The Act of Surviving
At a Glance The whole sequence on one page: every stage from the immediate safety decision through operating as a community, key points included, with the branch to Recovery made explicit rather than implied. Built to print and keep somewhere visible. Each stage still links to its own full chapter for the actual how-to; this page is a map, not a replacement.
Download PDF Print The Act of Surviving, at a glance A one-page map of the full sequence: immediate safety, assess within 1 hour, stabilize within 3 hours, take inventory within 24 hours, settle in within 3 days, and the 14-day decision to extend or stand down. If continuing, the operating rhythm covers Tier 2 running the extended plan, Tier 3 sustaining indefinitely, and Tier 4 operating as a community. Recovery is reachable from any stage that resolves, not fixed at the end. The Act of Surviving: At a Glance One page, the whole sequence. Each row links to its full chapter for the actual how-to. Right now Is it safe? Drop/Cover/Hold On · lowest room · get out, stay out · don't drown. Make it safe (utility shutoff, seal air, move rooms), or evacuate. Full decision tree and four reflexes: What to Do Right Now. Within 1 hour Assess Check people for injury, sort by severity if more than one hurt. Check hazards (gas, damage, lines) · account for pets. Text, don't call · turn on a radio for official information. Within 3 hours Stabilize Confirm shelter is real (~2–3 hrs if sealed), not assumed. Treat injuries beyond the first check · get warm if needed. Count real water, food, and medication for the next 3 days. Within 24 hours Take Inventory Walk the house, count what's actually there, not a guess. Check on nearby family · document damage before cleanup. Stand up sanitation if needed · guess at duration. Within 3 days Settle In Real rationing plan running, not just supplies sitting there. FIFO tracking started · scheduled comms check-ins. Isolate anyone sick · reassess duration honestly. Within 14 days Extend, or stand down? The explicit decision point, deliberate, not a slow drift. Redo the full assessment either way, things have changed. Tier 1 covers roughly this window, know which path you're on. → resolving? go to Recovery below · continuing? Tier 2 next STILL GOING: THE OPERATING RHYTHM (TIER 2-4) Weeks – months Running the Extended Plan A weekly rhythm: standing slots for water, food, sanitation, fuel. Labor split by category, not decided fresh each day. Watch decision fatigue · reassess weekly or monthly. Indefinite Sustaining Indefinitely A seasonal rhythm: plant, grow, harvest, gather fuel for winter. Pace for an undefined horizon, real rest actually matters. Cross-train so no single person is a point of failure. Community Operating as a Community Approach people you already trust first, one ring out. Regular check-ins, shared-resource scheduling, a live roster. Share the load deliberately, avoid burning out one person. Reachable from any row above Recovery Re-entry safety and documentation first, in that order. Then the claims process: insurance, FEMA, contractor vetting. Feed lessons back into Prepare, a new beginning, not an end. Parts 1-5 grounded in the "rule of threes" and FEMA/Red Cross's 72-hour baseline. Tier 2-4 rhythms sourced to off-grid/homesteading and sustained-operations research.