Form a group or go it alone?

Be advised: some of my comments and opinions included in this post are bound to rub some of you all the wrong way.  I make no apologies for the content of this article; in my eyes a spade is a spade.

If you walk the path of preparedness long enough, you will eventually have to make the decision on whether to team up with neighbors, friends, and/or family members or go it alone if a survival event strikes.  This decision, like most made by a prepper, should be made in advance of an event and should not be taken lightly.  If done correctly, with the right type of people, a team of survivalists stand a better chance of making it compared to an individual.

What are some of the advantages?  A wider ranging skill set is one of the main reasons for seeking additional members outside of your household.  A larger group of people should have a more diverse skill set than a smaller group, which, should the proper skills be present, assist the group during the length of the crisis.

An example would be: one member of your group excels at food preparation/cooking, one member is the weapons expert/fighter, one member is the nature expert who can raise food in a garden, one member is skilled in repairs/fabrication, one member is a great hunter, one member excels in first aid, another is a great scrounger.

Notice that we described pertinent skills for survival.  There are no human resource managers, accountants, lawyers or investment bankers needed to aid in the survival of your family, and you shouldn't be taking on people with these types of skills unless they can pull their weight in other areas, ie: the lawyer you have brought on is a noted hunter, or he will willingly chop wood all day long without complaint.  The mere fact of having more warm bodies standing around watching you repair your generator is not enhancing your survival odds.

Another advantage of greater numbers can be found during periods of civil unrest, rioting, looting or general lawlessness.  You will need to have a 24 hour guard in your home during these events, and having more people available to stand watch is a big advantage, especially during the hours of darkness.

Now, we aren't talking about needing an armed roving sentry, but rather a simple lookout to keep an eye on the immediate area around your home.  Even your 73 year old Uncle Harry can do this type of work to chip in.  The important thing to keep in mind is that these are the people that you have chosen to live with and they are guarding your family while you sleep.  If Uncle Harry dozes off on duty and you awaken to intruders in your perimeter ransacking your home, that isn't his fault, it's yours.

Also, although I haven't mentioned it yet, I will assume that the people you are going to band together with are doing their fair share of the prepping ahead of time, just like you are.  You should not be the only one stockpiling food, water and ammo while your future "guests" are taking trips to Tahiti.  You should not be the one buying food to feed them.  Everyone must bring something to the table for a "team" survival situation to work out.  And by the way, those neighbors that made fun of you for being a prepper when times were good and then show up at your door needing a handout should be pointed in the direction of the nearest Red Cross tent.  They made their choice, now you need to make yours.

Keep in mind that the people you are bringing in, be they friends or family, will be living in close quarters with you during a high stress time in everyone's life.  If these folks are inclined to act in high drama during normal times, you can bet that their animation level during a catastrophic emergency will be off the charts.  Is this the kind of behavior you want to surround your family with during a difficult time?  "Cooler heads will prevail" is more than an insightful quote.  Think about it.....

Qualified, responsible, dependable people with a strong work ethic and a strong moral compass are the kind of people you should be looking for to build into a team.  If they don't meet this criteria, they will do more harm than good for your family during a time of crisis.  This applies to relatives and in-laws of yours as well; everyone must pull their own weight.

Once you have made a decision to bring some people in with you, the group planning needs to begin.  Lists should be compiled on who will be gathering what supplies ahead of time, what specific skills need to be learned or practiced, and what type of duties each person could be counted on to perform in a crisis situation.  There will be more than enough confusion when an event hits your area; don't add to it by goofing off ahead of time instead of planning.

If you still haven't gotten an idea of my opinion on survival groups just yet, let me put it this way:  If you don't pick the right people, who have prepped the right way ahead of time, and are a good fit for the personality of your family you may not live to regret the decision.

Greater numbers during survival situations can be beneficial if done right, or can be a disaster if done wrong.  Take a look around at society in general during normal times to see the amount of "falling outs" among friends, along with tight-knit clubs and groups dissolving due to personal differences.  Throw in the stress and difficulties of a survival situation, and the results won't be pretty.

If we as human beings have difficulties getting along when times are good, it will be exponentially harder when we are fighting for our own survival.  Don't handicap your family's chances by taking on dead weight.



LWM out..............