Looting and assaults in Peru...post-disaster to watch

[BillCA]

Preparedness does not mean being paranoid and planning for the [start echo] the fall of civilization [end echo].

Folks who have been through floods and hurricanes should know about preparation. So should those of you living in those joyful winter climes like Minnesota, North Dakota and around Buffalo NY.

It need not be expensive or expansive, depending on your needs and location. A simple day pack containing 2 liters of water, a couple of cans of chili, tuna and canned fruit, a first aid kit, spare clothes, shoes, gloves and jacket can keep you going for a few days.

Start small - just what you need for yourself and any kids for 3 days. If the kids are old enough, they get their own 3-day kit that they can carry.

Most disasters are "localized" to a region or state. Use your kits to evacuate to unaffected areas if possible. Otherwise make sure you have supplies for 7 to 14 days.

[Rifleman 173]

So what IS wrong with being prepared? FEMA training manuals, the American Red Cross, your local/state emergency management agencies and even the old Civil Defense Program all urged American citizens to stockpile food, water and medicines in case of a disaster. It was almost like getting an order to be ready "just in case." If the governments and the Red Cross urge us to be ready with food and such, what's wrong with doing what these disaster experts want us to do??? What am I missing here? Survivalist mentality? No, just a cautious American doing his part to show support for our government agencies....

[Manedwolf]

Because if the thread veers into SHTF discussion instead of discussing the use of firearms to defend in times of lawlessness, it'll be closed. The mods have said that over and over.

[BillCA]

Made me realize how close to the brink of anarchy and chaos we really live.

Repeated studies have shown that American cities are, on average, only 3 days away from starvation if the city is isolated by disaster. That is to say that within 3 days, every store or market that sells food will be completely empty of food products. Either through panic buying or looting.

The good news is that the average American household has about 4-5 days of food stored, much of it frozen. Cooking up frozen foods before they spoil can lengthen their storage life and provide food for up to a week.

Having weapons to defend your own supplies is a good idea. Banding together with some good neighbors is also a good idea. Besides additional protection you can share or pool resources.

It's prudent to prepare for known disasters that occur in your area. Have food & water for at least 3 days, extra clothing & blankets, a shelter (tent) as well as any special medications you need. Most importantly, have a family plan to follow!

If you could live in your home for a week without hitting a grocery store and you have 3-5 days of supplies in a "bail out" kit, you're much better prepared than most folks.

[Night Watch]

How many days have you got if the electricity goes? (About 3, again, huh!) My friends are always telling me they can go out into the woods and shoot deer. Problem is, there aren't enough deer or enough hunters who know how to harvest them in order to sustain most households for even 30 days. After about 2 weeks without electricity, you're going to need your guns in order to save yourself from becoming dinner!

Yes, the truth is that we do live closer to the brink of chaos and anarchy than most of us realize. Whenever I go shopping at the mall, I'm able to look around to see a society that is largely unable to sustain itself - Most people wouldn't have a clue.

[BillCA]

How many days have you got if the electricity goes? (About 3, again, huh!)

Well, yes and no.

If it's only electricity that's down, stores can still be resupplied, but frozen foods may not be available unless the store has its own generator and is being supplied with fuel.

If something has caused a powergrid failure that will last more than two days there is a temporary solution. If there are rail tracks near enough, one or two diesel locomotives can be used as portable 1.5~2.5 Mw generating plants by connecting them into the grid. Power can then be turned on to sections at a time for an hour or so in turn.

The biggest problem is when some disaster engulfs a large area where roads and airports are unusable. Heavy snow, flooding, earthquake and the like can cut an area off from outside supplies.

[Justme]

Do you guys ever think about both sides of an issue? If you are looting to sustain life that is morally ethically and legally OK, just like shooting someone to defend you and yours would be. I don't agree with Al Sharpton on much but on this one one point I have to admit he is right

My son has hemophilia. If his medicine all goes bad due to no refridgeration you can bet whatever you want that I will take that medicine from wherever I can find it, the exception being I would not take it from another family who needed it for their own son, that would be theft not looting.

Furthermore, if my children and hungry, and the stores are full of food but locked up, I am going in through a window, a locked door, a wall or whatever it takes. There is not a jury in the entire US who would convict someone for looting to sustain life, and there isn't a prosecuter who would even bring charges.

That doesn't mean it's OK to loot best buy and take the plasma TV, but it might be OK to take the disaster radio so you know what's going on.

[threegun]

Big sceen tv's and other electronics were being looted. Haven't figured out how to cook them yet.

Do you guys ever think about both sides of an issue?

Yes. Still stealing is never legal no matter the reason.

BTW if you understand the danger you face in a disaster and fail to prepare for it knowing that you can steal/loot whatever you need you aren't ethical or moral. You are a premeditated thief. Thats the other side of the issue.

[Manedwolf]

If you are looting to sustain life that is morally ethically and legally OK

No it's not, because you're stealing someone else's possessions that THEY might need to sustain life!

If you loot, then you're a common criminal and deserve to be killed. Period.

They knew that, once, when ALL looters would be shot on sight, and were. The Chicago and Seattle fires, the SF quake... if someone was looting, their first warning was a bullet. Usually, their bodies were hung from lamp-posts, too, with a sign warning other looters that they'd get the same.

As it should be.

The time after a disaster is the time for human beings to rebuild and help each other. Looters are jackals who ruin that, and have to be put down quickly and without remorse, in a purely objective sense. They're human parasites with no value to civilization.

My son has hemophilia. If his medicine all goes bad due to no refridgeration you can bet whatever you want that I will take that medicine from wherever I can find it

Why don't you have a 12v cooler for your vehicle or a generator? If you know there's a need and you're not addressing it, but planning to steal from others, then yeah, you are premeditated thief!

See, if I needed something like that, I have CASH and some GOLD to TRADE to the store owner...or trade from other supplies I have!

Or I might offer, in exchange for supplies, to use armed force to protect the store from looters like you.

That's how things work in civilization.