Decisions and actions
Ask whether staying has become unsafe
Prioritize immediate threats—fire, flood, severe exposure, violence, inaccessible essential healthcare, or verified inability to secure safe water and toilets. Compare those risks against the hazards of travel and the receiving location. Seek official evacuation instructions and shelter referrals when available. A forecast of societal breakdown is not by itself an emergency evacuation order.
Write down: Record the local risk, source, observation time and safe alternative.
Check six receiving-location conditions
Confirm legal permission or an official referral, safe water, toilets and waste separation, suitable temperature protection, reliable nutrition access, and reachable medical care. For dependents, add caregiver continuity, school access and accessibility. Crowding and indoor smoke can make a structurally solid shelter dangerous. Where feasible, call the receiving organization before traveling.
Write down: Do not trade a stable accessible treatment plan for an unverified address.
Move with continuity rather than improvisation
Pack necessary prescriptions, records, durable clothing, mobility aids, sanitation items and paper contact information. Establish reunification roles for children and people with disabilities. Save dated referrals, case numbers and housing communications; avoid handing originals to unauthorized intermediaries. After arrival, promptly verify water, toilets, treatment access and a safe sleeping arrangement.
Write down: Make a family check-in plan; stop and seek professional help if care requirements cannot be met.
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: shelter and displacement — relevant section
- Revised research report: shelter and displacement — relevant section
- Outside-agents report: water health and medicine — relevant section
- Revised research report: water health and medicine — relevant section
Browse all 20 complete scenario reports · Review the ten foundational readiness guides
Frequently asked questions
Is an abandoned building suitable emergency shelter?
It may be unsafe or unlawful, with unknown structural hazards, water quality and sanitation. Prefer approved, verified accommodation.
What matters most when choosing a destination?
Not distance alone: safe water, sanitation, medical access, legal occupancy, temperature control and continuity of caregiving determine whether a place is workable.
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.