Bags and Attitude

[Matt In Oklahoma]

I know I'm stating the obvious or at least hope I am here.
The last few days I have watched several things unfold that makes me go: this is why you need a go bag and have a "can do" attitude packed in it. After the hurricane roads completly washed out leaving hundreds "stranded". Amazing that they are "stranded" and helicopters have to bring in supplies but the reporters managed to walk in with their cameras and gear. No road. no problem, got my bag and i'm moving. Whatever I leave can be recovered later, standing around whining aint gonna get it done with me.
Several hikers were "rescued" by a helicopter just outside of L.A. after being missing overnight (oohh the whole night). The HIKERS were forced to deal with decent weather and the outdoors overnight and a helicopter had to get them out. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. A state thats broke just spent a fortune picking up 3 knuckleheads who they could have just pointed the general direction to the nearest road, made them walk and got a ride out in the back of the rangers truck. If your hurt ok, chopper them out, if not heres a bottle of water, the roads about a mile that way, we will have a truck waiting on you. The terrain was about the same as what I hunt in for fun. What was in them high dollar packs they still had on? Lost, got a direction, now i'm moving, embarrassed but ah well it happens to the best and alot to Lieutenants. Attitude.
Met several groups of preppers recently, wifes always telling me i'm unsocial, like it's a bad thing, dunno. Got to spend a little time with one who was "telling" me about his bag. "Sounds" great, lots of name brands, good stuff, why am i not looking at it? "Uh well, didnt bring it, it's at home". To a prepper meeting no less. Along with the CCW? "What, oh you mean my pistol, uh yeah, it's to big to carry when it's hot".
Don't sound prepared, guess you know when IT will happen, i'm not that lucky, just gonna show them the ccw card or what?
Sigh, bag, attitude, social conversation over
Mindset, skills and gear it takes all and having them readily availible.

[tarheelsman71]

Went to a prepper campout here in NC a couple of months ago, and was a little ashamed at how woefully unprepared a lot of people are. Had 46 people at the campout, up from 6 the year before, and some people had trouble keeping their fire lit. I saw more 511 tactical pants on women, but when a discussion was brought up about security, either everyone was playing OPSEC to the hilt, or people just dont believe in training with the arms they have. "I plan to do some shooting, when the ammo prices go back down." and what happens to you when you buy a 1000 rounds of ammo for your MBR, and BAM the SHTF and because you bought the cheapest rounds available, but didnot actually fire the rounds, when you need your rifle functioning 100%, you realize that the rounds dont have enough kick to slide the bolt back and you have jams. When do you want to find out that you have a bad magazine. Practicing, or when mutant zombies are knocking on the door. You dont have to shoot 500 rounds everytime you goto the range. Oh well....rant over.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

BTW please dont take my post as anything against the SAR units. They performed professionaly and admirably as always. My rant is on the fact that they did this so the hikers wouldnt have to walk the 6 hrs out in the 100 degree heat. Which means they made a choice to leisurely go 6 hrs in with the 100 degree heat the day before and just gave up. Packs still full and bulging when the helo showed up. They underestmated the time it would take to get down into the canyon. So turn around and walk back out, whats wrong you cant navigate to the TOP? Grrrrrrr

[610Alpha]

he he he....oh how I know that frustration...why can't those people walk themselves out? camera man and reporter walked in. Pack as full as when they went in but they can't carry it out?? Just a sign of the times...want someone else to do all the work. I think that is why they call Kalifornia the "land of fruits and nuts" :)

[kilowhiskey]

Yup, pay attention folks. This is widespread all across the country. Every time I read somewhere about how someone has great faith in the American people to overcome adversity I just shake my head and remind myself that when SHTF with some major event (economic collapse, EMP, etc.) things are going to get bloody. Dig in deep. It ain't gonna be pretty.

-KW

[Patriot Prepper]

Matt you are absolutely right. A person should have with them at all times something to help them survive.

In my SUV I always keep enough food, water, and gear to bug out and survive for several weeks at a time.

On my person I always have at least one firearms, two knives, and carry a basic survival kit (either in a Maxpedition or something smaller). Most importantly, I am ready mentally and have plans to get to where I need to be. Being prepared at all times is a good habit to develop.

[monkeybird]

Matt your rant is right on point. It always amazes me to see people that have a "I can't do that" attitude. I was raised with at "can't never could" type home. I remember hearing that from both my parents. My parents were raised during the 'great depression'. It never occurred to them not to take responsibility for themselves and to take the action necessary to protect themselves and their families.

I packed my BOB 2 1/2 years ago. It was packed with an eye to having to survive without any modern conveniences or the hope of rescue. Before I packed that bag, before I became a prepper, it never entered my mind that 'someone' would not be there to rescue me should I need it. After all, help was just a 911 call away on my handy dandy cell phone.

Your point about people putting themselves in a situation that needs rescuing is absolutely right. However, I disagree with your assessment about the flood victim after Irene. You personally may be able to get yourself out, but the disabled and the elderly cannot. I remember watching the aftermath of Katrina and saying to my sister, "I'd get out of there if I had to swim." However, seven years ago I didn't have a very elderly mother and a very ill husband. I could get out, but those I'm responsible for could not.

Now, granted with these responsibilities I would hope that I'd have sufficient warning to get out of the area before the flooding happens. I don't know if those people in Vermont had sufficient warning or not. I do know that on a bright sunny morning I turned on my TV to see people standing on their cars on I-65 in Nashville. That flood came with no warning.

The hikers are a totally separate issue. Putting yourself in harms way, then screaming for help is just plain stupid and I hope those hikers are sent a bill for the expense. I feel the same way about those hikers who accidently wondered into Iran. Duh! Why would anyone go to a war zone to hike? How many millions have been spend trying to get those people released. (Maybe they are spies)

I get angry when people do stupid dangerous things and then scream for help when it all goes wrong. Unfortunately, in the PAW these are the same people who will take what they want from others and not help anyone but themselves.

[1Admin]

The "rescue me" attitude is a big part of it for some that call themselves survivalists.

Look at the folks that think it's better to stay in the cities when TSHTF because "the gubmint will ensure health and safety."

Habajeebawhat????

In my opinion, if you believe the gubmint will "ensure health and safety" why bother preparing???

It's like the "well if you have a home invasion in the country you could be there for days and no one would know" (see the RESCUE ME attitude in that thought also?) As if people aren't tied up, held, robbed and killed in their homes in the city??

[tarheelsman71]

Speaking of entitlement, my wife is a supervisor of social work in our county. She had heard that there was some "extra" money that was being given to DSS to give out. This morning she got to work early (30 minutes) and saw a line formed already. It wrapped around the building and people were in lawn chairs like they were waiting for concert tickets or the new Iphone. Seems when the county sent out food stamp cards last month, they mentioned that there might be some surplus money available and the masses came in droves. By 8am there were over 300 people standing in line waiting for a handout. There are 100 counties in NC, and Iredell is #1 fiscally (at least we were in 2010). We not in great shape, but we beat out the other 99 counties. My wife, who suffers from a double dose of normalcy bias, actually said to me this morning,"what would these people do if there was no more money?" When my 100% sheeple of a wife starts seeing...then its getting close.

[EX121]

I have been waiting to respond. I agree with that many hikers over estimate their ability and then call for help, when they don't really need it. I'm very involved with our county SAR unit and have seen this several times. We get 1-2 each year like this and it's very frustrating in that it puts the rescuers in danger & costs a lot of money. Our Sheriff Deputies are very good about only doing call-outs when they think there is a threat to those calling in. They have told people in the past to wait until morning, or have told them how to get out by giving directions over the phone.
What frustrates me more is when people in the backcountry expect immediate quick rescue when they call. They don't understand that most SAR units are staffed by volunteers and it takes time to get a team called out, and then to the trail head, and then time to hike in, etc, etc. We can only get a helicopter if there is immediate threat to 'life or limb', and then our choices are limited as most of the helicopters are on the west side of the Cascade Mtns and we are on the east side, so it's very weather dependent on if they can make it over the mountains. I totally agree that the bozos you are talking about should be sent a bill.
Many people don't know about the self-rescue and how to Gage their energy reserve. I used to teach the idea of using 1/3 of your energy for the hike in, then turning around, using a third for the hike out and hopefully having 1/3 left in reserve for use in case of an emergency.
I don't even want to get started on entitlement.
My only political comment will be that military retirement is not an entitlement, as some in WashingtonDC have recently suggested.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

[QUOTE=monkeybird;24062 However, I disagree with your assessment about the flood victim after Irene. You personally may be able to get yourself out, but the disabled and the elderly cannot. I remember watching the aftermath of Katrina and saying to my sister, "I'd get out of there if I had to swim." However, seven years ago I didn't have a very elderly mother and a very ill husband. I could get out, but those I'm responsible for could not.[/QUOTE]
I agree with you on that and if thats the case you are correct. I've been in a similar situation. I am blessed to be strong and in good shape so I made it my job to go and get supplies and come back. I have also gone in to check on friends, again the bag helped because the roads were blocked by the authorities to keep the tourist who want a picture out. I worked then left my supplies came back the next day resupplied.

[protus]

im gonna break a nail on my next hike and see how long it takes to be resuced.........im sick of havingto actually walk to where my truck is on long hike....the pain,,the horror ....LMAO

[EX121]

Make sure to break the nail or stub your toe just before dark, that will increase the urgency.

[Grand58742]

Make sure to break the nail or stub your toe just before dark, that will increase the urgency.

I remember a thread on another forum about this type of situation. Something about SAR getting called out three times for the same group. Once because they were lost, second because they didn't have water (and were given directions to a water source) and lastly because the water "tasted too salty."

Couldn't find the link, but I believe it was at the Grand Canyon or out in California somewhere. It was an article about misuse of SAR units in national parks for typical non-emergencies.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Grand Canyon is the worst. I talked with the Rangers up there while visiting. He commented on my gear and the amount I was carrying. I just told him I wasnt gonna be one he would be worrying about and that I was packing enough water for my mother too and he let me know how much that meant and started telling me stories. I personally saw more than 20 families in 2 days attempt to reach the bottom with nothing more than 1-2 bottles of water for all of them and one about halfway down suddenly became afraid of heights. Craziness and becoming worse, thus my rant, thanks for the vent