I've thought about this issue for some time, both regarding the V and our
own little cabin in the woods. My conclusion is that it's really an illusion
to think you could survive for long given a total loss of infrastructure,
with or without the cabinets in the V packed up tight. Even with a moderate
loss of infrastructure, as in Cuba (thank you, Hon. Sen. Helms) there's a
huge increase in death rate. With a larger damage to infrastructure, as in
Somalia in the early 90's or in Iraq right now, the death rate is astronomical.

Consider the ramifications of the mere loss of electricity in North
America--with no other damage to infrastructure than that. No bombing, no
earthquakes, no floods, no plagues. Just the loss of electricity. Within a
few weeks there is no food supply, no medical care, no law enforcement, no
transportation (how far will your V go on one full tank of gas?), no
drinking water--and on and on. We are dependent, like it or not.

I'm old enough to vaguely recall those 16mm films they showed in classrooms
in the 1950's. After a nuclear attack, the first thing you were supposed to
do, after you got your little head unstuck from the desk you were under, was
take a hot shower to wash off the radiation. Thank you for that advice,
Uncle Sam. And where would the nearest shower be?

That said, it can't hurt to keep the water tank full and 10 lbs of rice in
the cabinet.

And plenty of soap in case someone drops a nuke on ya.