1
Stabilize life safety first
LeadCheck immediate danger, injuries, evacuation/shelter instructions, medical power, smoke/flood/wind exposure, and ability to call for help.
Flagship preparedness tool
Situation Action Planner
Turn a real situation — your people, constraints, resources, time horizon, and current concern — into a prioritized action plan you can print, copy, and share.
Deterministic.
Rules-based output, no account, no hidden profile.
Rules-based output, no account, no hidden profile.
Works offline from inputs.
Optional dashboard context never blocks the plan.
Optional dashboard context never blocks the plan.
Action-first.
Do now, do next, do today, watch/verify.
Do now, do next, do today, watch/verify.
Check the live HazardNow dashboard
Use this page to understand this planning topic. Use the live dashboard to see current alerts, infrastructure stress, weather, wildfire, travel, public-health, supply-chain, and stability indicators in one place.
Emergency and official-alert reminder
HazardNow is planning support only. It does not replace official emergency alerts, local emergency management, first responders, medical professionals, utilities, or road-closure authorities. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911 or your local emergency number.
Do now
Life safety and irreversible decisions first.
2
Pick one official information channel
Info leadChoose your local emergency management or NWS source as the primary reference before chasing secondary reports.
3
Account for everyone
Household leadConfirm who is present, who needs help, and how to reach anyone away from home; set one shared decision-maker for the next step.
Do next
Stabilize communications, supplies, and logistics.
1
Make a one-hour decision point
Planning leadSet a timer and define what change would trigger sheltering, evacuation, closure, calling for help, or switching to backup communications.
2
Build a 3-column board
Planning leadList what is known, what is uncertain, and what decision must be made in the next hour.
3
Create a household check-in rhythm
Comms leadPick the next two check-in times and decide when you will switch from monitoring to sheltering, leaving, or calling for help.
4
Decide whether travel is realistic
Logistics leadIf vehicle fuel is low, choose nearby shelter options, official transport information, or trusted pickup plans before roads or supplies worsen.
5
Create a no-internet communications fallback
Comms leadWrite down phone numbers, out-of-area contact, meeting points, and a check-in schedule in case cell or internet service degrades.
Do today
Sustain the plan if conditions last longer.
1
Stage leave-fast essentials
Logistics leadPack IDs, medications, chargers, keys, cash, water, snacks, pet items, masks, and weather-appropriate clothing near the exit.
Watch / verify
Confirm signals before changing course.
1
Confirm official instructions before changing course
Info leadUse HazardNow for context, but make protective decisions from official alerts, local emergency management, first responders, utilities, health agencies, and transportation authorities.
Do not do
- Do not wait for perfect information before taking obvious life-safety steps.
- Do not forward unverified reports that could confuse household or team decisions.
- Do not treat HazardNow as a replacement for official emergency alerts, local emergency management, first responders, medical professionals, utilities, or road-closure authorities.
- Do not delay calling 911 or local emergency services when there is immediate danger, severe symptoms, fire, entrapment, violence, or life-threatening conditions.
Household/team assignments
- Lead: make the next shelter/leave/wait decision for the household and stop unsafe tasks.
- Info lead: monitor official alerts and give one concise update at the next check-in time.
- Care lead: handle mobility, medical, child, older adult, and access/functional needs.
- Supplies lead: stage water, medications, food, lighting, charging, documents, and sanitation items.
- Comms lead: preserve batteries, send status messages, and maintain the check-in schedule.
Official information checklist
- ✓Local emergency management alerts, evacuation/shelter instructions, and shelter locations.
- ✓911/local emergency number for immediate life safety; non-emergency lines only when appropriate.
- ✓National Weather Service watches, warnings, advisories, and Wireless Emergency Alerts.
- ✓Utility, transportation, school, employer, and public health updates that affect your exact area.
Suggested HazardNow tools next
HazardNow DashboardCheck broad public hazard and infrastructure signals before deciding what to monitor next.Weather Alert Meaning DecoderTranslate watches, warnings, advisories, and emergency wording into practical urgency.Evacuation Time-Budget PrioritizerPrioritize what to do if official instructions or conditions require leaving quickly.
Share with household/team
Plain-text summary for text message, radio readout, email, or notes.
How to use this planner responsibly
Use HazardNow to organize decisions and point you toward public signals. For protective action, always verify official alerts and instructions from local emergency management, public safety agencies, public health authorities, utilities, transportation departments, and first responders.
If your plan depends on roads, evacuation, medication, medical devices, smoke exposure, floodwater, violence, fire, or structural damage, treat official instructions and qualified professionals as authoritative.
You can also review what HazardNow tracks, the data sources directory, and the live dashboard.