Mr. Rawles,
I am grateful to you for providing this site. I am one of perhaps to many, who can barely make it check to check. Though I have been aware of what is happening for several years now, the amount of provisions I have been able to secure has amounted to nothing compared to what I am reading here. However, within this site is information which has been the greatest of value to, at the least, strengthen me with understanding.
I sit here in the comfort of my home, surrounded outside with cold and over a foot of fresh snow in the east, and ask myself what would I be able to do if it came to leaving on a moment’s notice?
While I am without skills for the outdoors, and not tempered to weather hardships, one article of knowledge from here resonates more and more frequently, and hopefully I am on the start of becoming better. Do not lose your head. Do not allow panic to set in. Think. Look around and think. Stay calm and just think.
I am literally out of money. Utilities cannot be paid and Christmas is three days away, so there are meager presents to speak of. My family prefers to ignore the signs of what may occur shortly. I have no preparedness network, as most people I know want to believe it will never be necessary to scramble and bug out.
And yet, within this web site, I find people and information everyday which encourages me. It provides me with opportunities to look around and see what I can use if need arises. Look at what is required for to build a quick shelter, how to store what food I can, etc. Mostly, your site is helping me to stay awake and force myself to push out of this box I have come to comfortable in, and see what I can do to be more prepared. I need more help and perhaps more time as well.
I am seriously considering sleeping outdoors within the next week or so before New Year’s, just to learn more of myself and my abilities to stay calm and think. Push myself to find strength and tough it out. Build a fire, make a shelter, etc. It will probably end up a disaster, but I need to experience something like this. I perhaps sound like a fool, yet I want you to know that somebody who needs what you provide is greatly appreciative you and all the others put it out there. Sincerely, – Jim F.