# Can you count on your neighbors in an emergency



## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

Do you know your neighbors? Will they be a help or a hindrance in a local or widespread SHTF situation?

I live on a dead end street in an undistinguished suburb of a medium sized city. I just 'took inventory' so to speak:

North: people who stare at their phones and won't talk
Northeast: older folks, one in a wheelchair
East: guy who knows what's happening, my shooting buddy
Southeast: big family, parties under a tent all summer, seem friendly
South: very private folks, don't know them
Southwest: empty house
West: couple just moved in, undetermined as yet
Northwest: my honest opinion - zombies

So, 1 positive, 1 probable, 2 undetermined, 2 that are probably going to need more help than they can give, and 1 to keep a close eye on. I think I'm screwed. I wish I lived in the country.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

The neighboring tracts of land are owned for the most part by like minded families. But they are not full time neighbors as they use their land for recreation and farming. 

Neighbors to the;

East; Good guy, like minded and we help each other now. Hunts his land during deer season and has a nice cabin/storage building. 

West; Bro and Sis inlaw. Sis in law would help anyone and is dependable and honest. Bro in law has no concern about anyone other than himself. Couldn't find a hammer in a box of hammers so is useless.

North; Good family, like minded and dependable

South; Institutional Timberland owner. Nice pond however and its stocked! 

Northwest: Private landowner who shows up once a year to check his land. Nice guy but has no desire to improve or use his property. Bought it at the height of the economy and told us he cannot sell it for half what he paid. So he sits on it. 

If my sons, my brother and his family and a few trusted skilled friends show up as planned, we are good to go.


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## hawgrider (Oct 24, 2014)

sideKahr said:


> Do you know your neighbors? Will they be a help or a hindrance in a local or widespread SHTF situation?


The answer for me is no. They are all useless. Don't need them anyway. Ive been a one man band, black sheep all my life! I like it that way. To many chefs spoil the pot!


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## Piratesailor (Nov 9, 2012)

Depends on the type of SHTF. Hurricane disaster type then I could rely on all my neighbors. We've done it before and the 6 or so families all pitched in. In a worse case then probably only 2 or 3 at best. The others are either too old or clueless.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

I live on a dead end street as well and I may be able to count on the neighbor to my left and the couple across from me as well as the people behind me. They hunt and I am friendly with them but I have not approached them about prepping or a collective defense situation. Not sure I will. As of now I will wait to approach them, if and when the situation arises. There is a house at the end that has a few young people that party I will have to watch. I have an old single retired lady on the other side of me and she will need help for sure but the rest of the people on my street keep to themselves so they are unknowns.


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

Out of the immediate 20 homes in my area, probably 5 to 10 yes. And the other 5 to 10 have aged seniors that won't last long without prescriptions and electricity.


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## Dirk Pitt (Apr 21, 2015)

No matter which way I look..... NO


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## Quip (Nov 8, 2012)

My neighbors are useless. On the bright side I will have 1 less neighbor when shtf. There is a silver lining in everything if you look hard enough.


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## gambit (Sep 14, 2015)

if its a complete wrol no laws every man women and sheep for them selves , then trust no one but yourself 
even family members are known to turn on you drop of a rock
right now I am waiting for the realstate agent to contact us today to see if home owner will take out offer 
but just incase if something happen this very second then I say only 2 families in this park I can trust for minor issues 'earth quake storms even a power grid attack' depending how long things will go
if I know we had a emp of any kind and I know we going to have bad times then I will think twice
but if the home owner accepts our offer today then things will change because I do not know my new neighbors , they look ok but box of yummy chocolate looks like a box of yummy chocolates till it go's BOOM!
now I need to go get cherry covered chocolates at Walmart then back to my kiddie pool of shame with yum yums


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## MI.oldguy (Apr 18, 2013)

Nope.I seem to be the go-to guy.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Piratesailor said:


> Depends on the type of SHTF. Hurricane disaster type then I could rely on all my neighbors. We've done it before and the 6 or so families all pitched in. In a worse case then probably only 2 or 3 at best. The others are either too old or clueless.


I believe I have a similar situation.


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## Pir8fan (Nov 16, 2012)

There's only one guy on my street that wouldn't be a liability. He's the owner of one of the larger gun stores in the area. The rest are transplants from the northeast that think the government will take care of them. Guess which ones would be the first at my door wanting handouts?


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

Slippy said:


> The neighboring tracts of land are owned for the most part by like minded families. But they are not full time neighbors as they use their land for recreation and farming.
> 
> Neighbors to the;
> 
> ...


You got the guy to the NorthWest on a "call me first if you decide to sell" plan, Slippy? Be a good chance to work some more family around you.


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

We have 2 places.

In town, everybody is a neighbor, it's that small. We have a lot of solid, level headed people, and we are a pretty insular group. While I don't live in Skidmore, think of where I live as a lot like Skidmore... I have friends in Skidmore, and we are a LOT like them. I even knew Ken McElroy, although I had no problem with him (I just knew him from flea markets).

https://theghostinmymachine.wordpress.com/2014/12/08/unresolved-the-bad-death-of-ken-mcelroy-skidmore-missouri/

Out in the country there are three neighbors, the one next to us is a good guy, he raises horses. The one across the highway and down from us is a "keep out" kind of a guy, so I don't know him well. The one to the west about a half-mile is a nice older couple who appear to be preppers.

Our country area is COVERED with preppers, you can tell by looking at the places.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I have only one neighbor that I could count on during a short (30 -90 day event) because I would share what I have. Past that, I'd look at him very carefully since he has way more firearms than I do, but is lacking on ammo and other supplies.


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

NO. I have tried to bring up the subject and have been laughed at by the sheep. They are all clinton and ozipperhead loving fools. Even heard, and I quote. "Why should we do anything? We'll all just come take your stuff if we need it". I do have a couple guys I can count on, we're all ex military and on the same page. Funny how serving changes your outlook on things. I almost feel sorry for some. ALMOST. It won't be pretty around here til things get straightened out.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

NO... and hopefully they will run home to the parents


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

I'm in a cul de sac.

We got to meet each during the heavy snow fall last winter. The one family gave me a case of beer for snowblowing their driveway. Another gave me a bottle of wine. Another gave me a bottle of homemade vodka( very well done, btw.) I doubt that any are all out preppers, but I think they are half way there.

last summer, a teen snooped through our unlocked car, and left the door open when he was done. a neighbor saw the door open and called the police rather than minding their own business. I like that.


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

The only neighbors I worry about are the family across the street that have 9 children and are always borrowing eggs, flour, sugar etc. and the drunk guy on the corner. 

The rest are all good hardworking people. We have a welder, an ex rodeo guy (no one messes with him), a concrete guy, a framer, a mechanic and a "junk collector" that has some really neat stuff. The blind guy down the street will be brought to my house if anything happens. He may be blind but his hearing is extraordinary. He has a lot of knowledge and likes to share it. When we went to his house one day he said "go back your truck up and pull into the driveway again" we did and he said "you have a bad wheel bearing, you better get that looked at". Two days later we were on our way home from the store and there was a horrible sound coming from the truck. It was the wheel bearing.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

Auntie said:


> The only neighbors I worry about are the family across the street that have 9 children and are always borrowing eggs, flour, sugar etc. and the drunk guy on the corner.
> 
> The rest are all good hardworking people. We have a welder, an ex rodeo guy (no one messes with him), a concrete guy, a framer, a mechanic and a "junk collector" that has some really neat stuff. The blind guy down the street will be brought to my house if anything happens. He may be blind but his hearing is extraordinary. He has a lot of knowledge and likes to share it. When we went to his house one day he said "go back your truck up and pull into the driveway again" we did and he said "you have a bad wheel bearing, you better get that looked at". Two days later we were on our way home from the store and there was a horrible sound coming from the truck. It was the wheel bearing.


I want that blind guy for night guard duty.


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## Swedishsocialist (Jan 16, 2015)

Entierly depends on what the STHF is, say it is lack of food and water, I cant really ascess how anyone will react during such event.


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## alterego (Jan 27, 2013)

Coming down our private drive.
Computer programmer for state and social worker with autistic daughter. They are Sci fi nuts. First to go.

2nd Crack head. Beats wife. Wife on drugs. Currently on t r ial for up to 15 years.

3rd 78 year old catholic women who's 40 plus year old idiot kids move out and back in weekly.

4th inelegant reasonable guy and wife. We are good friends but they have several foster kids and their preps are at the store. They go their daily. I have been indoctrinating him. He now has a generator and some stored food ammo etc.

5th goofy and silly. We just can't figure these people out. Their kids have no fetching and get mad at us because their kids shoot our farm equipment with bb guns trespass dog issues etc.

The first couple days every thing would be fine. After that you count on yourself.


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## csi-tech (Apr 13, 2013)

I'm already the neighborhood forklift, handyman, protector, shoulder to cry on, healer, plumber, etc.. I will give what I can, then we are loading the wagons and heading to the farm.


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## spork (Jan 8, 2013)

I have one neighbor and his wife that would be decent to have around. They're not preppers, but aren't dumb either. He has some guns and can shoot, she cans and always has a garden and they keep some stuff on hand. They are both hard working. They are "good" people and can be trusted, other than that, everyone else would probably be avoided if at all possible unless it was a very localized event.


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## Tennessee (Feb 1, 2014)

To be honest don’t know! SHTF subjects I keep to myself and don’t discuss with my neighbors for just this reason. I don’t want to depend on them and I sure as hell don’t want them to depend on ME!


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## txmarine6531 (Nov 18, 2015)

Nope. I've talked to the neighbor south of me, nice guy. To the north is a former Marine, haven't met him yet, his dog is the biggest POS on the planet. Others, no clue, don't want to know, don't care.


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

Yep. I've gotta plan for every single one of them. I'm in a very rural area.

Family down the road owns the local tow truck and trailer house moving company. He also has a full blown mechanics shop. Handy... 

Next to him is a prepper couple in their 50s. They got horses and a big garden, plus he reloads and is a ham. His wife is an RN. Handy... 

Then there's us. 

Going further is a black dude in his 40s. He's a wheeler and dealer. Got all kinds of stuff and makes a living trading. He's got 5 horses and bout 30 head of cattle. Handy...

Across the road from him is a guy that runs a heavy equipment service. He's got a dozer, backhoe, trackhoe, and 2 big trucks and trailers to haul it. Plus a huge tank of diesel. Handy...

Then there's the guy that owns most of the land around here. He's got literally 1000s of head of cattle scattered about. Many tractors, hay meadows and equipment to harvest the fodder. Handy...

Then there a hippy, mother earth type couple that doesn't appear to work. Yet they always seem to get by. I think they're growing something besides tomatoes... But they know how to get by. Handy...

The guy behind me is a state trooper, ex military. His wife is a nurse practitioner and she's an expert on chickens. They have this giant coop and they sell eggs to all the locals. Handy...

Next to them is the crazy old woman with a buncha cats. Everybody hates that bitch. She killed one of my dogs a few years ago. She also killed the state troopers dog. Not Handy...

Lastly, there is a clan of douchebags that are known as the crackhead clan. SHTF they gonna have to work or else. Not Handy...

That's just my lil county road. Everybody knows everybody. We all look out for eachother. Except the crackhead clan. Most folks out here keep a garden every year and know how to hunt. It's just part of the culture.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Live out of town but there are a few around here. The families that have been here for ever are people that can deal with what come up. They always have. I am sure many can be counted on .


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## Medic33 (Mar 29, 2015)

YES I can.


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## Sasquatch (Dec 12, 2014)

Most of my neighbors don't speak english.


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## Targetshooter (Dec 4, 2015)

Yes me and my neighbor work side by side on prepping and we have good plans for when SHTF .


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## rstanek (Nov 9, 2012)

For the last year my wife and I have been finding out more about our so called friends, they talk the talk but have been acting in a way that makes us uncomfortable, they have become distant in their conversations, have tried to set up a gathering area and a means of communication if it is ever needed, but they aren't interested, they say that they will find us if needed, I don't like that plan, we have since relocated supplies in an undisclosed area and when we need to bug out it will be a scorched earth scenario, don't like having to be that way but I would prefer to be a asset and not a resource, I and my family come first.


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## turbo6 (Jun 27, 2014)

I'm good friends with our neighbors directly on our west side. We are both gun owners and have made it clear we will help each other in a grave emergency but realistically in a truly bad situation we will likely not have the time to pick up the phone.

However, in less dire times we know we can both rely on each other which is nice.

The neighbors on our opposite side are older and really wouldn't be much help in bad times, though.


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

South for 600 yards nothing but 100+ acres of farmers fields and woods, then a few scattered neighbors I speak to rarely but generally good families.
West for 1.5 miles. at least 2000 acres of woods and poorly tended cow fields, ponds ect. but no people.
East 250 yards away a retired engineer who is a Vietnam vet and his wife. We get along very well and they raise goats on their 35 acres for hobby and spare money; they would be solid people if things got bad. Just past them is a reclusive man who tends to his cattle and 100 junk cars back in the woods, we talk occasionally but he would probably be useless in a crisis unless you wanted your old car worked on.
North is a little private gravel road with 5 families, all good people with professional work positions and we all visit occasionally. No house closer than 300 yards from my property, all have at least 40 acres each. Not super prepared but all keep alternative power and heat and I suspect a bit of extra food ect. All hunt occasionally and there are 2 stocked ponds they share. 

To varying degrees with most of them I've mentioned that I like the ability to get by in an emergency, none seem super interested in getting deeply into the subject but none seemed hostile to the idea either and all mentioned a desire to improve their water/energy/food situation so it is something they have considered for at least a short term interruption of services.


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

I live in a small subdivision right on the outskirts of a mid sized town (85k). On my street I can only trust my next door neighbors...they are good people and Mormons who are into prepping. I am not Mormon but we get along great. I have a buddy about 6 miles further out and my step Mom on 100 acres about 15 miles out of town.

My advice if youl ive in the City..... proceed with caution regarding your alliances. And ...... keep your mouth shut about your preps.


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

I was contemplating buying cans of soup to heat up on my propane burner to pass out in Styrofoam cups in case of a power outage. I see it as having eyes looking out for you.


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## txmarine6531 (Nov 18, 2015)

A Watchman said:


> My advice if youl ive in the City..... proceed with caution regarding your alliances. And ...... keep your mouth shut about your preps.


Only 1 person knows that I prep. But he doesn't know the extent, my plans, nothing, really other than that I stash some stuff away. And he lives on the other side of town, so if he and his fiancé decide to come to my house, A) I won't be here and neither will my crap B) they have a whole lot of city and people to wade through. Hopefully, hopefully, we will have at least a little warning although I'm not counting on it, if we do I'm going back to my real home where I have people I can trust.


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## mrdomindart (Nov 28, 2015)

Across the street. That man and his wife I know would help. George. Everybody else I don't know so they can go to hell lol!


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## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

Hmm, I am away a lot, mostly for school. I just gotta say that in the North I have no doubt that my neighbours will mostly be worth their weight in gold in terms of their ability to preserve. Northern Ontario is remote enough that it instills the need of self preserverence in event of failure of the system. 

There is tons of fresh water, lots of fish, and some game. However the main problem is food availability. If for some reason I was stuck up North it probably wouldn't be during the winter as I tend to do studies or travel in the winter if I can. 

I would think that if there were any local police at the time they would likely have legal authority in an emergency. However I am 60km from the nearest major detachment (about 30 cops) They would probably be spread to about 3 or 4 per team in local communities along with volunteer fire fighters and medical staff as well likely local cadets would be called in to help and northern Rangers. That would probably mean about 20-30 people from the government involved in some type of local management. A lot of people work for the government up here, municipality mostly. I would think that since our population is so low it would be mostly government managed atleast initially, with perhaps 1 in government employee to every 5 to 10 adults. Things would be ok for about a month I would guess with food in local grocery being depleted. If anything happens longer than that there are bigger problems.

None the less it is just a question of sudden shock. If transit isn't working though then the community will likely have to fend for itself, and I would geuss that it would organized a walk out evacuation to Geraldton the biggest local down with 5000 or so people.

I need to be able to count on myself, but I got to say that my neighbours are very friendly but they will have their own needs. That is what prepping is about being able to fend for yourself.

I have to say though that in normal time I have had a lot of help offered, and I think I understand the local politics to a certain extent. I would not expect any help from them, and quite frankly I do have certain survival skills but I myself would likely need to cut and run if I didn't have my staple food stocks, as scavenging is good for supplementing but I wouldn't want to depend solely on nature in any seasons but summer. As I don't have winter surivival skills particularly for a non eskimo diet. I am not winter trained. There really are no needs except for food in the summer. Note I have studied winter survival and practiced some stuff, slept in sub freezing temps etc.. but I cannot imagine being in -40 needing to obtain food source in the winter, it is madness. Heat and food are the only real needs in winter.

In the event of a national emergency, information will be a key resource. But I can't imagine anything but a global calamity/ catastrophe that would create that type of situation.


Now in the south there will likely be more chaos during an emergency, I would expect most organization to be around religious and ethnic community groups.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

talking about the neighbors .... nice if you have a good friendly relationship with them all - better yet if it's a working & sharing type relationship - super great if you've been able to work thru the OPSEC issues and are jointly prepping ....

no matter what your current relationship with the neighbors - if you're bugging in and they aren't leaving - you'll need each other initially and as long as logically possible in the post SHTF period .... there'll be mutual neighborhood defense and all kinds of work parties - just sharing intel if nothing else .... big trick is to have that ongoing relationship without tipping your advanced prepping knowledge and stash of goodies .... utilizing the prep tools & supplies to stay fed - warm - lite - living half comfortable won't be eazy - consequences could result in a riot and a raider visit ....


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## txmarine6531 (Nov 18, 2015)

The people in my neighborhood are too shifty for my taste. Except the guy next to me. If it all goes south, I'm outta here. I don't care if it takes me a month to get back home, I'm getting there one way or another.


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## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

txmarine6531 said:


> *Only 1 person knows that I prep.* But he doesn't knows the extent, my plans, nothing, really other than that I stash some stuff away. And he lives on the other side of town, so if he and his fiancé decide to come to my house, A) I won't be here and neither will my crap B) they have a whole lot of city and people to wade through. Hopefully, hopefully, we will have at least a little warning although I'm not counting on it, if we do I'm going back to my real home where I have people I can trust.


You should restate that "*atleast 1 person knows that I prep*"

What we have on the reality check is



NEWtxmarine6531 said:


> *Atleast 1 person knows that I prep.* But I think no one knows the extent, my plans, well except, maybe that I stash supplies for emergencies. People would need to walk to my place, A) I can walk faster so I won't be here and neither will my supplies B) they have a whole lot of city and people to wade through. Hopefully, hopefully, we will have at least a little warning although I'm not counting on it, if we do I'm going back to my real home where I have people I can trust.


So is your plan to go back to your real home where you have people you can trust? Did you both say no one knows your plan and tell your plan in the same paragraph?

Hell if America goes beserk why not just bug out to Syria and Iraq where American body counts are incredibly low. The chances of dying over there are probably way less than what the murder rate in the US would be.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

James m said:


> I was contemplating buying cans of soup to heat up on my propane burner to pass out in Styrofoam cups in case of a power outage. I see it as having eyes looking out for you.


totally agree ...

a power outage or any other kind of very termination date predictable SHTF, are a totally different animal than the really serious longterm SHTFs that preppers prepare .... no one suggests that you ever tip your prepper hand and break OPSEC - but frankly you're being the neighborhood azzhole if you ignore neighborhood needs in these more minor SHTFs ....

anything that gets used can be eazily replaced - good chance the benefit receiver will be $$$$ and returning the favor in their own way .... for the newer preppers - they were YOU a few years ago - it's a good way to kick some common sense in those sheeple ....


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Illini Warrior said:


> totally agree ...
> 
> a power outage or any other kind of very termination date predictable SHTF, are a totally different animal than the really serious longterm SHTFs that preppers prepare .... no one suggests that you ever tip your prepper hand and break OPSEC - *but frankly you're being the neighborhood azzhole if you ignore neighborhood needs in these more minor SHTFs .... *
> 
> anything that gets used can be eazily replaced - good chance the benefit receiver will be $$$$ and returning the favor in their own way .... for the newer preppers - they were YOU a few years ago - it's a good way to kick some common sense in those sheeple ....


Why would someone be the neighborhood asshole if that someone didn't help those who had the opportunity to prepare but didn't? I'm not saying I wouldn't help people, because I do all the time. But I am saying I'm NOT obligated to be the provider for those who chose not to prepare.

A little help on that one Illini?

Thanks


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## GrumpyBiker (Nov 25, 2015)

My neighbors, save for one, would be worthless in a serious situation.
I've spoken to each of the people on my street and except for a fellow vet ( next door neighbor) everyone is an anti-gun liberal with a false sense of security in the fact that the government will take care of them.
Nice people & good to live around , just a little too much faith in the establishment and their fellow man.

We have helped each other out in minor situations like water advisories, power outages & a fire.
But that's all very simple and most of my neighbors are ready to help and or handle that .

We had a tornado level 1/2 the town 7 miles south of ours 50 years back.
Funny how folks don't remember how easy things can happen and that people are different than they used to be.
Most of the officers & employees I work with don't know their neighbors.
How willing are folks to help people they don't know?
Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think I'm too far off the mark.


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## just mike (Jun 25, 2014)

No, people in my neighborhood are too far removed from the last hurricane and have become complacent or they have moved here from up north and have no idea. I would be the one that everyone else came to for help. F em. True SHTF I would try to get to the BOL but it is 8 hours on a good day. With a little forsight I could get there but if it is an immediate action thing then I am stuck in Florida. Not a totally bad thing as I have friends who prep and only have to get off the beach by about 40 miles or so to be with like minded folks in a very rural setting.


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