It’s lonely being a lone wolf.
Sometimes those of us who prepare for emergencies get a “lone wolf” reputation, which can add to the notion that we’re alarmists and perhaps a bit crazy. Sometimes we find ourselves as the only one among our friends who has a bug-out bag prepared and food and water stored up.
It’s a great idea to be prepared, even if you’re the only one, but it’s much better if you have a group of like-minded friends. Your chances of surviving during a disaster will be much greater if you are part of a team rather than just an individual. The best way to start up a team is with family members. If your spouse and kids are onboard with what you’re doing, things will be a lot easier. If not, you should find some friends and neighbors who have an interest in prepping.
Once you’ve established your group, you’ll want to assign responsibilities. Among them would be food and water, power, medical, security, sanitation, gardening, maintenance, communications and logistics. Another suggestion is to meet periodically to discuss those roles and emergency plans. As we saw recently in Oklahoma, all it takes is a storm to completely disrupt people’s lives and put them into survival mode.
If you’d like to learn more about why a team is better than an individual when it comes to prepping, as well as practical advice about how your group can function prior to an emergency you should check out this article, “Teamwork in Prepping.”
Do you consider yourself a “lone wolf” when it comes to prepping? If so, is that out of choice or because you haven’t yet found others with your same dedication? How about you team players…how many people are in your prepper group? If you’ve formed a group with a variety of people who have different roles, please let me know how you’ve set that up. Hope to hear from you about this.
Am trying to chat with operator: When the water is
sucked up into the mouth. then you expel it into a container?
I felt it very reassuring that your picture for this “article” was the “Lone Wolf”! The wolf has been and is my “totem” animal and I actually have that picture in my home. I can empathize with Colleen and Mary! I’ve had a prepper mindset for decades and have begun several times to “prep”, only to have my life upset and my prepping gone by the wayside. Well, I don’t give up, and about a year and a half ago, I started over again, and now I’m pushing forward, alone, but determined. It is VERY difficult to find like-minded, trustworthy people who are willing to do the work and commit to a different future. I’m keeping my eye open in my area, but this lone wolf is not waiting – I’m prepper-minded all the way!
I live in SE TN and have begun trying to prepare. My husband says it is all govt bs. this group against that one and there is nothing to it. Hard to prep with no support. Not sure how to express need to prep to other family members in the area without possibly giving out too much info that could later cause problems. One I feel closest to lives 2 hours away. Possibly too far once “it” happens. Suggestions?
You might start by steering him to Ready.gov. They have some low-key prep for just every day emergencies – black outs, floods, etc. Maybe once he’s on board for the likely events, he’ll be more ready to talk about more serious events.
My wife and I started off as a small pack of wolves. We have been preparing for a short time (relatively) now but are far ahead of the curve compared to many people we know. We are rubbing off on some of our friends and neighbors for some of the self-reliant things we do and they are starting as well. We also just completed a wilderness survival course at the local community college and met a group of people that think like us. We have agreed to continue teaching each other things now that the class has ended. One of the members is a security guard that teaches hand-to-hand and tactical shooting, another is a nurse, one is a machinist, etc, etc. We can pull together to learn better than we can each learn on our own.
I live on the out skirts of town. I am in agreement with the person from Houston. Where I live near the beach, there are meth labs and questionable neighbors too. Somewhat a prepper, I have a garden and some chickens. I do share my eggs with my neighbors, but they are not that interested in the whole get ready for a rain day concept. Family are not that interested either. Sad.
Yes. A lone female wolf….in the Houston area. looking for others in this area.
I am doing all i can. I am in the suburbs; but hear the country life is full of Meth labs and dangerous people. Ideas on that?
My wife and I just took a wilderness survival course at the local community college. The class was only so-so, but we met of like minded folks. We have all agreed that we can continue on our learnings and preparedness now that the class has ended. They aren’t necessarily right next door, but are within a few miles of our home.
Finding reliable people to form a group for what is probably to come is almost impossible. The larger the group the more chance there will be a “fellow traveler” among them which can and will spill the beans about the food, arms, water availability, etc. that the group has set aside for their survival. If there is Martial Law then everything you or your group has can and will be confiscated by the people in power for the “common good”. They will have the superior arms and personnel to do it. I would just love to have friends that I trusted enough to start a “reliable” group if the time ever comes when it is necessary. Every organized group is infiltrated by those who would betray all their preperations for a “pat on the head” from Big Brother. Don’t even think about the militia’s that are everywhere because they will be the FIRST place that big Brother will go for to acquire all their goods and to eliminate the threat that they would pose. I really do hat being so negative but I know human nature too well and am convinced that the vast majority of “brainwashed” people in this country are not to be trusted.
Agree 100% James. Beyond family and a few close friends I would hesitate to align with any group regardless of their name or history.
I have done a lot to prepare but I do not tell anyone other than my son as he is starting to understand what I have been talking to him about for years but I don’t know how to reach or meet others who are of a like mind. Any suggestions???? Gene Bulling
One other thing is all the bug out conversations! Being fortunate enough and observing the forthcoming crisis along with city dwellers if you will being “in the country” and securing premises to the max with steel doors, window guards, security cameras having dirt and a pond they will have to come to us including having distance from road with residence we feel adequate. Suggest too as many as have the ability to move out from smaller towns allowing access only when desired while keeping what you think, believe and are doing to prep truly close to the vest.
The Reagan theory of trust and verify by testing to see who will do real “favors” before shtf and then utilize only on limited basis. I’ve been looking watching listening reading and now thought for past to years the 5 G’s Grub, Guts, Guns, Gold an as always God will show up somewhere in there is only reality to be truly prepped if you will. Seeing nothing government will do can do as voters and people being either ignorant or totally oblivious to reality of U.S and world makes me believe simple things, entitlement riders, cyber attack on power grid any small glitch cities will erupt, transportation and communication goes down with executive order allowing takeover of natural resources and communication government insiders can ignite and promote mass mobs in order to show power and make it clear what they can do. Lets get real homeland security nothing more than governments personal army. Huge ammo orders, armored vehicle orders recent order for pepper spray of 500,000 with ability to propel 150 feet seems to reveal they expect it happen.
All that said God be with us all and closed lips about preps keeps us safer in my opinion!
Steve
What I see is reality and serious problem. Being a 2 person family that’s solid and prepping in eve yway armament wise, food wise, gardening wise, security wise in todays world establishing true trust is beyond the scope of most who don’t even realize. Taking into account how majority now THINKS some are their friends will erode if the circle is expanded and the “group” becomes more concerned with own immediate needs of themselves and their love ones. Suggest everyone take long hard look at reality of the 5 W’s when the chips are down. Who, what, where, when and why apply and everyone should look inside to view others when establishing “team” group concept. I know after 66 yrs and examining reality of new world as it is gets us down to ONE! Too many self serving people giving lip service to “you can count on me”. Suggest you write about reality of true examination of how others will respond when the chips are down.
Regards
Steve
I am a lone wolf. I live in the city and am a nurse. My family are either too lazy, believe “it” can’t happen here or are disconnected from reality. I have reached out to Oathkeeper and militia groups for info and support and never hear back from them. I have stockpiled, sealed and stored food and water. I have bought water puricication tablets, fiters, purchased a generator & 2, 5 gallon gas cans, insist my husband keep 3 butane tanks full for grill use and bought a cord of firewood. I know there is more I need to do ie: safe room, air purity concerns but it is difficult on my own. I would love to be able to learn from experienced people but don’t know where or how to find them. Besides being a nurse, I am a seamstress, welder, gardner & I know I have many important skills that a group could utilize for survival. Right now I resent my family for their lack of interest and wonder if I will be able to share my stockpiles with them when the SHTF, especially those who laugh at me right now!
Colleen,
I am in a similar situation. I don’t know anyone else who is preparing, or at least admitting it. I am in KY and would like to hear from you if you are near me, or have information you are willing to share.
That’s all a good idea, “BUT” if “S.H.T.F.” because of the Government and U.N. troops are sent after us to over power us, they will be going after the groups of preppers that have been detected by they’re purchases or by loose lip’s or surveillance and other groups like militias that are under surveillance already and will be the first to be hit and they’re threat of resistance removed on first strike by air, most likely! It will be the small teams of “TRUE PATRIOTS” that have kept they’re mouths shut, looked unassuming, have some military training, prepped properly and have a plan of survival first before a plan of attack, not resistance! Yes, they will be coming to us, that’s part of the plan! But they don’t know the lay of the land like we do and we need to prep. for an all out killing at every bridge, gulley, airfield, underpass, overpass! Convoy’s can only be stopped by starvation of fuel, bridge destruction, I.E.D’s and fire. Most don’t have the expertize to make an I.E.D. with enough power to stop an A.C.P. much less a M.R.A.P., but a large long burning fire like Napalm will do the trick! You must scatter into small undetected teams to pre-determined locations with the proper weapons, munitions and a resolve to kill all that threaten us to the man! “If you don’t” they will do it to you and any survivor’s will be tortured for where the rest of us are! After the initial attack is when the resistance begins and the second plan of attack is readied because they will be sending more! “GOD BLESS AMERICA”, “DOWN WITH OBAMANATION” and “DEATH TO TYRANT’S” and the “NEW WORLD ORDER”! Remember, conserve, “ONE SHOT, ONE KILL”! Spay-n-pray is only when being overrun and danger close or your clearing a room full of Traitors and or insurgents like anyone in a blue helmet! Our troops for the most part are on our side and so is most law enforcement, that’s why “OBAMANATION” is massing Russian and Chinese U.N. troop’s here and they will have no problem in a systematic killing of anyone whom resists they’re “AGENDA 21″ take over off all the masses of Americans! You have given up more than you know with “OBAMACARE” and it’s about to bite us in the ass hard! “REAL HARD”!
Hi Deb, not all country life is full of meth etc. If you really want to know the place to be, Rocky Mountains. Being in the towns cities is where NOT to be. You will either be dead or in a FEMA camp which is the same thing… There are place’s which people don’t talk about for obvious reasons…
K
The real place to be is the ROCKY MOUNTAINS. Read your history. The Vietnam War who one that? We couldnt get those natives out of those mountains? Now look at Afghanistan the Russians couldn’t do it! And do you think we are going to it? No way in hell!
Jesus Christ said flee to the mountains.
I am a Lone Wolf, due to a lot of circumstances. My age, my education, my mobile status in life, distance from family, etc. Difficult to find anyone that I can trust. Too many are friendly to a face but when the going gets rough, they cannot be found.
I am not a big eater and the people who I have tried to prep with before, consume more in one day than I do in a week. Their appetite is so furocious that I feel threatened that their appetite will overtake them and they will not be considerate enough to ration the food.
Then others just ‘scoff’ at the idea of prepping.
Suggestions are welcome.
Mr. Knutson, glad to read your story, media just makes stuff up. My wife and I figured the small town people of that area are use to being stranded from snow and bad weather. Glad to see that there was people helping people and that your preparations where in place for you and your neighbors. We have been flooded twice and know what a job it is to recover from it. My neighborhood all pitched in and helped each other. Even the neighbors that didn’t know each other. We all know each other now. Funny how a common tragedy does that.
Advertisements on your web site that flash or move are so distracting that after a couple of times I will just delete your site from my mail list because if you are stupid enough to subject me to something flashing while I am trying to read you probably don’t have anything worth reading.
Dear Frank,
We have just gone through the now infamous “Colorado Flood of 2013.” Of course, after the first few days the mega-media called it good, but recovery work will take years, I tell you now my family and circle of influence are still working 8-12 hours a day, helping neighbors cleaning up the aftermath.
Fortunately, when it hit, we had an Evac-Plan” in place! Wife and daughters were “out’a here” in about an hour, once the 911 evacuation call came. You know me, I stayed behind working with the local fire/sheriff/rescue group. Our little village was blessed by the Lord. The high waters came within 3 blocks of our home, but all was well.
Our community of Merino, CO was an island for a week … no roads in, no roads out, but since we and many neighbors were “prepared” (knowing this sort of thing could happen all was fine). Those of us who had 30+ days food, helped those families who didn’t have squat.
God Bless,
Orrin M. Knutson