Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

DOOMSDAY Preppers vs. DISASTER Preppers - What We Have Here Is A Failure To Communicate
Emergency Management ^ | December 2, 2012 | Valerie Lucus-McEwen

Posted on 12/05/2012 7:58:13 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

A few days ago, I posted this blog: Doomsday Preppers are Socially Selfish. The role of a blogger is to foment discussion an it certainly appears that’s what I did. I very much appreciated most of the 150+ comments – except perhaps the ones that called me ‘stupid’, ‘nuts, ‘arrogant’, ‘ignorant’ – and a few personal emails that were much more graphic.

I wrote this for the emergency management community, who pretty much misunderstood what I was saying. Social media is certainly powerful and I had no idea this would be so controversial.

FIRST .. let me offer a heartfelt apology. The title of that blog was misleading because there is a difference between DOOMSDAY Preppers and DISASTER Preppers. My sister, Marilyn, is a great example of a Disaster Prepper – although she calls it stocking up while working with her community. I asked her what the difference was and she said Disaster Preppers want to prepare for a prolonged power outage (all to common these days), while Doomsday Preppers are preparing for half the world to be destroyed.

For the record, I was a practicing emergency manager for over 20 years before I retired last year. The words 'All Disasters Are Local' are permanently inscribed on my brain. I would NEVER discourage or disparage work being done in communities as part of CERT or any other volunteer group. Those are the folks who are going to save the world. I can also unequivocally state (and I don’t know an emergency manager who would disagree with me) that NOBODY should expect help from their government during the first few weeks of any major disaster. The issues we saw in Katrina and Sandy (among others) only confirm it. The people who needed help right away were the ones who didn’t prepare...

(Excerpt) Read more at emergencymgmt.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; Society
KEYWORDS: apocalypse; disaster; fema; preppers; survival
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-53 next last

1 posted on 12/05/2012 7:58:31 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
I wonder how that crow tastes, and if it's cold.

/johnny

2 posted on 12/05/2012 8:00:33 PM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

It is against the law to be the little red hen or the hard working ant...

We are living in the animal farm of the lazy grasshoppers...


3 posted on 12/05/2012 8:06:28 PM PST by GraceG
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

How is it selfish to be storing food and medicine for an emergency? I have to be storing it for my entire community, otherwise not at all?

This author seems more like a liberal do-gooder to me. And makes no sense.

Whether I prep because there might be an earthquake or financial collapse, the end result is the same. I’m ready, no matter what scenario plays out.


4 posted on 12/05/2012 8:08:30 PM PST by yorkiemom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

This is PURE CYA

She probably will never actually tell us what is selfish about preparing for troubled times.


5 posted on 12/05/2012 8:10:31 PM PST by GeronL (http://asspos.blogspot.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: yorkiemom
What you are, is not a burden on emergency services. Some of us thank you for that. Some, of course, condemn you for it.

/johnny

6 posted on 12/05/2012 8:12:00 PM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: yorkiemom

survival of the human race doesn’t mean saving the entire membership of the species. Just enough to carry on.


7 posted on 12/05/2012 8:12:51 PM PST by GeronL (http://asspos.blogspot.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

She’s right on target.


8 posted on 12/05/2012 8:14:33 PM PST by Yardstick
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
The title of that blog was misleading because there is a difference between DOOMSDAY Preppers and DISASTER Preppers.

Yea, just like there's a difference between a storm and a tempest. *rollseyes*

9 posted on 12/05/2012 8:15:20 PM PST by rockrr (Everything is different now...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GeronL
survival of the human race doesn’t mean saving the entire membership of the species. Just enough to carry on.

And if I'm sharing my stockpiles, I get to chose who carries on. ie., NO Obama voters - I'd like to raise the IQ of gene pool.
10 posted on 12/05/2012 8:16:05 PM PST by yorkiemom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Yardstick

This woman is insane. This is a CYA to another article she wrote.

Preppers are selfish? -BOGUS

Preppers hurt others?? That is insane.


11 posted on 12/05/2012 8:24:41 PM PST by GeronL (http://asspos.blogspot.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

Second Civil War File.


12 posted on 12/05/2012 8:25:03 PM PST by Graewoulf ((Traitor John Roberts' Obama"care" violates Sherman Anti-Trust Law, AND the U.S. Constitution.))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

Hahahha, this woman is a commie/thug/thief If I’ve ever read/heard one.

I read the entire thing, all comments, etc.

She wouldn’t bat an eye to jack your well planned supplies to give to thugs and idiots.

Also, she even admits in one post that “of course I’ll be taken care of, I have a government post to help other losers” (paraphrased).

I mean, these people really do think we are stupid like their followers.

I think the real mind blow for people like her is that there are so many people not so stupid as to buy into her commie crap hook line and sinker.

Phsaw!

And I hate this “old-white-angry man” meme (tangent). I’m white and 30 (hardly old), and not really “Angry” so much as terribly disappointed in my fellow countrymen.

This country simply can’t survive united, it gets clearer every day.

WHY does everyone insist on sticking together? What is in it for each group?

We can be separate and still engage in trade and resource mixing, just like we do with China, now.

bleh.

Bring on the calamity!


13 posted on 12/05/2012 8:33:12 PM PST by Individual Rights in NJ (Let's settle somewhere new?~ I'm thinking places people call "blue".)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GeronL

The selfishness of the doomsday preppers is real but is harmless because the scenarios in which they get to play out their selfishness will never come to pass. They’re harmless in the same way that the rapture crowd is harmless. The rapturists fantasize about airliners full of unbelieving doubters getting their just comeuppance when the Christian pilot is raptured out the cockpit. But it ain’t never gonna happen. Likewise the doomsday preppers look forward to the day when the doubters are either herded into FEMA stadiums or are forced to beg at the doorstep of the doomsdayers’ hidey holes for a few C-ration crumbs. But again, it’s never going to happen. What will happen is what the lady who wrote this piece describes: the local community will rally to meet needs. The doomsday crowd is correct only to the extent that the more people have stocked away some supplies, the less difficult will be the work of the community.


14 posted on 12/05/2012 8:43:09 PM PST by Yardstick
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Yardstick; GeronL
Projection..... tiptoes away....

/johnny

15 posted on 12/05/2012 8:59:49 PM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

Hmmm...

Preparations for a social collapse or disaster: non-perishable foodstuffs, water (and water purification equipment), medications and bandages, firearms and ammunition, firewood and facilities to use it for heating and cooking, . . .

Preparations for doomsday: rightly confessing faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ, baptism and chrismation, repentance and confession of sins, prayer, fasting, vigils, frequent reception of the Holy Mysteries, . . .


16 posted on 12/05/2012 9:00:56 PM PST by The_Reader_David (And when they behead your own people in the wars which are to come, then you will know...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JRandomFreeper

Yeah, we’ve been through this before, twinkletoes.


17 posted on 12/05/2012 9:05:55 PM PST by Yardstick
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Yardstick

Actually, I suspect that the community will confiscate “excess food” for the “community good”. Which is why advertising that you’re a prepper is incredibly stupid. . .


18 posted on 12/05/2012 9:06:40 PM PST by Salgak (Acme Lasers presents: The Energizer Border. I **DARE** you to cross it. . . .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Salgak

Right. That’s why doomsdayers need to practice good “OpSec”. You don’t want the zombies to know about your stash.


19 posted on 12/05/2012 9:10:36 PM PST by Yardstick
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Yardstick
Because you conflate preparation with disaster.

I prepare to live. Regardless of the circumstances.

Just like great grandma did.

You want to make out that preppers on FR are evil.

Guess what?

I don't have fantasies about disasters.

You might have fantasies about people you imagine might dream about disaster.... but that's several removes from reality.

/johnny

20 posted on 12/05/2012 9:12:38 PM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-53 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson