I am subject to correction and admonition, but I think that most SHTF scenarios are more serious than hurricanes etc. 15kt, EMP, and pandemic are all realistic threats. A winter slip of the New Madrid fault would turn us into east and west America for a while - longer than the normal 72 hour planning scenario. Cyber and bio war are probably presently limited to state actors, but not for long. Then again, there are some competent state actors who are not particularly friendly and might decide that knocking everyone back to 1900 would actually favor them. Bottom line - we are used to someone - the Sheriif, fire department , Red Cross FEMA, National Guard, 82d Abn etc, coming in to rescue us. There are reasonable scenarios where that aid does not arrive for an extended period or at all.
I just don't agree as to the probability of the stuff you're talking about.
or at all.
Even wars end.
I’m in agreement with you. I think most people rule out the EMP by nucs or extreme solar flares as being too far fetched. EMP is one of the only things that will send our civilization back 200 years in an instant. If people read “One Second After” I think they would understand better the suddenness of the change in an instant. Besides, the same scenario is applicable for a catastrophic financial collapse, a modern all-out no-holds barred world war, or catastrophic environmental disaster.