Anyone had group of 100+ for more than 10 years?

Doomsday Prepper Forums

Help Support Doomsday Prepper Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
We have chickens, rabbits, pigs, goats, and cattle, as well as several ponds/streams with fish.

I'm not sure on exact numbers, but a few hundred chickens? Chicken waste is used as fertilizer.

You helped push me past my hesitation, so we're adding 3 small scale experiments we've been considering for a while and we'll see if any are worth the effort or difficulties?! Fortunately, we have both adults and teens interested in taking on the projects and they are tasked with showing the math as to whether we expand or abandon each. The first is "fish farming" (a tough sell for me,) then a small number of chickens, and lastly, a small number of rabbits. My concern for all is the recycling of the waste in our closed environment. Feed storage shouldn't be a problem, but we'll only keep a little ahead so we don't waste a bunch until we determine which of the experiments we want to scale up (if any...or maybe all?!)
 
Hi Folks, I'm new at this site. Our fall back retreat in Florida has been completed for several years.
We are 40 adults (not counting the young'uns). We can handle 20 more adults easily.

Our link is below. See Group Survival tab for what and how we did it.
By the way, don't scold me. All references to location are red herrings other than the city.

I have been searching for years for another group to learn from but have yet to find any at all until now.

It would be great if I could see your approaches to organization and leadership. Thanks.
 
Last edited:
Our group has been going for over 20 years, with no issues, so our methods work for us. That said, it very well may not work for others, as our dynamic is different.

The original 16 families involved had known each other for a long time. Many of us served together, several of us had worked together on a major PD, and been involved in gunfights together. Those kinds of relationships.

Requirements for new members are extremely stringent, and the entire process to be invited takes over a year, and requires a couple of votes, one of which must be unanimous.

The organization is kind of parliamentarian, with each family having a representative. There are SME's for various things (think Department Heads), which have a ton of leeway in their specialties. As an example, we have a Doctor in charge of Medical, who oversees all of the other medical personnel, when it comes to medical issues (quarantine procedures, staffing of the clinic, medical training for the rest of the group). These SME's report to the Council regularly to keep them up to date on issues, request funding, etc.

Our bylaws are extensive, and were all voted on by the membership. Family reps may change - but their vote is binding to the family in question. As an example, my wife may be the Rep for my family, but if she is unavailable to attend, I can go in her place. Whatever vote I make on issues is honored by her, and anyone else in my family. Most families hold mini-elections every year or so, to determine who they want representing them.

Realistically, the Council acts very much like a Board of Directors, with their only real purpose being to receive reports from the various SME's, oversee finances, and approve major purchases. The assigned SME's are really the ones in charge, and depending on the situation, different SME's will be the one everyone turns to.

If there is a security threat, the current Security Head has final say. In a medical emergency, the Medical Head does.

Now, we're all grownups, and this is a voluntary alliance, so the actual departments all work in a very democratic fashion. Our Security Head will not be ignoring our former SF guys when it comes to issues they are experts in, as an example. Our Medical Head won't ignore input from the other doctors or nurses, or medics. But, once a course of action is determined, the Heads are in charge of getting it done, with the ability to delegate.

If I am working on a construction project, I'm doing what the project managers want. If I'm helping in one of the fields, I do what our farming folks say.

It requires a large degree of trust that our SME's are, in fact, subject matter experts. They wouldn't be part of the group if they weren't, so that part is easy.

We currently have two full generations that have, or are growing up as part of the group, and we have a very solid training/mentoring program for them.

We have baseline standards for everyone, and specialty standards for specialists - everyone needs to be capable of hitting certain shooting benchmarks, with people who specialize in Security having more stringent standards. Everyone needs to have 1st responder/TCCC/CPR certs at a minimum, with EMT-B being highly encouraged. Medical specialists are required to have EMT-B to start.

It's very hard to explain in a (relatively) short post, as it is fairly intricate, but those are the highlights. We have an extremely eclectic group of professionals, so finding SME's that can get any project done is pretty easy.
 
Thank you Disturbed. Is it possible to get a redacted copy of your Bylaws and a rough group size if possible?
Thank you for the time you put into the post.


Attached is our Leadership Chart.

Redaction is not an option. We operate under multiple LLC's and their names are all over the bylaws. Any specifics, any video, and any pictures have to be cleared prior to release. I can say we are running a membership of over 100 adults at this time, and I might be able to answer individual questions, depending on what they are - as long as they do not touch on location, names, frequencies, or security specifics.
 
I understand. If no Bylaws how about a rough organizational chart perhaps?
I. Infrastructure
A. Power
1. Microhydro
2. Solar
3. Wind
4. Generators
5. Batteries
B. Water
1. Purification
2. Acquisition
a. Wells
b. Springs
c. Ponds/streams
d. Rain cachement
3. Storage
C. Waste Management
1. Septic
2. Incinerators/burn pits
3. Recycling/reuse
4. Burial
II. Security
A. Training (Initial/Sustainment)
1. Physical Fitness
2. Firearms
a. Handgun
b. Rifle
c. Shotgun
3. Empty hand
4. Small Unit Tactics
5. LP/OP Procedures
6. Physical Security Procedures
7. FPF Procedures
8. Vehicle Operations
9. E&E
10. Squad communications
11. Basic Reconnaissance
12. RON Procedures
13. Equipment familiarization
14. TCCC/CPR
15. Field Fortifications
16. Basic CQB
17. Combat Climbing Operations
18. Area Denial
19. Survival
20. Advanced Training
a. Advanced Reconnaissance
b. Sniping
c SIGINT
d. Advanced CQB
e. K9
f. Waterborne Operations
g. Electronic Specialist
h. Investigations/Interviews
i. Surveillance/Counter
B. Hide/LP/OP/Defensive Structure Maintenance
C. Physical Security of Infrastructure/ Buildings
D. Security Patrols
E. Unknown Contact
F. Convoy Security
G Member Rescue/Recovery
H. Electronic Equipment Placement/Monitoring
III. Medical
A. Training (Initial/Sustainment)
1. TCCC/1st Responder/CPR
2. Team Medic Training
3. AED
B. Clinic
C Quarantine/Pandemic Procedures
D. Medical Records Maintenance
E. Dental
IV. Admin
A. Legal
1. Maintain LLC's
2. Point of Contact
3. Recruit Background Investigations
4. Member Contracts
5. Legal Audits
6. Member Representation
B. Accounting
1. Maintain Group Accounts
2. Assist Security and Legal with background investigations.
3. Tax Issues
C. I.T.
1. Maintain Intranet/ Digital Library
2. Information Security/CounterSec
3. Hardware/Software Maintenance/Installation.
D. Acquisitions
1. Responsible for finding large-purchase deals
2. Organizes/Monitors Scavenging
3. Oversees Inventory Control
E. PR
1. Work with Legal as Point of Contact
2. Diplomacy
V. Construction/Mechanical
A. Responsible for all Construction/Maintenance
B. Responsible for all Vehicle Repair/Maintenance
1. Roads
2. Buildings
a. HVAC
b. Plumbing
c. Electrical
d. Structural installation/repair
3. Permanent Defensive Structures
4. Graves
5. Heavy Equipment
6. Range Maintenance
VI. Transportation
A. Responsible for all major deliveries to BOL
B. Responsible for moving large groups or items
VII. Food
A. Farms
B. Greenhouses
C. Livestock
D. Hunting/Fishing
E. Oversee inventory Control of Kitchen Supplies/Spices/Seeds/Food Stores
F. Run Communal Kitchen
G. Veterinary Services
VIII. Lifestyle
A. School
1. Provide education for children
2. Maintain inventory control of supplies/educational materials
B. Pool/Rec area Maintenance
C. Barber/Hairdressers
D. MWR
1. Maintain recreational/exercise equipment
2. Plan events
3. Decorate
4. Stock/run the bar
5. Maintain tanning beds
E. Counseling
F. Religious Services*
IX. Communications/Intelligence
A. Setup/Maintain TOC/Comm Center
B. Maintain/Test Communications Equipment and TTP's
C. Devise Communications Security Plan
D. Program all Group Radios
E. Monitor/Analyze Open-Source Intelligence
F. Maintain/Update Threat Matrix
G. SIGINT
H. HUMINT

* There is no group religion. We don't care what religion someone is, or even if they are religious. We have a "no trying to convert others" rule in effect. We do have a couple Pastors and a Priest in the group who are available for anyone seeking spritual guidance.

EVERYONE is expected to work 40 hrs a week. If there isn't anything to do in your "specialty," there is a job board with a giant list of stuff. Our Doctors are regularly working in the greenhouses, or, if checked-off, running patrols/standing a post. We have a nurse that fell in love with wrenching on cars.

The above is from memory, so I may be missing a couple things. What is listed is the fit-for-public version.
 
At our Christmas gathering this past Wednesday, we welcomed our new Gunsmith, his wife, and two teenagers and our new Locksmith/Carpenter, his wife and 3 kids! Both are "Masters" in their fields, both retired military, and both have much needed skills for our growing community! We ate far too much (I did anyway!)
 
I saw Dr Henley’s post about the movie “Don’t Look Up” and it reminded me of another disaster movie we watched a few evenings ago... "How It Ends"
How It Ends - Official Trailer – Netflix
Aside from all the REALLY STUPID things the character "Will" did, this movie made me think "what if" we had a Mega-tsunami that covered the peninsula with hundreds of feet of water (maybe the one that could come from a Canary Island landslide?)
https://www.e-education.psu.edu/earth107/node/1609We tend to think we are prepared for many potential emergencies with our heavily shielded facility, our multiple sources of energy, and our hefty food and water supplies...but really, could we survive being submerged underwater? I’d like to believe so, but I’m not sure.
 
Last edited:
Just when we completed upgrades that made me feel a little more secure, some stupid movie comes along to shatter any contentment.

If the peninsula was covered by a wave of water 100 plus feet high, here are some positive and negative facts:
  • Our ground is quite porous and the water would probably recede within a few days.
  • Our facility has been designed to be completely sealed from water and our air vents are all sealable.
  • We have a self-contained source of filtered air good for about 30 days when fully occupied.
  • We already have a good number of spare solar cells stored safely inside the facility (In case an EMP were to destroy our entire external solar array.)
  • Because ALL of our power generation is external, we have no INTERNAL energy source except for battery back-up, (that doesn't bode well for the months of chaos on the outside that would follow.)
  • Our rooftop solar panels could be smashed by debris in the fast moving water if not ripped from the rooftops.
  • Our natural gas generators would be underwater for perhaps weeks.
  • The tunnel from our school is water-tight but does NOT have a water-tight hatch on the school side
  • Our sub-zero freezer in the basement of the grocery (which we depend on for frozen meats and vegetables) would probably be ruined and along with that, our chances for long term survival.
Non- feasible mitigations:
  • Preventing the grocery basement from flooding - not built/designed to be watertight.
  • Moving the freezer inside the facility.
  • Building a new sub-zero freezer INSIDE the facility.
Possible mitigations:
  • If the surface water recedes, we could use battery power to pump the water out of the generator trench, school tunnel, and grocery basement. (no guarantee any of the generators would work properly.)
  • We could/should move at least one of our natural gas generators inside (off-line and unconnected) so that it could be moved outside (probably rooftop) to replace a damaged generator...it would supply power almost immediately. Comically, we just moved ALL the generators into the trench from the rooftop, but fortunately the gas-line is still in place, capped off. If the wave destroyed the gas lines coming into the facility and/or the State’s pipeline infrastructure, we'd have to focus all our resources on solar using our spares and any recoverable cells.
  • Make sure high capacity pumps are ready to empty the basement of water.
  • Make sure the freezer is water-tight, have the parts to repair the refrigeration unit, and run drills with our HVAC guy to install/repair the freezer the moment the water is pumped out.
  • Install pumps to quickly evacuate the water from the school tunnel OR install a water-tight door on the school side. (or both.)

    Regardless, such a wave COULD severely affect our long-term viability. There would be no surviving (large) wildlife to hunt on the outside, so unless we were successful in repairing enough of our energy capacity, we and any other survivors (perhaps those in sturdy high-rise buildings?) might eventually be dependent on the generosity of unaffected regions of the country coming to our aid?
 
Last edited:
Dave,
Long time since I have talked to you! How is your fish and chickens doing?
I think you are making a problem that is not exist with the big wave. You will not have this problem I think, but maybe leave one generator on the roofs if possible?
 
Dave,
Long time since I have talked to you! How is your fish and chickens doing?
I think you are making a problem that is not exist with the big wave. You will not have this problem I think, but maybe leave one generator on the roofs if possible?
Clair,
Fish hard to tell yet, rabbits much better than expected, chickens - lots of eggs already but we have yet to actually eat a chicken raised from chick to full grown. To be determined.
Yes, I agree, the wave scenario may be much ado about nothing, but I don't want to trap us in a tomb because we ignored that possibility. So we will plan for it.
 
I feel the same that I do not want to bury my people because I do something stupid.
 
I fear
total dark or
no air or
huge water amount pouring in or
all 3 at one time.
My fear is poetry?
We need many backups for all these before I am feeling safe inside.
It will be the spring time before we can work on these for this year!!
 
Yes, you're a poet Clair!
Every time I have a new fear, I try to come up with as many good solutions as I can. I just need to limit the number of disaster movies I watch!
 
Has anyone ever had a submerged generator as in above (minus the 100 foot wave part?) I wonder what the chances are that any would work when completely dry after being underwater?
 
Last edited:
It took a lot of effort to move all of the generators down to the trench, but the best solution is probably to move two of the generators back up to their original locations above the parking deck. They won't be as secure, but the wiring and gas lines are already in place. This is definitely one of those "don't put all your eggs in one basket" lessons.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top