Decisions and actions
0–6 hours: establish what is actually failing
Count every person who needs care, including children, older adults and anyone who cannot travel independently. Check whether taps, toilets, heat or cooling, electricity, phones and nearby clinical services are working. Call emergency services for an immediate threat rather than waiting to complete this checklist. Record only confirmed service information, where it came from, and when it was checked. Avoid sharing the names or locations of vulnerable households publicly.
Write down: Create two lists: urgent care and verified available services. Write a paper contact and reunification plan.
6–24 hours: protect lifelines before comfort
Determine whether your drinking water source is known safe, and whether sewage or public notices suggest contamination. Boiling treats many biological hazards but not chemical contamination. List prescriptions and days of supply; speak with a clinician or pharmacist before any critical treatment interruption. Check safe food, infant feeding, sanitation products and medically necessary power or refrigeration. Never bring grills, camp stoves or generators inside living spaces.
Write down: Keep a written medication and service-contact sheet, secured away from public access.
24–72 hours: organize a repeatable routine
Make a simple seven-day resource ledger: what is available, who needs it, replenishment route, confirmation date and consequence of failure. Prioritize rent or shelter assistance, essential utilities, food programs, transportation to healthcare, and legitimate benefit appeals early. Arrange voluntary neighbor check-ins; confirm that no one person becomes sole keeper of supplies or critical records. Update the plan when official advice changes.
Write down: Set a daily check time and separate facts, questions and unverified rumors.
Evidence and report sections
These sources explain plausible failure mechanisms and the limits of different responses. They do not establish that the scenario is occurring.
- Outside-agents report: income and household — relevant section
- Revised research report: income and household — relevant section
- Outside-agents report: water health and medicine — relevant section
- Revised research report: water health and medicine — relevant section
- Outside-agents report: durable community — relevant section
- Revised research report: durable community — relevant section
Browse all 20 complete scenario reports · Review the ten foundational readiness guides
Frequently asked questions
Should I leave home immediately?
Not solely because a dramatic prediction suggests collapse. Move when immediate local hazards, official instructions or a confirmed lack of essential services make staying unsafe. Verify the destination before leaving.
What should I print first?
A contact list, essential medical summary, household needs ledger, and dated record of service notices are useful starting points. Keep completed forms private.
Related practical information
Read the foundational guide · Continuity Desk printable worksheets · Seven decision guides
Editorial method: synthesis of owner-provided conditional reports and the Civilian Survival During Total Economic Exclusion field guide. Specific recommendations require local professional guidance when risks are immediate. Updated 2026-10-09.