Community Preparedness (MAG) vs. Individual Preparedness

[JohnyMac]

MrsMac and my being prepared started in 1987 when we bought a 30' sailboat (Mad Max) and moved onboard. Our home at the time was Seattle Washington and we spent a lot of time in the San Juan Islands of Washington and British Columbia, Canada. We quickly realized that anchoring in a secluded cove about Waldron Island albeit it was beautiful was not cohesive to running to town to by a widget for the boat that had just broke or a quart of milk; Consequently, we had quite the chandlery and mini mart on board Mad Max all the time.

While we were cruising, there were always other cruisers that would share what they had. Whether it be parts, food, or just plain knowledge. Heck we were a floating MAG (Mutual Assistance Group). It was before inexpensive cell phone rates and coverage so we relied on marine VHF along with ham frequencies to keep in touch. For the most part, where ever Mad Max took us (Southern California, back to Washington State, Maryland, Florida, states along the ICW (International Coastal Waterway), New England, that floating MAG group was there.

In 1996 we moved off Mad Max onto dry land into a house in Rhode Island. Our house was on stilts and was over the water twice a day. It was located in a small quintessential New England fishing village in the farthest southeastern part of Rhode Island you could get. Heck, we had to drive into Massachusetts to get to our town in Rhode Island. Our little neighborhood at one time was a row of houses on the shore of the Sakonnet River that was used as storage and docking for bootleggers during prohibition. Once there and established we made friends and we started to call our little neighborhood "The Village". MrsMac and I started up a neighborhood coconut telegraph where we all kept an eye on each other, especially the retired elderly members of the community. and helped out as necessary. Help ranged from loaning a cup of sugar to a neighbor, raising/lowering neighbors docks depending on the season, rushing folks to the hospital, snow shoveling, fixing things, etcetera, etcetera. In the end we were a MAG.

Around 2004 we got the bug to buy a piece of property in NE Pennsylvania for family gatherings, hunting, and as a retreat. We did so in November 2005; However, our real reason was I was becoming uneasy with the way the country was going and felt it was time to prepare if things went south. In 2008 Barrack Obama was elected President and we decided it was time to get serious with living like we did when we were living on Mad Max. Basically, "one is none and two is one" and the newly acquired property was now our lifeboat.

As we went about our early prepping plans, we found ourselves focused inward. We were thinking about us, us, us...our needs. We befriended a neighbor who owned the local pup in town about five miles away who thought like we did but had not begun to prep. Then through the pub we were introduced to locals that too wanted to be more self-sufficient. During this time my brother and his family began to start prepping and they attracted folks in the Philly area to prepping. The MAG grew to about 30-ish people and would meet pretty much monthly to hold workshops on a bunch of topics. We had men and women from all facets of life. We had policemen, RN's, housewife's, farmers, business owners, active & retired military, etcetera, etcetera. It was a great group and pretty much leaderless other than a guy who kind of facilitated things. Heck, we each had our strengths. If anybody needed anything, you only had to ask and one or more of the MAG members would be there.

In 2016, Trump was elected, and everybody took a collective deep sigh of relief and the MAG fell apart over a year's time. Things took precedent over buying preps. Kids were growing up and now in their teens and the focus changed. Although the core of eight original MAG members remained, by 2018, the rest had gone their separate ways.

From 2005 till present, I had facilitated around a hundred seminars on prepping. In libraries, churches, local neighborhoods, you name it. In each case I saw a core group form a MAG and then it would falter as life took over and money along with interests were diverted elsewhere. Some folks stayed with prepping but they were an island upon themselves. No allegiance to a MAG.

MrsMac and I since 2021 have belonged to four MAG's. The original where we have eight but we are all over 65-years old. Another one in Pennsylvania where it is a Signal MAG (Everybody posts their opinion) where no matter how hard I and a few other members tried, most folks would come up with an excuse to not get-together to learn from each other and form a community. Another was in northern New Jersey who talked a big game but again when it was time to meet-up everybody had an excuse to not do so. The fourth MAG is located in Northeast Pennsylvania, and I think has a real possibility of sticking together because everybody wants to participate. The enthusiasm is there, and we continue to move forward. Not at a Arabian Horse speed but at a good steady tortoise pace.

This little bit of background from MrsMac and my journey in preparedness, is the reason for the post's title. "Community Preparedness vs. Individual Preparedness". From the days of sailing till now, we have realized that if when the SHTF, we cannot survive on our own. The day of the individual bunker or redoubt although sounds good, especially to individualist Americans, you will not survive without belonging to a community or MAG of likeminded individuals. Men & women who will drop what they are doing to answer a call for help or assistance. Men & women who get joy out of lending a hand to a friend. Men & women who first like the fellowship of a MAG and second sharing their experiences to make it easier for the next person. Heck, why reinvent the wheel...Right? 

I challenge the folks here on UP to comment on my experience with MAG's - Good, bad or ugly. Then to comment on your MAG if you belong to one.

Folk's, time is short. Is buying that new vehicle as important as working on your Beans, Band-aides, or bullets? Is going to that umpteenth volleyball tournament with you daughter more important than meeting with your MAG to learn and share experiences in canning, bee keeping, gardening, learning basic patrol tactics, getting your amateur radio license to practice a skill that may be the only way to communicate in the near future? Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Last and most important, getting right with the good Lord and his only begotten son Jesus.

Do not become one of the statistics when the SHTF. Do not be one of the folks who show up at my door from an earlier MAG who lost interest and now want help. Do not be one of the folks who sign away their rights to .gov to get food or medicine.

Thoughts?

73 & God Bless
JohnyMac 

 

[Felix]

After the B's are covered and one is good with God - then what?
Personal survival for, or to, what purpose?
Simply being "last man standing"?    Avoiding the discomfort of cattle car transportations?

Survivors will probably be faced with so much desolation of material and technical wealth.   Social fabrics will be in tatters as well.   And this simple fact will shape any possible paths to recovery.

Yes, I'm still grappling with basics (who is ever satisfied with the sum of their preps?)
But now, always lurking in my mind... is the question - what and who shall come _after_ me?    And they, likely extent only because of the prepping ethos.

We had a neighborhood 4th celebration and I once again was in a mix of friends from varied backgrounds and "beliefs".   
I needn't say "Biden"/"Trump" here.  Right?
Long story short - the neighborhood is varied.  It's in a narrow valley about a mile long.  A few of us are actively working up skills and "setting things aside".    But ALL are good people, even if not in "agreement" on whether abortion is good or evil.
In extremis, MAGs will sprout like weeds, some too late, some in the nick of time.   Only a few in the "well oiled machine" category.   All unique.   Except for the need to appreciate common decency, humanity and need of each other.   With an eye to what sort of future the "collective" will aspire to.   Every glimpse and step for a future beyond the immediate needs of "today", a hard-earned luxury if lucky and good enough to get the basic group survival routine right.

[RB in GA]

I guess I dont really fit into either category, as my "mag" is my immediate family- 15 ranging from 5-65. There are some LMI's around, but I'm not comfortable enough with them to get beyond the "yeah, we share largely the same mindset" state.

That being said, when I think of mags I liken them to alliances. The folks need to be like the US and the UK: in lock step on the major things and most of the lesser things.  In extremis, if you needed an "article 5" declaration, would your mag show up, or they pull a Hungary or Turkey?

Since most people I've had the dubious pleasure of knowing over the years are truly in the "what's in it for me category", I would expect there would be a lot of Orban's and Erdogan's out there.

Just my .02

[pkveazey]

There must be at least a dozen ways to look at a MAG. I think of a MAG the same as I think of a Gun. I hope I never need it, but if I do, at least I'll have it. Will it be reliable, will it be capable of doing what I need it to do, is it large enough to handle what I need it to handle. Hell, I don't know, but I'm just glad that I have it in case I need it. No matter how you look at it, it's better than doing nothing because doing nothing will certainly yield zero results.

[JohnyMac]

To me, the fellowship of the MAG is as important as the knowledge & help you give/gain. Fellowship over time gives you trust in the MAG member (s) so that you know you can count on them in a pinch.

Back at the Village one night at O- dark thirty, I received a call on the phone from one of the neighborhood MAG members. He was in jail in Portsmouth, Maine and needed someone to bail him out. I said sure, and got the particulars from him. Once the Western Union office opened, I wired the police department the bail money. A couple of hours later, I received a call from him stating he was out of jail and thanks. "I will pay you back soon as I get home" he said.

Several days later, I left for work and taped to my door was an envelope. In the envelope was the bail money and a nice short note saying, "thanks". To this day, I do not know why he was arrested and to be quite frank couldn't care less. A MAG member in good standing asked for help and I responded.

How do you gain that kind of trust? Through fellowship.

[Sir John Honeybucket]

Unfortunately, no MAG here.  Physically, I'm not capable of patrol tasks due to medical problems. Like most old people " I know things." And put the into practice around the property.  Ham radio is likely the best selling point and most people do not know that that really means.   My wife and I assume yoyo i/e you're on your own.  In am absolute EMERGENCY , should their present home become unlivable , I'd assume step-daighter and grandson come here , which will put a huge strain on our preps. The other problem is the crowd they hang around with.  Needles to day, their "friends" will not be brought here, else they all leave post haste. This mist be enforced.  Our pantry is not the replacement for EBT cards and "entitlement" checks.   If it is a total loss of Law, the enforcement will be brutal if need be. 

[JohnyMac]

Sir John Wrote, "If it is a total loss of Law, the enforcement will be brutal if need be." Yupper 

If we experience a major meltdown, e.g. EMP, major pandemic, Nuclear exchange, etc. I suspect most of the nastiness will be in a urban setting. Now I am NOT saying that their will be unlawfulness in rural setting's it will just be similar to the 1900's. Retribution will be quick. A return to law n' order after a quick bit of drama will be quick. People who venture from urban centers with ill intent will have a rude awakening.

Men & women will become more ruthless in delivering justice for sure, urban or rural. The weak of heart hesitant to squeeze a trigger will learn quickly.

Looking rural; local rift raft will be culled within the first six months by attrition amongst their own or by law abiding citizens by force. This is where a QRF (Quick Reaction Force) from your MAG comes in handy. Again, that is where fellowship & trust comes in.

Patrolling. I most likely will leave that to younger folks after I train them. Can I do it today, sure, but - To do it constantly would be an issue. 

Good discussion.

[Searchboss]

Great post JohnyMac!

I thoroughly enjoyed your post. Due to my experiences, I would have titled the post ?Topic: Community Preparedness (MAG) vs. Individual Preparedness vs. Dedicated Preparedness Group?. It comes down to the definition you use for each title.

I am definitely into Individual Preparedness. I think this is where we all start, and some remain exclusively. I have also been a member of a Dedicated Preparedness Group, and I am now involved in a Community Preparedness (MAG). They each have their advantages and disadvantages. I felt the Dedicated Preparedness Group was the most prepared and focused of them all. I knew I could depend upon each of those people if there was a need. The current Community Preparedness (MAG) has some good people in it, and I am hoping I could count on their support should I need it, but we are not as bonded or depending upon each other as the previous Dedicated Preparedness Group was. It is more of a social group than anything else. In some areas, our ideas vary widely as compared to the Dedicated Preparedness Group where we all mutually and implicitly agreed to a given approach to specific situations.

I have found that people in a particular geographic area tend to know many of the other preppers in their area by attending public MAG meetings, workshops, and associating with like-minded people near where they live.

In my area, there are several people, some of whom now belong to the current Community Preparedness (MAG) who were previously members of a Dedicated Preparedness Group that they formed together. For whatever reason, that group then disbanded after some time, usually due to differing ideologies about what they should be prepping for or how they should go about it. Some of it may have been personalities.

Now those people are again in the Individual Preparedness arena more than anything else. Because of their past interactions and associations, they know a lot about where each person lives and what preps they might have, etc. I have heard some private discussions about concerns that after the SHTF they might just show up at the door of someone they used to prep with looking for help. I think this would cause a lot of pain and anguish should it happen. Particularly if it goes kinetic.

[Defiant_Faith]

Great post, JohnnyMac. Being part of a MAG sounds great, I've been praying that God would lead us to like-minded people in our area.

[Trail Ninja]

Over the past couple years, I've taken a new look at the value of a mag.  Primarily, this new view is on account of my belief that our government is trying to kill us, let me explain.

Since I've been tracking, let's say about 14 years, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has allowed poisons in our foods. I know the problem has existed much longer than 14 years, but this represents my awareness. It's as if there's a war between our government in the form of the Food and Drug Administration, Corporations making the poisons, and whistleblower organizations waving red flags telling us: Do Not Eat This!  From ingredients like high fructose corn syrup to artificial coloring, and now, Bio-engineered Ingredients Globally Sourced, we are gorging ourselves into obesity, Heart Disease, Diabetes, Laziness and Low T.  The whole idea of eating out at franchise restaurants or buying packaged salads at grocery stores, is becoming increasingly disgusting to me.

My point:

 I am a lousy gardener, but some of us have green thumbs.  I've tried my hand at gardening and find the learning curve to be very long. Thankfully, I have other skills that would be useful in a MAG.   We can't do it all alone. Growing food, medical, plumbing, electrical, solar, water, MacGyvering...  A family of 4 would not be able to do it all while providing 24 hour security, especially if one of the family members was injured or sick.

 So I am for the MAG, for the varied skills individuals contribute, but find the same challenges as mentioned above. In good times, people don't prep. In bad times people freak and want back in the group. So, my idea of a mag has changed over the course of the last 2 years, from being a guarded compound of militant gardeners, to a group of individuals who simply have varied skill sets, and get along.  Less stress with all the perks.

The single most important thing to keep in the forefront of all other thoughts: Be Alert!  Be Ready for His Coming.  ?Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you must be ready as well; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will."  - Matthew 24

Batteries, beans and bandages simply won't matter when our Lord returns.  But there could be many trials before then. So, we prep.

[JohnyMac]

All true enough TN.

Several years ago I was facilitating a 3B seminar in a church basement. All was going well but with one lady and her husband. Well she did all the talking, he just sat there. My challenge with them was that they kept poo pooing prepping because they were going to be part of the Rapture and didn't need to go down that road.

Starting to get annoyed, I asked her if she had family that wouldn't be taken up in the Rapture. Her response as expected was, "yes".

I then asked her if her she prepped wouldn't that help out here family since she was a good Christian and would be called up in the first wave to Heaven? Well I could see the cogs working in her small brain and I saw others in the audience shaking their collective heads in agreement with my logic.

Well, I will state here and now, I can not say she bought off on my logisc, however, she kept her mouth mostly shut during the seminar. 

[grizz]

Over the past couple years, I've taken a new look at the value of a mag.  Primarily, this new view is on account of my belief that our government is trying to kill us, let me explain.

Since I've been tracking, let's say about 14 years, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has allowed poisons in our foods. I know the problem has existed much longer than 14 years, but this represents my awareness. It's as if there's a war between our government in the form of the Food and Drug Administration, Corporations making the poisons, and whistleblower organizations waving red flags telling us: Do Not Eat This!  From ingredients like high fructose corn syrup to artificial coloring, and now, Bio-engineered Ingredients Globally Sourced, we are gorging ourselves into obesity, Heart Disease, Diabetes, Laziness and Low T.  The whole idea of eating out at franchise restaurants or buying packaged salads at grocery stores, is becoming increasingly disgusting to me.

My point:

 I am a lousy gardener, but some of us have green thumbs.  I've tried my hand at gardening and find the learning curve to be very long. Thankfully, I have other skills that would be useful in a MAG.   We can't do it all alone. Growing food, medical, plumbing, electrical, solar, water, MacGyvering...  A family of 4 would not be able to do it all while providing 24 hour security, especially if one of the family members was injured or sick.

 So I am for the MAG, for the varied skills individuals contribute, but find the same challenges as mentioned above. In good times, people don't prep. In bad times people freak and want back in the group. So, my idea of a mag has changed over the course of the last 2 years, from being a guarded compound of militant gardeners, to a group of individuals who simply have varied skill sets, and get along.  Less stress with all the perks.

The single most important thing to keep in the forefront of all other thoughts: Be Alert!  Be Ready for His Coming.  ?Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you must be ready as well; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will."  - Matthew 24

Batteries, beans and bandages simply won't matter when our Lord returns.  But there could be many trials before then. So, we prep.

Gardening is easy.

Controlling the weather, bugs, critters, fertilizer, knowing what grows best in your area of the world, etc... is near impossible to work around without constant attention. And its not easy to adjust to the changes and many times its too late to adjust and you lose everything. I have a love/hate relationship with the process

[Trail Ninja]

Over the past couple years, I've taken a new look at the value of a mag.  Primarily, this new view is on account of my belief that our government is trying to kill us, let me explain.

Since I've been tracking, let's say about 14 years, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has allowed poisons in our foods. I know the problem has existed much longer than 14 years, but this represents my awareness. It's as if there's a war between our government in the form of the Food and Drug Administration, Corporations making the poisons, and whistleblower organizations waving red flags telling us: Do Not Eat This!  From ingredients like high fructose corn syrup to artificial coloring, and now, Bio-engineered Ingredients Globally Sourced, we are gorging ourselves into obesity, Heart Disease, Diabetes, Laziness and Low T.  The whole idea of eating out at franchise restaurants or buying packaged salads at grocery stores, is becoming increasingly disgusting to me.

My point:

 I am a lousy gardener, but some of us have green thumbs.  I've tried my hand at gardening and find the learning curve to be very long. Thankfully, I have other skills that would be useful in a MAG.   We can't do it all alone. Growing food, medical, plumbing, electrical, solar, water, MacGyvering...  A family of 4 would not be able to do it all while providing 24 hour security, especially if one of the family members was injured or sick.

 So I am for the MAG, for the varied skills individuals contribute, but find the same challenges as mentioned above. In good times, people don't prep. In bad times people freak and want back in the group. So, my idea of a mag has changed over the course of the last 2 years, from being a guarded compound of militant gardeners, to a group of individuals who simply have varied skill sets, and get along.  Less stress with all the perks.

The single most important thing to keep in the forefront of all other thoughts: Be Alert!  Be Ready for His Coming.  ?Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you must be ready as well; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will."  - Matthew 24

Batteries, beans and bandages simply won't matter when our Lord returns.  But there could be many trials before then. So, we prep.

Gardening is easy.

Controlling the weather, bugs, critters, fertilizer, knowing what grows best in your area of the world, etc... is near impossible to work around without constant attention. And its not easy to adjust to the changes and many times its too late to adjust and you lose everything. I have a love/hate relationship with the process

That was my challenge, Griz.  All of the melons, cucumbers, zucchini... became infested with bugs before we knew it.  My wife and I were behind the learning curve.  In time we may have got it, but I'll stick with non melon veggies.

[Trail Ninja]

I then asked her if her she prepped wouldn't that help out here family since she was a good Christian and would be called up in the first wave to Heaven? Well I could see the cogs working in her small brain and I saw others in the audience shaking their collective heads in agreement with my logic.

This weighs heavy on all deep thinking believers.  I'm prepping for my family, but I don't know the date like the woman in your scenario so my wife and I are prepping for ourselves as well.  But to her credit, we don't need any preps to enter God's kingdom.  We only need accept His invitation.

[Jackalope]

    A community of like-minded folks is a force multiplier in many ways.  There's the physical aspect, where many hands can accelerate a task, or accomplish much more than a small group.  There's the mental aspect, where diversity of knowledge and backgrounds can help solve problems.  And lastly, there's the spiritual aspect, which can helps folks meet daunting challenges.  All in all, a well-run MAG can literally be a life saver.

     Individual preparedness should be a priority, but participating in a MAG, should follow closely behind.  Time is a wastin'.

[Trail Ninja]

    A community of like-minded folks is a force multiplier in many ways.  There's the physical aspect, where many hands can accelerate a task, or accomplish much more than a small group.  There's the mental aspect, where diversity of knowledge and backgrounds can help solve problems.  And lastly, there's the spiritual aspect, which can helps folks meet daunting challenges.  All in all, a well-run MAG can literally be a life saver.

     Individual preparedness should be a priority, but participating in a MAG, should follow closely behind.  Time is a wastin'.

Well said Jackalope

[grizz]

Over the past couple years, I've taken a new look at the value of a mag.  Primarily, this new view is on account of my belief that our government is trying to kill us, let me explain.

Since I've been tracking, let's say about 14 years, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has allowed poisons in our foods. I know the problem has existed much longer than 14 years, but this represents my awareness. It's as if there's a war between our government in the form of the Food and Drug Administration, Corporations making the poisons, and whistleblower organizations waving red flags telling us: Do Not Eat This!  From ingredients like high fructose corn syrup to artificial coloring, and now, Bio-engineered Ingredients Globally Sourced, we are gorging ourselves into obesity, Heart Disease, Diabetes, Laziness and Low T.  The whole idea of eating out at franchise restaurants or buying packaged salads at grocery stores, is becoming increasingly disgusting to me.

My point:

 I am a lousy gardener, but some of us have green thumbs.  I've tried my hand at gardening and find the learning curve to be very long. Thankfully, I have other skills that would be useful in a MAG.   We can't do it all alone. Growing food, medical, plumbing, electrical, solar, water, MacGyvering...  A family of 4 would not be able to do it all while providing 24 hour security, especially if one of the family members was injured or sick.

 So I am for the MAG, for the varied skills individuals contribute, but find the same challenges as mentioned above. In good times, people don't prep. In bad times people freak and want back in the group. So, my idea of a mag has changed over the course of the last 2 years, from being a guarded compound of militant gardeners, to a group of individuals who simply have varied skill sets, and get along.  Less stress with all the perks.

The single most important thing to keep in the forefront of all other thoughts: Be Alert!  Be Ready for His Coming.  ?Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you must be ready as well; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will."  - Matthew 24

Batteries, beans and bandages simply won't matter when our Lord returns.  But there could be many trials before then. So, we prep.

Gardening is easy.

Controlling the weather, bugs, critters, fertilizer, knowing what grows best in your area of the world, etc... is near impossible to work around without constant attention. And its not easy to adjust to the changes and many times its too late to adjust and you lose everything. I have a love/hate relationship with the process

That was my challenge, Griz.  All of the melons, cucumbers, zucchini... became infested with bugs before we knew it.  My wife and I were behind the learning curve.  In time we may have got it, but I'll stick with non melon veggies.

I was talking with a local grower/farmers market vendor and she told me she is experimenting with tobacco plants. She said she will use them as a sacrificial plant because the bugs will get addicted to the tobacco and leave the other plants alone. On the surface it seems like a great idea as long as you have them far enough away from the valuable plants.

For some reason my garden has been pest free this year and I dont know why

[Nemo]

And tobacco will always be an in demand trade item.

Nemo