SHTFblog.com - are YOU ready?

I’ve noticed that the “#1 Gun for TEOTWAWKI” poll results has become rather competitive for the top spot. I know when the “Top Ten Best Guns for TEOTWAWKI” post was originally published there soon followed a link to it on an SKS board that also had an AK-47 section. A number of hits came from that board, which I attribute to the early SKS/AK-47 lead. Just recently the “Fans of AR-15’s” MySpace page added the SHTFblog MySpace page as a friend, so I suspect that a number of AR-15 votes came from that. If you’re pulling for a particular piece, make sure you tell your homies to come vote.

For those of you that want to learn more about the AK-47 or AR-15, I’ve selected a few books and DVD’s in my “Amazon Store.” Prices are the same as Amazon’s, except Amazon cuts SHTFblog a meager commission that helps keep this site afloat.

Onward.

So I’m stone cold survival surfing it e-style yesterday, when I flip over to my West Coast homie “The Other Ryan” at http://tslrf.blogspot.com/. shtf neighborhood watch/security on steriods is the post I read that I’m responding to today.

In the post, Ryan Man describes his thoughts on the value of a SHTF neighborhood watch when the shit goes down. I have a few thoughts on the subject. There are two points in particular that I want to address, 1) Neighborhood Watch as a great thing regardless of SHTF scenarios, and 2) the use of secure communication channels.

Neighborhood Watch
I suspect many of you have already heard of this program that promotes neighbor-to-neighbor partnerships to help prevent crime. The advantages to this program, as I see them are: 1) introduce you to your neighbors, 2) have been statistically proven to help reduce crime, 3) create an opportunity for you to discuss SHTF-related issues with neighbors, and 4) put in place a post-SHTF security structure that you could build off if shit did hit the fan.

In my opinion, there is too little civic engagement by most people as it is. Creating a Neighborhood Watch is a great way to get involved with your community, meet your neighbors, help prepare for worst case scenarios, and to do something constructive and beneficial. Want to start one? Here’s how: http://www.usaonwatch.org/pdfs/WatchManual.pdf

Secure Communication Channels
Ryan Man mentioned this as being a potential issue depending on the situation. My first thought is that chances are that ANY communication system set in place will offer great advantages over the masses that are otherwise unprepared. My second thought is that for those that DO have communication systems and that now pose a threat to your neighborhood, having a NON-secure communication channel has its own unique advantage. Situations like these call for out-of-the-box thinking. Survivalists must rely on ingenuity and creativity to survive. Think . . . DECEPTION.

Hypothetical Situation - your post-SHTF neighborhood watch has had a few encounters with armed thugs that thankfully didn’t result in violence, just a lot of trash talking before they backed down. You noticed that one of them had handheld CB radio that he likely “lifted” from a Radio Shack store after SHTF.

What to do? Stop using your own handheld CB radios? No! Test to see exactly what they’re up to. Staged CB conversation the next night:

“Frank and Maryann, what’s your location?”

“We’re just sittin’ on the dock of the bay wasting time. Why?”

“Well, Shannon wants to head down to that makeshift apothecary set up at the other side of town. She needs something, and she’s carrying a pile of silver coins and some ammo she’s hoping to trade. She’s requesting an escort, but you guys are probably well positioned there.”

“Yeah, we are. Tell her to go down Chestnut Street and over to Limington Avenue. We were there earlier. She’ll be safe.”

“Okay, will do.”

Make sure Frank and Maryann ARE in fact stationed at the dock on the bay. Also make sure every other SHTF homie you have is already pre-positioned on Chestnut and Limington inside buildings and on rooftops. See what the thugs are REALLY up to.

- Ranger Man