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How to avoid a line at your door in a disaster

The Practical Prepper

Last July, Scott Adams had a Dilbert cartoon where Dilbert's coworker Alice lets him know that she's planning on going to his place in the event of a financial meltdown. As with all Dilbert cartoons, it's very funny. While meant as a joke, such a thing is all too possible if you talk freely about your prepping efforts.

As we've continued implementing our preparedness plans, we do the following:

Being discreet: Like Dilbert in the cartoon mentioned above, we're cautious about who we talk to about our preparedness plans. We realize that anyone who knows that we have supplies set aside will probably remember that fact. Each person that knows about our preparedness could very like mean another person on our doorstep in a disaster. We recognize our obligation to adequately prepare for our immediate family, so we remember that "loose lips [can] sink ships." Morally, we'd like to be able to help others in an emergency, however, we also know that it will be impossible to help everyone.
Considering our surroundings: As much as possible, we try to stay aware of who's around and potentially watching as we bring supplies into our home or storage buildings. We'll wait to unload our vehicle if there are people in the area when we get home from the store, and we've bought obvious prepping supplies and/or large quantities (e.g., cases of water or food, etc.).
Moderating our purchases: Where it's practical, we buy smaller quantities over time. Our buying two cases of water, or even three, is not that unusual. Buying 10, 20, or higher quantities is memorable. When we come across a very good deal, and we want to buy larger quantities, we try to buy at a time that is less busy. As mentioned above, we unload discreetly too, or perhaps unload the goods over time. For instance, we'll take a few in the house, then go back later and unload more.
Storing food appropriately: We don't make our food storage preparations obvious, wherever possible. For example, our food storage is in a cool, dry location that is out of the way. We have sometimes stored some food in a frequently trafficked area of our home. In that event, we'll try to camouflage the supplies or keep them hidden. Storing cans under the bed, in end tables, in closets, or even in customized pieces of furniture are all methods that can help. (Just keep the temperature and humidity needs in mind.)
Not being obvious about supplies: We use a similar approach for any of our stored supplies aside from food. We try to keep things at the ready, but not in a way that screams "here are a bunch of supplies for the taking." For example, we store our extra fuel safely under cover and out of the way. Even for items that aren't clearly "prepping" related, keeping them out of site provides a first line of defenes against theft. Have a couple cords of firewood? Keep the bulk of it out of the way, e.g., behind a garage or shed.
Hiding in plain sight: As mentioned with the firewood, some items are a useful part of preparedness planning, but don't automatically label one as a "prepper" or a "target" in a disaster. For example, we carefully chose a grill that we can use now and in an emergency (and have done so!). Everyone just sees a grill, but we know that it's a valuable cooking tool when the electricity is out. The "green" movement has helped considerably too. Case in point: consider that an "environmentally friendly" rain barrel for gardening water provides a great backup water supply.
Keeping things secure: All of the above helps with our discretion, but we also use obvious things like secured covers, doors, gates, and/or padlocks for security. Keeping these devices in place and appropriately locked will at least keep the "casual observer" or other curious person out of your supplies.

We use the above approach to help keep our preparedness supplies ready for when our family needs them. In the end, being discreet simply gives us a measure of control. It affords us more options in whether, and how, we choose share our supplies and help others.

In considering the above, we must emphasize two things. First, the object of this post is not to advocate paranoia. Instead, we just use common sense in our preparations, and urge you to do the same.

Secondly, we keep in mind that the point of our preparing and being as self-reliance as possible is not to isolate ourselves. Rather, the ultimate point of these activities is to allow us (both as individuals and families) to make it through an emergency and ultimately ensure that our community continues. Certainly, our obligation is first and foremost to our families. But, as noted above, we also have some level of moral commitment to our neighbors and others in the surrounding area too.

So, in what ways have you practiced discretion in your preparedness? Who have you shared your plans with, if anyone?

Believing that preparedness and self-reliance are key to individual freedom, Atticus Freeman is the founder of the Self-Reliant Info blog, in addition to authoring The Practical Prepper weekly blog here on Farm Dreams. Thanks for reading!

Tags: disaster, discretion, planning, preparedness, security, storage

2 members like this

Comment by Jodie Westwood on May 9, 2012 at 7:59am: We are really into the freeze dried products as I cook with as well as store them. Ours are in the basement, on shelves from Home Depot. We had a friend come over once who commented that we were hoarding. After that visit we made curtains with spring rods that go between the shelves, that blend right into the room. No more obvious for us, even tho our basement if off limits to most. I have also used the plastic air seal bags and when flattened with a bedspread - placed it in front of the #5 cans.

Comment by Atticus Freeman on May 9, 2012 at 9:33am: Hi Jodie, thanks for sharing your experiences! I think the curtains are a good idea, especially for blending in a storage area that is more visible. Of course, a basement ususally provides a much larger space for storing food and other preparedness supplies, plus often making control of access to them a bit easier.

I'm not totally clear about your last sentence; can you please describe that a little more?

Comment by J Green on May 9, 2012 at 1:52pm: I think I would welcome a line at my door during a disaster. What good is storing up things if you cannot help those in need when they need it most? Nor would I live in this level of fear at all times, hiding and ducking, afraid to talk about what I was doing. In the end, what kind of life would you be working to preserve? One of suspicion, self-interest, endless fear of someone taking away your marbles? I could never live that way.

Storing up things for a rainy day is not a bad thing at all, it helps you and others when it is needed. But living in fear of people watching you, listening to you, wanting to take away what you have? Not worth it to me.

Comment by Jodie Westwood on May 9, 2012 at 7:07pm: Obviously you have (I am assuming of course) never been in a mob situation. I share every single week sat the food bank - I donate ALOT, but in a time of need, I would support my family first. We have lived through crisis and being in control is alot of responsibility. I would share everything I own, and HAVE, but there are priorities. Watching who is watching you is all in the neighborhood. Making announcements (boasting) of I have this and that is a whole different story.

Comment by Heather S on May 10, 2012 at 10:26am: I agree with J Green. I've lived through crisis and so have my family and in those instances the memorable moments were about people pulling together (not only my family), not suspiciously looking through curtains to hide what you have from others. Not a lifestyle or a mental mind set I'd sign up for.

Comment by Atticus Freeman on May 12, 2012 at 12:24am: J Green and Heather S, thanks for stopping by and commenting. I can only say that I didn't make myself clear enough in this post. Perhaps I should have put the last paragraphs at the start.

As I mentioned, I'm not advocating fear or paranoia, but rather, common sense.

Consider this: If a neighbor was regularly unloading mass quantities of anything (water, food, gasoline, etc.), you'd notice it, because it's out of the ordinary. All I'm advocating here is maintaining your preparedness, but doing so in a way that doesn't attract attention.

I also very clearly stated that I think that we "have some level of moral commitment to our neighbors and others in the surrounding area too." I think sharing supplies is the right thing to do, in a controlled manner. Plus, I have an obligation to my family first, and want to see them make it through whatever disaster situation arises, if I can do so.

In the end, you must do what you feel is right. However, if you're stocking supplies for a disaster and a lot of people know that, you may be unpleasantly surprised at how short a time those supplies will last.

Comment by Jodie Westwood on May 12, 2012 at 8:47am: exactly Atticus! I'm sure there is already a line at my door from good friends and neighbors who know they could come and get anything they need from us. And with that fact, I welcome them.

Comment by Jodie Westwood on May 12, 2012 at 8:50am: We have alot of bedspreads. Instead of laying them on a shelf, we seal them flat - you know that commercial? make room for more? with vacu-seal? Not only do we have exta bedding available but some are small enough to provide cover for large cans on the shelf. When we had the tornados here last year, we donated blankets, already sealed to those who lost much. Very convenient!