In that scenario, the biggest threat will be not from individual looters, but from the government looters. It could be national laws against individual survival - historically termed hording, if a national government would still exist, or from local governments using the same pseudo-legal structure to take what they can. Historically, that is a typical method the looters have used throughout the world; no reason to think that it would be different here.

Paranoia strikes deep.
Into your mind it will creep.
It starts when you're always afraid:
Step out of line, the man comes and takes you away.
It's time we
"Stop! Hey! What's that sound?"
(Everyone look what's goin' 'round…)

A lot of this comes as second nature for me personally being that I have lived most of my life in Florida, where hurricanes can take out the grid at any time. Also being a vet I have gained a few skills that better prepare me for survival. Though I have to admit the older I get the more difficult it is to consider living without the modern comforts.

stay under their radar...or wish you had, as we are likely to slip into a fascist state and preppers (hoarders) will be punished...

I add to my bullets and shotgun shells with a purchase every month.
I need to do that more with food.

Fortunately, I live in Utah where prepping is an old tradition and distrust of government is considered normal. In my area it would probably be better to band together for communal support since probably the majority of folks have at least several months of food and suppiles stocked away. Hopefully the Feds would look back to the Utah War (A.K.A. Buchanan's Blunder) before deciding to confiscate people's larders here.

And one more thing...I suspect that everyone on this forum knows that the feds would not have a problem with confiscation. Also, the schools are very good at not teaching about the nefarious deeds of the government. Here's one that happened that very few people know about. You can use it as support when speaking with those who don't believe the feds would stoop that low. When WW1 hit all the young men were drafted. This left fewer boys on the farms to harvest the grain. So, the US had a significant shortfall and needed to find a source. It just so happened that the LDS church had been storing grain. The feds approached the church and the church "donated" all their stored grain to the cause. It's happened before, it WILL happen again.

I was in Ft. Lauderdale when Andrew blew through, we`ve been "prepping" way before it was a word media used alongside "militia" to make sure the public knew you were a problem child.

Nice article John. Don't forget your other 'SEC' ~ EMSEC and COMSEC (encrypted walkies would be cool).

Great advice...fortunately I have 400 feet between both neighbors but they are like minded also, so we'll watch out for each other.

The article talks about using a pool as a water source. Be sure you know what you are doing if you want to do this. Most pool chlorine has stuff like cyanuric acid as a chlorine stabilizer. This does not evaporate and builds up in the pool water to the point that it is not safe to consume in large amounts. The only way to get rid of it is to pump it out and put in new water. Other pool chemicals may also cause problems.
It is not paranoia if, in fact, they ARE all out to get you.

Actually the liberals are mostly concerned about what they are starting to lose as well as keeping what they have. They do not care about those who have less, period. I have knowledge of liberals who happen to be very well off but want as much as possible from the government as they can get, as they are jealous of the real poor who are on the dole. They believe they deserve it!