Contingency Plans: Your First Two Weeks
If the 72-hour plan covers the immediate response, the two-week shelter-in-place plan covers what happens when the emergency DOESN’T resolve in three days — when the power stays out… water service isn’t restored… and when you’re genuinely on your own for an extended period.
Why two weeks?
Two weeks is the target because it covers the vast majority of real-world infrastructure disruptions — most power outages, most water service interruptions, most supply chain disruptions resolve within this window. A household prepared to shelter in place comfortably for two weeks is prepared for almost everything it’s realistically likely to face.
What the two-week plan addresses:
Water management:
- How much is stored?
- Where is it stored?
- How it’s being rationed?
- What happens if stored water runs out before the situation resolves?
The plan should include the location and protocol for backup water sources and purification.
Food management:
- What’s available?
- In what quantities?
- In what order should it be used?
- Perishables first.
- Then refrigerated.
- Then frozen.
- Then shelf-stable.
A rough meal plan for two weeks prevents decision fatigue and ensures supplies are used efficiently.
Power management:
- What backup power is available?
- What can it carry?
- How long will it last?
- What the recharging plan?
Prioritization of power use:
- Medical devices first.
- Then communication.
- Then refrigeration.
- Then lighting..
Waste management:
- Toilet flushing protocol when water pressure is reduced or absent.
- Alternative waste disposal if the sewer system is affected.
Hygiene protocol:
- Minimum hygiene standards with limited water?
- How to maintain sanitation for food preparation?
- Wound care?
- Personal hygiene with constrained resources?
Information and communication:
- Daily check-in times with family members and neighbors.
What you’re monitoring for:
- Emergency broadcasts.
- Utility restoration updates
- Weather information.
Mental health and morale:
- How do you maintain normalcy and routine during an extended disruption?
- What activities?
- What structure?
- What small comforts that keep the household functioning emotionally as well as physically?
Household roles:
- Who’s responsible for what?
- Who manages water?
- Food?
- Communication,?
- Who handles medical issues?
Defined roles prevent gaps and reduce conflict.
Exit criteria:
- At what point does the shelter-in-place plan transition to an evacuation plan?
- What conditions trigger the change?
When you fail to plan.. You… (You know the rest!)
