I am with Big Daddy, I want the support and cooperation of my neighbors, in fact many preparedness texts preach just that, keeping the tribal animal alive, so to speak, and strength in numbers, more variety, their eternal gratitude, etc.

I have barter items stored- cigars, cigarettes, which I rotate out (I don't smoke, so give them to homeless, or my smoking friends), knives to give away (small folders, about 100, cheap but usable), and some MRE's and other items that I could spare outside of our personal reserve.

I also have that can of Cream of Broccoli from 2003 I haven't had the courage to eat yet.

I figure that anyone running a generator (like me) will be inundated with requests to store food that is in danger of spoiling as well. So a cooperative strategy seems best, with myself and my neighbors agreeing on leadership and distribution. If not doable, then spare what I can, and make it clear they need to forage on their own.

"I figure that anyone running a generator (like me) will be inundated with requests to store food that is in danger of spoiling ..."

There's no real problem there if you have the room, due to the 'tax' that is applied to the incoming supplies.

Re: heat for many in a blizzard. Last winter or the previous winter, a farm couple with a 1200 sqft home invited 42 stranded motorists into their home during a blizzard. With that many warm bodies in a smallish house, they probably didn't need much additional heat, if any. They might have even needed to crack the windows.

One thing that people tend not to want to do is bunch up when they should, everyone wants YOUR firewood to heat THEIR 3,000 sqft home with two people in it.

The big problem with trying to hold onto your stuff long-term when others want it, is that you have to sleep sometime. Here is where grouping together (if anywhere near feasible) is a benefit.

Most disasters are relatively localized and fairly short-term, so the 'outside world' can eventually get supplies to you.

The really big bugaboo is the one we might be facing now: a possible Depression. This is the one where the S really would HTF, because the disaster is too large and the backup is too small. I am really hoping it doesn't happen, because we are, as a country, in a far worse position now than this country was back in the 30s. Back then, the country was a mass of small farms that could provide local food; today, that isn't even close to being an option, as our food is grown in centralized areas and shipped vast distances. IOW, a nightmare possibly close to coming true.

I am hoping that the media is overstating the problems. I hope.

Sue

That's why we try to build up our pantry, so we have things when we can't get them in stores, or afford to buy them. Losing your job is far easier on you if you have a well stocked pantry that you could live off for a while, rather than buying groceries.
Should a full depression hit, those with emergency food stores will be able to use them, rather than face empty store shelves or no money.
Even supplementing what you buy with your emergency supplies will make things easier when the goods in stores are limited

We just had our neighborhood holiday party and several of us ended up in a corner talking preparedness. It turns out that my nagging got through, at least to a few people. We made plans to meet again after the holidays.
We all seem to be concerned about different things. I just generally what to be prepared; one guy is really worried about Bird Flu, another about economic collapse, another about a terrorist attack. What's great is at least four of my neighbors are getting prepared and want to do it as a group. A good step in the right direction.

I guess I'll add a small twist to the plot here. Add in dietary restrictions for you and/or yours. Lets say you have been building up your pantry as best as you can but your choices are limited by something like celiac disease (no wheat or related grain gluten for you) and/or some other food allergies. The gluten free thing is especially tough since even foods that should be gluten free are often contaminated with enough gluten to cause a reaction.

So no MREs (may be a blessing in disguise) or typical emergency supplies, almost no prepared/easy foods and the ones that are available are hard to come by normally and have short shelf lives. Even a minor disruption in the supply chain can have long term impacts to local availability. Hopefully you can at least depend on beans and rice . All those unprepared others will have a far easier time getting assistance when the National Guard or Red Cross or whoever ride into the rescue.

Similarly keeping a good supply around for what ever reason (job cutbacks, snowstorms, hurricanes, etc.) is critical because your needs (beyond beans and rice) will be the first to disappear from your local stores and the last to reappear after things start getting back to normal. Most of these suppliers are very small businesses since they cater to less than 3% of the population so some things may never come back from a larger disruption like a major recession.

Under these circumstances I would be a lot less willing to share my supplies, especially if the dietary restrictions applied to my kid.

- Eric

You, my friend have just tackled what I think is the hardest part. If they return for the post-holiday meeting, you will know who is truly serious. I wish you all the luck in your endeavor. Remember to search out unknown skill sets in the group. You will be amazed what comes out of the woodwork. I just found someone I have know for three years wasn't "just in the navy", but a SEAL! I learned that as he absolutely humbled me on the range this morning. He seemed to just "think" where he wanted the round to impact and the hole appeared in the target.

Sniper humbled, I must go lick my wounds and explain to my wife about the money I lost.

I actually tuck a couple packs of cigarettes into my care packages to friends overseas. They don't smoke but it great bartering. Glad someone mentioned that.

I think with food allergies, and I am not being sarcastic here, if someone comes to me for aid in crisis and we are all hurting, I am going to give them what I can, I am not going to deplete say my rice stores because the last three families all had a gluten intolerance and wouldn't take my pasta.

My son has some health issues that demand nutritional considerations so if the choice is him or someone I don't know, its him, every time.

As an aside, if you end up in a neighborhood disaster, be the first one out there with your .22 knocking down pigeons and crows.

As far as police helping out...remember Katrina. MY guard unit was called to go help down there (I was already out by then), and the local police were of no help at all. They were, mostly, more of a hindrance, taking things, than a help. Now, mind you, this was IMMEDIATELY after the fact, and their PD at the time was fairly corrupt. The NG job down there was to recue folks, and prevent looting. I only heard of one person down there that my unit had run into that was set up to survive the disaster. He simply asked to be left alone, he had plenty of stuff, and, well, they did. No orders to distribute his rations, nothing like that. I think that, in a natural disaster of that magnitude, a neighbors call to the PD that someone has more than they do would be flatly ignored.
Law & order, in a large scale disaster, would likely break down. I think that this is largely due to the ay we're wired; most people, when it comes down to it, are out for their own skin; everything else comes second. Perhaps once the shock wears off, neighbors would group together. But, like others have said, I dont see being left alone for 6 long months here in the US. At that point, we either lost the war, were invaded by aliens, or voluntarily removed ourselves from society. Six months of food & water would work alot for bartering, but I would hope you could bget somewhere safer within those 6 months.

You say, with a totally straight face, "No, you won't."

And if/when they do, give them that old worn-out crappy fishing pole from a garage sale, and point them to the nearest body of water.

Keeps their expectations down, you save your food, and you can feed them too. Personally, I'd rather give them a means of getting their own food than giving away mine.

yeah, but the rest of the country would REALLY miss out on fresh produce in the middle of winter. Enjoy your scurvy, suckers! Hahahahaha...... (OK, I'm a little tired)