I need advice

[xdpatriot]

Hey everyone. My wife and I are blessed to be prepared pretty well so far. We have our food situation squared away. We have security pretty much in order in most ways. We each have a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Med kits, meds, supplies we are gtg in a lot of areas. Please don't take this as a whining session. I need advice on our location. We are having a tough time figuring out the big question.....
Stay where we are or buy a small place to go if things get dicy.

We live outside of a rural town of about 2500 people. We have six acres here that I bought from a family member who has an additional 150+/- acres that borders us. My family is not at all into getting prepared for possible difficult times that we hopefully don't encounter.

I have prayed on it and asked advice from friends who aren't sure what to do either. We have three kids. We are worried about what will happen if things get bad and our family members who have their heads in the sand show up. I know it sounds mean and heartless, but I'm not gonna make my kids go hungry because they didn't prepare.

Our house is within 1 mile of a county holding facility for inmates and one of the new "residential centers" under the control of DHS. There is also a maximum security prison about 10 miles away. All of these facilities were put in place after we settled here, so cut me some slack on location. Our house sits about two miles from a pretty major state hwy. Wow! After reading this, it almost seems like a no brainer to stay where we are, but we are not rich. We both have good jobs that we are lucky and grateful to have. We could probly swing a payment on a place, but we would not be putting away as many supplies that we are now.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Is anyone in the same situation? Has anyone been in this situation? What did you do? Thanks.

[Fido]

Sounded OK until you mentioned the prisons. Me personally, I'd be looking somewhere else.

When the SHTF, all those dirtbags are gonna be free with no law around. Doesn't sound like a good time to me.

M2C

[xdpatriot]

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. Thanks Fido. Keep 'em comin'! Hopefully it will help not just me, but someone else maybe too shy to post a question.

[Lowdown3]

Just like in real estate- Location, Location Location.

Local situations CHANGE in regards to happenings around your retreat, unfortunately that happens. . We've experienced that. Like you we are 'grounded' here. No one put in a prison next to us thankfully but the survival value of the location has diminished in my eyes. Not enough to necessitate a move, but enough to change a few plans, go a little further low key and throw up a few new smoke signals.

Seek the answer in prayer. Nice to be close to family no doubt there but you can't risk everything for it.

Good luck in your decision.

[Bearman202]

The only real problem I see with the prisons is whether or not your homestead is between the prisons and the nearest city. I think most of the newly released, if that happens, will head for population centers. If you're between there and there, you might think about it some more. I can see them pillaging as they go. That's assuming they don't just lock the places down and let em starve as the guards head home to their families.....

[PerryJeff]

I guess I am just a glass is half full kind of guy but in a total SHTF situation you might have one of the best places to be... The downside is you are right in the middle of a lot of undesirables, So for a day after they break out you will be a target and you will have to kill several people. The plus side is the prisoners want to get as far away as possible, Also everyone for 200+ miles of your local knows that no one wants to go to your area. So once you get past that initial horde of thugs It will be about the same as a Nuke hot zone no one is going in there... Just a thought.

[goatlady]

All your accumulated preps will do you absolutely no good if those "releasees" come your way and/or all your NON-prepped family shows up on your door step demanding food and expecting it cause they ARE family! Best think about turning your attention to finding a safer location and put any further food preps on hold till you resolve your present situation. Just my outlook.

[All Talk]

Not sure about the prisons. I can see it both ways mentioned above. But I am unclear on one thing -- how is changing your location going to keep the family way? Are you planning on disappearing int he middle of the night when you move? Or do they all live in the 2500 person town nearby, and you want to give them a longer (discouraging) hike?

[xdpatriot]

I don't really want to leave my family, but I am realistic. I am responsible enough to look after my wife and children first. My family isn't the main reason for wanting to leave. Its the current location that makes us question what we're doing. Good points so far. Thanks

[Climber]

I hate to say it, but your kinda between a rock and a hard place!!

I gotta say though, those prisons pose the gravest threat. If you could convince your family to look at your side. Maybe ask them what they would do if there were a major prison break? See what their plan is, if any. If they say, wow we never thought about that, that might be your "in".

Good luck.

Jimmy

[DIM TIM]

Tough one for sure. If you are going to stay, you need the whole family on board, so I suggest this show from the SURVIVAL PODCAST. http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/ge...vival-planning. Although it is directed towards a spouse, the information will work on any family member that you love, and don't want to see put into a position of dire want and need.

History is full of examples where people put back food in case of hard times, and prepared for emergencies that were just waiting for the right sequence of events to play out. I prepare, and it has served me in time of need.

Hurricane Ike in 2008...we were without power for almost a week here, and used our stores and knowledge to lessen the effects.
For the past eight months, I have been out of a job, and was unable to get unemployment ( won't go into details), and so my wife had the only steady paycheck. I did small odd jobs as I could find them, but they pretty much only paid enough to get me gas for the week to take my son to school, and get me to another job if I was blessed.
Our food stores helped to keep us fed, and although we are down about 60% from what we started with, it made the difference between having food and going hungry.

There is strength in numbers, and with the prison nearby, you might need family in case there was a break-out of a large number of inmates. Most of us I'm sure love our families, but we must make them see that the reason that we want them to be prepared as well, is the fact that we don't want them to place us in the position of having to take food from our own just to help them. And besides, it doesn't hurt to get a little extra at the grocery to save for bad times. It's pretty amazing how quick things add up in a short amount of time.

So listen to Jack's podcast. Make them see that you have a legitimate concern for them, and that it's because you love them that you are voicing this concern. If they still don't see it, state as plain as you can that you won't take food from your wife and children to feed them because they didn't take you seriously when the time comes.......and all indications are that it will be here when we least expect it.

[BillM]

Don't sweat the prisons.
If things get that bad a few prisoners running loose will just be one more problem.
I don't intend to go anywhere if TSHTF.
I am in charge here. On the road , trying to get to a BOL that may be in the hands of others when I get there is ludicrous.
On the road I am just one more pilgrim trying to get somewhere and we are easy pickings
At home I am a home owner in a well stocked house with neighbors I know and the ability to put up a good fight.
I am staying put.

[nakattack]

if you don't bug out early to your second location i'd suggest staying put if possible as well. moving in a civilian vehicle with your family is a very soft target, a fortified house is a hard target, bad guys in my experience go for soft targets and try to avoid hard targets. just my two cents though

[Hidden Agenda]

Stay put. Continue networking. Create/join a MAG. Arrange to bug out to a MAG member's location as a last resort (with the understanding that they can come to your place as well). Continue to prep, train and network. You'll need more folks to work, pull security etc....

[Kurt]

The only option left, since you cannot afford to move, is to tunnel under the ground. But if you live topside, you might not make it to the tunnels for all sorts of reasons mostly you are near trouble.An EMP, for example, could cut off the electricity at the local prisoners and soon, maybe, a gang appears on top of you without warning, or even with warning if you do not move. Then what?
Most mom and pop survival sites can be knocked off quickly. I also suggest tying in with a survival group in your area if possible.