In the world of preparedness, and life in general, having community is important. Important for not only your mental wellbeing but also for sharing knowledge, labor, and fellowship. As time progresses, we would think the “system” would be more able to help the citizenry. Unfortunately, in many places across the country there has been strong polarization in pockets amongst the differing emergency services. This is most notable with the medical community in the post-covid world.
On a more basic level there are shortages of manpower, or outright lack of service availability in more and more parts of the country. In 2026 a call to emergency services might not be very helpful or even going unanswered.
Has was it in the past? In many areas the neighbors all banded together in times of need and took care of business. This wasn’t so bad, as a people and as a community, the ability to help your neighbors and keep your tribe safe should be a priority.
I realize this isn’t going to happen everywhere, for everyone. If you are interested in a community organizing a Mutual Assistance Group (MAG) is something I would suggest. A group of trusted people who you can call upon when times are bad. Also working together, training, and just fellowshipping in the good times.
The MAGs I have been a member of have followed this general idea:
- We were located close enough to be helpful to each other.
- We were aligned morally, based on our faith or our ideas. Which made the decisions made the group rather easy because we were using the same lens to evaluate the choices in front of us.
- We meet at least twice a month.
- We divided the tasked to be completed.
- We had plans to communicate and practiced using the tools we picked.
- Leadership was voted upon.
- We worked on Area Studies.
- We had a training plan.
- We conducted tabletop exercises.
- We conducted nock drills.
- The kids were included in most aspects.
You can set your group however you want, there are guiding principals not rules from community development.
Some worry about the “feds” getting into your group, maybe they will. That is what they do. Nothing I was involved in was wrong from a moral or legal perspective and the groups have either had current or former law enforcement as members. So, I guess I didn’t care. I do know that corrupt law enforcement keep useful idiots around as the fall guys, from local through the federal level so don’t let yourself fall into that group. And don’t get talked into stupidity.
Whether you have a group or not having some form of community is good for a person. It doesn’t seem like God put us on the earth to be hermits.
-Joseph
Outpost 95 