in a city or even large town are not. I sort of take it for granted that the handyman has as much if not more ammo than we do.

There would be no way for us to "hide" a lot of our preps. Like Chipper says, how would I hide a 250 gallon rain barrel? 

On the other hand, I don't advertise, especially when someone not from around here (e.g., the Dish guy) comes out. 

But your "tell-tale signs" question is worth mulling over. I'd say it's the little things that I probably don't even notice. Like, there's a charcoal grill and smoker, and a propane flat top on the patio. Multiple ways to cook meat outside. FedEx guy will leave packages in the garage and sees deep freezers. That roll of paracord on the breakfast table will be a give away. So would be the portable solar panels sitting on the shelves with power stations.

So yeah-- it's pretty obvious here if you know what to look for.


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## Gunn (Jan 1, 2016)

My stuff is stored away where it can't be seen. I do all repairs myself, or at least try to. The people that might possibly see my preps are "Like Minded People". And they are every bit as prepared as myself. I have the usual things out that are prep items but can also be seen as decorations. But mostly everything is at the BOL.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

Marica said:


> So yeah-- it's pretty obvious here if you know what to look for.


I think you're giving the "modern American citizen" too much credit. Most of these guys don't know what "brake lights" are and continue to close on you until you hear rubber squeal.

In Madison we have a 'superior class' of eggheads from the university that cannot imagine on why they cannot rule our State Capital by divine right. After all, they were big s**t in the fun-filled 1960s, and merciful heavens there are probably dozens of Viet Cong digging bunkers right now into Bascom Hill!

Give you a fer-instance. As I stated before, *to me*, Milwaukee is a blue-collar expanse of companies and factories. The reason is that when I worked there, it was a blue collar haven. Jobs were decent and the companies paid good wages. I paid for my entire college debt by working on loading docks.

Now, my wife laughs, she thinks Milwaukee has gone liberal. She might be right. I listen to the WIBA talking head on the radio from 9:00AM to 11:00AM who openly pans the current mindset of both Madison and Milwaukee.

Times change, your memory does not.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

I agree with @Chipper.

Our driveway to the house at Slippy Lodge is 1 mile down a dirt road through a gate off of a small county road. You cannot see the house from the country road and my driveway winds uphill approximately 900 feet from the dirt road. There is a gate at the beginning of my driveway as well.

IF I have ALL my lights on inside AND outside the house on a clear winter evening when all the leaves are down, you MIGHT be able to see the house from the dirt access road.

Exactly 2 Maintenance people come here regularly and none of them come inside. One is the LP Gas Delivery Truck Guy who comes once a year to fill my tank and he and the owner of the LP company plumbed my pipes when I built the house. They are like minded and they know to call before they are coming. We trust the family that owns the LP gas company.

We decided to keep up our Termite Certificate so we use the same locally owned Termite company that issued the bond when we built the house. They come once per year and its the same guy which is nice. He sprays, inspects, issues a renewal on our bond every 5 years and leaves. He also calls in advance. He's a little biddy older fella and he's a bit nervous. I don't distrust him but he's not someone who feels comfortable being out at our place. He's been with the Termite company his whole career according to the owner.

My bad, I lied, the HVAC company that installed my system had a 5 year contract for an annual maintenance program that my builder set up for us and they came once per year. Haven't had a reason to use them recently but I suspect the technician saw our pantry and figured we had plenty of food.

We are NOT complacent but we feel like our choice in location and our OPSEC has been very good. Can something go wrong? YOU BET IT CAN but the odds on something going wrong for the fools in the big ass neighborhoods 10-15 miles toward town are greater than going wrong at Slippy Lodge.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

I needed a plumber a few months ago. I knew it'd be obvious that we were preparing as our house is small so it's hard to hide cases of food, spices, etc. 

The cover story is that Wifey makes extra cash by preparing meals for my co-workers.


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

Chipper said:


> In WI you can just drive down the road and tell. Large garden, couple nice "older" vehicles, big stack of firewood, shooting range and targets behind the barn etc.


Around here you might see older cars and large gardens. As for back yard ranges, not around here.



> NOBODY gets in your house, that's just common sense security. Take the time and learn the skills necessary to maintain and repair your property. Should be one of the highest priorities on your prep list. Cause once the SHTF who yeah going to call for help?


 Kudos to any and all Mr Fix-it men. My hub's has a fulltime job plus three side jobs. No time. Depending on the emergency, I should think plumbing and electricity will be a non-issue.



> You do bring up a point that should be taken into account. I wonder how many repairmen actually keep a list of houses and what they see? Whether for their own future use or sell to others. Heck maybe even get a kick back from thieves for the info.


 So long as they know you've got the guns to go with it.


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

The Tourist said:


> It's not just the obvious survivor stuff you have to worry about, but when society does collapse, we'll guard our food--while other survivors want our toilet paper.
> 
> There's an old "The Twilight Zone" show where only one neighbor in the entire block has a fall-out shelter. All of his "friends" turn on him, and successfully knock down his shelter door. The camera draws back, showing two space aliens who opine, _"Just scare them and they'll kill themselves..."_


I remember that.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

I’m not worried about it. Most folks around here garden, most folks buy quantities of non perishable foods when they are on sale.
Many neighbors have livestock. 
The grocery store in town stocks #10 cans of vegetables, beans, etc and 20 pound bags of rice.
They even stock small 25# bags of a variety of animal feeds in case you run out when the feed store is closed. 
You know you live in a good area when the Ace Hardware also is the local gun shop, and the grocery sells goat feed.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

Annie said:


> I remember that.


I wish they would bring a modern version back--with the same intelligent writing. Perhaps with 'subtitles' in simpler English for the Millennials.

My favorite episode was one with young Bill Mumy who had 'magic powers' and technically the scourge of all adults, who lived in abject fear of what he might do. It ends with commentary. Mumy and his dad watch a snowstorm the boy created--which would instantly kill all of his father's corn crop. The sequence ends with the dad silently watching the snow so as not to anger the boy.

I'll bet you not one viewer in 20 got the principle. As a parent your job is to teach your children, not always cop out. And I'll bet we all know a family where the kids run the house.

For example, most of us know a family where their wealth is all focused on one talented child, one with musical talent, let's say. In the end, the "golden child" becomes a tyrant and his siblings get shoved into the background.

BTW, when I watched those episodes I thought that the actor Bill Mumy was most hateful boy on the planet. It took me years to realize that at his age he could deliver emotional concepts to those adults watching.

I last saw him on "Babylon 5."


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

We are in a rental place now. The landlord had to send people in to put in a french drain... the cases of soup, rice, veggies, beans, canned meat, sugar, and wheat, and the grinder might have clued them in


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## Tango2X (Jul 7, 2016)

Anyone who knows what to look for will see whats there.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

I have a large home so it's easy for me to store things out of sight. The occasional plumber, AC guy, or appliance delivery guy, won't see much. He may notice the gun safe in my study when I write him a check. (Not uncommon in Houston) If he is really paying attention he might see survival books among the history books and biography's on the book shelves in that study. If I let him in the back way through the garage he will note the tools and possibly the Kerosene lamps, spare fuel, maybe the generator. (Again, not uncommon here in Houston ). I have a back tool room where the bulk of my outdoor stuff can be stored and closed off. 

He will not see the other safes or any guns. He will not see the ammo storage or buckets of food, the pantry, the first aid supplies, Etc. He may suspect if he is perceptive, but I doubt he would give it much thought. He would not see anything all at once that would scream "Prepper Here"


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## Piratesailor (Nov 9, 2012)

As with PO, they wouldn’t see anything in my house that I didn’t want the to see. House/garage/barn all large enough to store items out of the way. No one would see weapons or ammo of any type nor would they see the “pantry”. 

They would see my wife’s garden, chickens, etc but that’s normal around here as this is semi rural and we have all sorts of livestock and gardens/farm in the area.


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

A few years back I was staying at a convent while learning how to make vestments. Saw the Berkey, saw the extra cans of food in the mudroom and the treadle and I says to myself, 'Annie these ladies are preppers'. God bless them. I wondered if they had a few firearms squirreled away. Hope so.


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## White Shadow (Jun 26, 2017)

Annie said:


> A few years back I was staying at a convent while learning how to make vestments. Saw the Berkey, saw the extra cans of food in the mudroom and the treadle and I says to myself, 'Annie these ladies are preppers'. God bless them. I wondered if they had a few firearms squirreled away. Hope so.


I'm sure that just expressing the idea online that some people in New Jersey might not be totally dependent on the government and might have a firearm caused Cory Booker to go into a full blown shrieking meltdown.


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## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

I live in a small community neighborhood and most everyone knows I have chickens and a garden, and a few know I like to can.....but nobody knew just how much I had squirreled away until a few months ago the neighbor came over when I was cleaning out my pantry and had boxes & boxes & boxes of stuff all over the house. 

First thing they said......'well, I know where to come when the zombies show up' and my response was NOPE (though I would HELP them to help themselves, but I'm not giving handouts)


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