For starters, I agree that in certain countries firearms are a tool for prepping. I just want to get that out of the way

What I do want to say is, that I believe that in this sub, we should be separating maybe with like a tag - Doomsday or Tuesday mentality. There is a lot of talk about SHTF and the TEOTWAWKI , which is fine. But when you boil down the nitty gritty of actual prepping. Emergencies, and what people actually use. Firearms are not in people's top 10's, maybe in the top 20's. Just take a look at the Hurricane Helene/Milton subs and threads. Not many people are saying they are so glad they had their firearm. I'm not even reading a lot of looting going on in these areas/situations. This is what I think needs to be said - is it great to have? Yes. But is it in a real-world applicable sense of prepping, needed before, water, generators, gas, solar, crank radios, food, and cooking applications? No, and I'd be hard-pressed to find subs where a disaster like this occurred, and preppers were using, and brandishing their firearms.

Let me say this too - without promoting illegal activities or violence, most hotels, DO NOT allow you to bring in a firearm. I'm not saying everyone, and I'm not saying they strictly tell you about it as part of check-in. But MOST hotels have it when you sign for the room and pay, a list of prohibited items, and firearms are one of them. The two I do know allow them, they must be unloaded at all times. So even if you have a firearm, and you evacuate, you could be breaking the law by bringing your firearm into a hotel.

Finally - Preppers are not in the US. I think this often fails for a lot of people to comprehend. Many countries around the world simply DO NOT allow firearms legally, or in some cases they do but they are heavily regulated (Like for hunting purposes only). So creating a stance strictly for certain countries, and perhaps when we say "If your country/area allows" is a bit ridiculous. The idea that is "needs to be said" is more along the lines of a want - "Wants to be said" rather than a need. Because people prep in other countries without guns just fine.

I really wish that that we would discuss more real-world situations, rather than fantasy, and wanton "OMG what if the dead rose up" or "What if an asteroid hit in 55 minutes". Are people looking at what preppers did in these recent hurricanes and what lessons were learned and what equipment was useful? Maybe, but are we going to discuss going back to guns, and the need to defend yourself? I prep for Tuesday, and every Tuesday of my life so far, I've never needed to use a gun. When two tornados destroyed my home I didn't need a gun. When we had a bad winter storm that knocked out power for almost a week, I didn't need a gun. When riots were happening in my state, and some guy drove across state lines to defend some property, I didn't need a gun. I pray I never need to use it, I pray my family never needs to use it, I pray no one every needs to use it. I have it, but when I talk about prep, I'm not mentioning how having a firearm gives me peace of mind. Because never did, and it was never useful. What gave me and my family peace of mind - was money in the bank, cash in our wallets, Walmart open at 1:00 am, being able to have a generator, a solar power station - backup battery on our sump pump. Food in our fridge, freezer and deep freeze, water stored. A firearm has never given me peace of mind in any emergency, nor as it been one of the things I brought when disaster hit or glad I had it with me when I'm leaving my destroyed home.