Why do many people not have basic emergency supplies?

[HB of CJ]

Some, (many?) Folks just choose not to deal with many things in life. De Nile River Is Not In Egypt. For some unknown but suspected reason(s) they choose to continue their path in life. They can do so because so far life has been very forgiving to them.

Call it an inability to adapt. Usually it causes no problems. But ... when the SHTF they are the first ones to completely loose it. In "LIFEBOAT RULES" they would be the first to get chucked over the side to attract fish which can be eaten raw to stay alive.

 

[fyrediver]

I believe many people have succumbed to the "they'll take care of me" syndrome and a general lack of ability to deal with the most mundane adversity.

We get 911 calls for the most inane situations that don't require ANY emergency response but to the caller it's a genuine, serious emergency. I got a call for an apartment flooding and found it was a drip from the upstairs apartment. Another call was for uncontrolled bleeding and we found a child had picked her nose and had some dried blood on her fingernail. Another was for a girl who gets gassy when she eats Mexican food. Hangovers are another of my personal favorites! I got a call for a structure fire and found it was a 10 INCH by 10 INCH smoldering bark fire in front of a business (separated by an asphalt parking lot). The business owner was afraid it would burn his building down -- My officer refused to allow me to put it out with our deck gun at 350gpm.

People simply don't have any coping skills or mechanisms any longer and they truly expect the government and all of its systems to deal with their most basic problems.

On the other hand I had an elderly woman who had broken both ankle apologize for getting us out of the station. She'd tried to convince her son to help her into the car to go to the ER. Different generations.

 

[ATCclears]

This.

I believe many people have succumbed to the "they'll take care of me" syndrome and a general lack of ability to deal with the most mundane adversity.

We get 911 calls for the most inane situations that don't require ANY emergency response but to the caller it's a genuine, serious emergency. I got a call for an apartment flooding and found it was a drip from the upstairs apartment. Another call was for uncontrolled bleeding and we found a child had picked her nose and had some dried blood on her fingernail. Another was for a girl who gets gassy when she eats Mexican food. Hangovers are another of my personal favorites! I got a call for a structure fire and found it was a 10 INCH by 10 INCH smoldering bark fire in front of a business (separated by an asphalt parking lot). The business owner was afraid it would burn his building down -- My officer refused to allow me to put it out with our deck gun at 350gpm.

People simply don't have any coping skills or mechanisms any longer and they truly expect the government and all of its systems to deal with their most basic problems.

On the other hand I had an elderly woman who had broken both ankle apologize for getting us out of the station. She'd tried to convince her son to help her into the car to go to the ER. Different generations.

 

[albin25]

People have taken to referring to those who are unable to prepare for hard times or disaster as being like sheep. And while that may be an apt description at least sheep can handle some weather, and find a way to feed themselves for a time...probably for a longer period than the majority of current urbanites will.

I think of the unprepared masses as now more resembling a pet goldfish in a bowl;
-they have no idea where their food comes from and don't save some for emergencies because it has always just appeared. They will often eat themselves to death if too much is given because putting some away for later doesn't ever occur to them.
-they crap where they eat and live but it gets miraculously cleaned on a regular basis, if it doesn't they will continue their ways until it slowly becomes poisonous enough to kill them like frogs in a pot slowly heating.
-If something is added to their bowl or startles them they immediately run to their "safe space" as if a pile of colored pebbles or plastic castle will save them.
-they have very limited and rigidly define "comfort zones"
-they live in a glass bubble and believe it is the universe.
-they have no sense of history because they have no attention span or memory, this however does allow them to swim for miles in a circle and to constantly think they are discovering new things.
- they serve no useful purpose other than 1920's themed fraternity pranks, apartment approved pets, teaching children about funerals and subsequently how toilets function, cat food.

 

[ArgentineSteel]

A couple of years ago, I paid $250 cash to a guy who had bought over $4,500 worth of dried canned emergency food 4 years earlier.
He was moving his family into an apartment and didn't want to store it all.
It completely filled my 3/4 ton Chevy cargo van.
Just yesterday at an estate sale, I picked up a case (6 large cans) of dried milk, cheese and eggs for only $2.00 cash.
Onto the pile it went. I may never need it, but for a small cash investment it makes me feel that I have some back up food to last me and wife for a long while.

Heh I had a similar experience. Got a pallet of Mt house and prepackaged meals donated to a scout troop. Guy picked it up for Y2K and a year and a half later his wife was tired of vacuuming around it.

 

[ArgentineSteel]

Sadly a lot of people are pretty helpless these days. If food does not come out of a window at the drive though they don't know what to do.

Learned to can and garden from my grand parents. Passed the knowledge on to the kids. They may not use it much yet but they know how.

 

[jsparks747]

I have 2 cases of bottled water, 30 cans of tuna fish, 15 cans of green vegetables, 5 packs of 100 piece water cleaning tablets, a big box of medical supplies, a pot, a basic set of cleaning supplies, a 25 pound bag of white rice, 20 Mountain House meals, 2 knife sharpeners, 2 buck knives, 2 bushcraft knives, a 14 inch Fiskars hatcher, a lighter, 5 boxes of 500 matches each, 2 firestarters, 5 small knives, one Outdoor edge harpoon knife (super cool), a small Cold Steel blowgun and 600 darts, 10 tins of 500 Hollowpoints in .22, a bee an silver Kodak multi-caliber airgun (the barrels come off to change but they store great that way, and a predator call (for getting thick hides for coats and clothing) in a backpack. My bow with a few arrows and broadheaads will be carried.

 

[Alexx1401]

People have taken to referring to those who are unable to prepare for hard times or disaster as being like sheep. And while that may be an apt description at least sheep can handle some weather, and find a way to feed themselves for a time...probably for a longer period than the majority of current urbanites will.

I think of the unprepared masses as now more resembling a pet goldfish in a bowl;
-they have no idea where their food comes from and don't save some for emergencies because it has always just appeared. They will often eat themselves to death if too much is given because putting some away for later doesn't ever occur to them.
-they crap where they eat and live but it gets miraculously cleaned on a regular basis, if it doesn't they will continue their ways until it slowly becomes poisonous enough to kill them like frogs in a pot slowly heating.
-If something is added to their bowl or startles them they immediately run to their "safe space" as if a pile of colored pebbles or plastic castle will save them.
-they have very limited and rigidly define "comfort zones"
-they live in a glass bubble and believe it is the universe.
-they have no sense of history because they have no attention span or memory, this however does allow them to swim for miles in a circle and to constantly think they are discovering new things.
- they serve no useful purpose other than 1920's themed fraternity pranks, apartment approved pets, teaching children about funerals and subsequently how toilets function, cat food.

That was VERY good!

 

[Koda]

I want to understand why so many people don't have even the basics. When did it become popular to be unprepared?

dont try to understand you will get a headache. It has always been popular to not be prepared... Im not a religious man, but the parable of the 10 virgins goes back to the bible days as in my opinion a simple lesson in prepping. — Matthew 25:1-13

 

[Koda]

Funny how few people remember phone numbers anymore. I make a point of dialing numbers directly rather than dialing from my contact list - just so I can remember those numbers in the event my device fails and I need to call someone. I love technology, including smart phones, but I am keenly aware they can, and do, fail.

good tip right there... thankyou.

 

[Koda]

Being without a job for a bit and a day, having stocked basics saved us a lot of money and squeezed us through the really rough times. SHTF or not.

I have to reiterate what FortunateSon said, well done. This was one of the reasons I got into prepping, Im working and have a great job with a good stable company but Ive learned over the years that none of us no matter where we are in life are really that far from hard times.

 

[Tony617]

good tip right there... thankyou.

I have my all families phone number stored in waterproof paper writing pad so if I have use a different cell phone I can look them up very quickly. I also have a waterproof paper notebook along with a few "rite in the rain" pens.

All-Weather Pens and Refills

 

[DaveLikesGuns]

What I find to be very odd about peoples irrational dependence on the government is that they aren't even consistent with their views. Many people who blindly depend on the Gov. to help them are hugely critical of the current administration. If they say our current president is a "Nazi" then why would they expect help? I have similar arguments with many people around me in inner Portland about gun control, so many people say the police are "evil" but want to give up their right to own a firearm. They just choose the easy view because they think anything more then going to work for 4 or 5 days a week is such an unreasonable obligation that it would be impossible for them to give their time to. The kids in their twenties that I work with think driving until the gas light on is normal and when I point out that it's not good for the fuel pump in their car they get mad at me...

You guys got me thinking that my closet is not full enough, I have to make a trip to Cash and Carry and Bi-Mart.

 

[HB of CJ]

A case of pork and beans and mixed vegetables will get you started, along with some bottled water. Don't forget the can openers and plastic spoons. Most of the rest you probably have on hand.

 

[awshoot]

There are a few of my neighbors I would be willing to help out in a SHTF case but there are some others around me that had Bernie and Hilary sign 's in there yard and guess what I'm going to there house with my guns to redistribute there wealth lol

Not all Berners hate guns and remember, Bernie hails from a gun friendly state and so he hasn't been so horrid on guns. Even next door in Montana, Quist, a "Berniecrat" states clearly on his website that he is Pro-2A. You can have the Hillary supporters though.

 

[EPS]

Not all Berners hate guns and remember, Bernie hails from a gun friendly state and so he hasn't been so horrid on guns. Even next door in Montana, Quist, a "Berniecrat" states clearly on his website that he is Pro-2A. You can have the Hillary supporters though.

Yep I know Bernie has a average rating with the NRA BUT HE'S A COMMUNIST WITH OUT POWER once he got power it would all change

 

[Angie]

And Quist thinks a gun registry is a good idea. Now that he got completely reamed for it on social media, he claims to be Pro2A.

Bottom line is that most people are lazy. It's easier to just believe the government will take care of everything. Then, when things go bubblegumty, you just blame the government. Back to the original post, people saw what happened with Katrina, then Sandy hit a few years later and people were dumpster diving, stealing gasoline, and on national news screaming that the government was letting them starve to death. They knew 3 days in advance it was going to hit. Why should they get anything? Why should they put forth any effort? The government will provide. The New Deal is the worst thing that ever happened to this country.

To prove my point, as a teacher, kids won't bother bringing paper and pencils to school because they know someone else will give them what they need. I've had kids with paper in their binder, but too g-d lazy to get it out and will ask their neighbor for paper instead. It makes my blood boil (Yes, I do call them out on their laziness loudly), but this is an epidemic. I read "The Little Red Hen" to my middle schoolers and only about 10% had ever heard the story.