Thinking the long term survivalist totally depends on the elements. It's not just a freeze that will cause a pepper to go dormant but sudden drops in temps as well.
If you have a prized pepper and it's too big to move indoors you may want to consider propagation by cuttings. My Mother takes that approach ever year and always has peppers. She says they are initially introduced to the indoor climate of her house. Thus, not going through any climate swings.
