Our Government says
we should ALL prepare for disaster and even provides a website (
Ready.gov) to tell us how. To promote this, they have declared that September is
National Preparedness Month.
Yet, we all know someone we care about who is not a Prepper or even thinks it is foolish. These people fall in to
three groups:
- Likes the idea of prepping, but doesn't' have time, money &/or doesn't think it is urgent.
- Not interested in prepping and even resents the idea if presented with it too often.
- Thinks prepping is crazy and Preppers are lunatics; that a crisis will not happen, at least not one that will ever affect them. Or if a disaster happens, the Government will take care of things. Despite our Government Recommending everyone prepare, these people think it is foolish.
When one of our loved ones is like this, how do we handle it? What can we do to help them?
The answer depends on what group they are in.
Group 1 is willing but just needs encouraging or help. Having lunch with them, go hiking, camping, fishing or something together that you both enjoy. Talk about prepping, tell them about a few basic preps that you have or would recommend to them. Help them get started. Invite them to go to a camping store to buy a back pack, a.k.a.
Bug Out Bag. Either that, or give them your old one. No one wants to have an empty Bug Out Bag; once you have it, you immediately want to start getting things to put in it. Share the
Beginner Prepper List. Next trip together, go get a
Water Straw or a
fire starter, or something else. Each month go do this. Introduce them to the
Rule of 3 to help set their priorities; even better, the
Step by Step Prepper Plan.
Group 2 requires a more strategic approach. The first step is to realize how important it is to NOT push to hard nor too often. Speak to them one on one, never as a group where you are out numbered. Speak with love in your heart and avoid confrontation. Back off if they resist, regroup and try another day and another way. Gentle persistence over time is the key.
Giving
strategic gifts that help them be better prepared is a good start. For example:
A good set of MURS Walkie Talkies for the nephew, kids or
grand kids so they can play in the neighborhood and communicate. Play with the
new toys with them. Pick “our channel” so they will know how to use them in
the future if an emergency occurs.
Give them a Crank Flashlight / radio and pretend a hurricane has taken out all
communications and you are in the dark. Some of the Group 3 ideas below are also good for Group 2 and vice versa. If they start becoming responsive, send them a bucket of Beans, rice and oats and then share a prepper link and then back off for a while.
Group 3 is most
likely impossible to reach. They will be calling Preppers lunatics until a disaster occurs and then suddenly they wish they had listened. There is an old saying that
you can't help someone who doesn't want help.
So your options are limited to
Stealth Prepper Gifts and buying extra stores of your own so you can provide for them. Even that may not work if they miss the
Red Flag Warnings and wait too late and are lost before they can get to you. Best case scenario, they are close to you and your preps. If they are far away, you could lease a mini-warehouse near them and stock it with supplies. This is not practical for most of us on a tight budget, but there are other less costly options.
Do NOT buy them a Gas Mask or other "Kook" preps (yet) as this will cause a major push back.
Start out giving them something sensible like
rechargeable batteries and a nice charger, but also include a Solar Charger for when there is a
power outage. Another sensible gift are solar powered
Lawn lights which provide "attractive highlights to the yard," an added element of security AND can double as indoor lights or solar battery chargers during a
power outage. After giving these gifts,
allow them a chance to come in handy so that they see the value of having a few preparations.
If a
Winter Storm is coming,
loan them a
Propane Heater or even a
generator. but conveniently never get around to getting it back. IF they give it back to you while you are visiting them, set it somewhere it will be easy to "forget" and leave it at their house.
For each group, you can help in stealthy ways like this. When visiting for a weekend BBQ, carry a large box of Strike Anywhere Kitchen matches to light the
fire. When finished using them, put them away in their kitchen. Also bring a manual can opener (not electric) and put it away in one of their kitchen drawers.
Take them to the shooting range/lessons, or buy the kids a
BB Gun or Air Soft gun so they can learn shooting basics. Be sure to give them
Gun Safety Lessons. Take them camping and supply them with a sleeping bag, a pack and the usual
Camping Gear. Teach them how to find a
good camp site.
Later as they have come to recognize the benefits of a few of your gifts, ship them (direct) some
water treatment or a
months supply of food like beans, rice and oats. Or get the premium meals if you can afford them.
There are an endless number of ways you can help
without ever mentioning the word Prepare. I'm sure you can come up with some good ones; if so,
please share them with us using the comments option below, or e-mail us using the form at the right, or visit us on
facebook.
For additional information see the following
links:
Blog Table of Contents
US
Government Recommended Preparations;
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