It the scenario is a total breakdown of society, there is a good ongoing debate whether you are safer in a group or alone. I would argue on the side of having a group and have them selected prior to the event.

This is something that you should talk about now and have a plan in place with everyone involved or invited. Having a cohesive group of like minded individuals with all the skill sets you need is not likely, not without planning anyway. So you need to recognize that. In fact the conversation that starts with ” when the shit hits the fan I want you to join us” is not something most people will take seriously. It may be easier to discuss in a light hearted fun “what if” type conversation. If THE BIG EVENT then happened, those who thought it was just a silly conversation over a few beers will remember and hopefully show up as discussed.

There are several things that need to be considered when selecting who you want on your survival team. First we will consider the size of your team or group.

How many people do you want or can you accommodate at your location? The location has to be able to handle everyone’s basic needs of shelter, food and security. How many people can comfortable and safely stay or live at your location? Do you have the physical space needed for sleeping and working? Can grow food for the number of people in your party? Do you need to remain hidden at all times (for example in an urban location)? If you have small children they will need more room to play and will be hard to keep quiet if that is important.

I have a large basically empty basement (once I get rid of all the crap I think I need) and this would provide ample sleeping room for the group I would want. The basement is a good sleeping location for several reasons. Since it is underground it is generally more secure from an outside assault. It is also a little easier to maintain the temperatures year round since the earth acts as an insulator. If you do need to keep a low profile in the evening when lights can be seen it is much easier to hide in the basement. I have 2 exits in addition to several windows and that is something to consider if you had to evacuate.

We will talk about other factors that influence the size of your group in additional blogs. Things like security, room for food production and storage, water and waste management all need to be considered.