After the last thread discussion on taking people in during shtf let me pose another question to you. Let's just use a nuclear attack on DC and NYC as an example.

All the bottom has fallen out, all structure of government on the federal level are gone. No news coming in from the state level. Will you lock your group down and dig in immediately or do you still go into your local community and interact with other people? Is it better to dig in at the first news of the attack and loss of the capital or are you better off holding out a week or so and monitoring the reactions of people in your town or the town closest to your BOL?

Would you be better gathering intel of how folks are acting in your area to understand the mind set of those you might encounter coming to your compound? Or would you be better off sticking to low tech communications for your intel? I.E. CB and ham radio.

Should you go into town once a week or so to talk to people about what has been happening in the community; break ins, murders, rumors of gang marauder activity? Or would it be better to avoid town all together and blindly expect the worse?

Personally I would still go into town (small town of 3,000 people) every week or so just to gather intel on the happenings in the community. To see if people have started bartering in an open area yet, to check with the local government for any sort of news from outside our immediate area, and to see how locals are being treated by the form of government that has taken hold in our town.

People will look to those in power on the local level when something like this happens. I am unsure of how the local leaders will react to maintain order in town. If weapons restrictions had been out in place inside of town I would stick to the outskirts of town to gather intel. Being disarmed is never a good idea regardless of why.