/ first_moves
Do these first
/ failure_mode
How this plan fails
Do not stay put through immediate hazards: fire, gas leak, building collapse, rising floodwater, or serious injury.
/ avoid
Do not spend your first mistake here
- Leaving early to inspect damage.
- Standing near windows to watch.
Shelter is not just a roof. It is distance, mass, and air control.
For fallout, the best nearby shelter is usually a basement or the center of a large brick or concrete building. For smoke or chemical outdoor-air problems, the best move may be closing outside air and creating a cleaner room. For floodwater, the best shelter may be higher ground outside the building.
The rule is simple: choose the shelter that blocks the hazard in front of you, not the hazard you imagined last week.
Keep a radio, water, light, first-aid kit, phone battery, and sanitation supplies in the shelter area. If you cannot leave for a day, comfort becomes safety.