Keeping yourself and your family safe in a crisis: plan, communication, information and money
How to protect your family in a crisis: meeting points and a communication plan, how to check information and avoid panic, how to protect your data, money and home, plus a checklist.
In short
- Security in a crisis means preventing danger and making good decisions under pressure, not living on high alert.
- Agree on two meeting points and write the important numbers on paper.
- Check warnings only from official sources and do not pass on rumours.
- Protect lives before property: avoid confrontation and get out of danger's way.
Security is one of the basic needs in a crisis, right after water, food and warmth. It is not about weapons or bunkers but a few habits that cut risk: a plan, a prepared home, checked information and money to hand.
1. Personal security
- Look around you: where the exits, stairs and safe spots are.
- Avoid dangerous areas: damaged buildings, swollen rivers, fires, tense crowds.
- A charged phone and a flashlight always with you.
- Tell someone where you are going and your route when you head into a risky area.
- Avoid confrontation: if a situation turns tense, walk away.
2. The home
- Good locks, secured windows, outdoor lighting, see home security.
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, see smoke and CO alarms.
- Tall furniture fixed to the wall, see securing furniture.
- Clear escape routes.
- Do not announce publicly when you are away or where you keep valuables.
3. Family and communication
In a crisis, family members may be in different places: at work, at school, on the road.
- Two meeting points: one near home and one outside the neighbourhood, in case the first cannot be reached.
- An out-of-town contact everyone checks in with to say they are safe.
- Important numbers on paper, in your wallet and your bag.
- Text instead of calling when the network is busy.
- Alternative routes home and to the meeting points.
All written down: the family emergency plan.
4. Information
Rumours and fake news cause panic and dangerous decisions.
- Check warnings only from official sources: emergency alerts, civil protection, local authorities, the national weather service.
- Do not pass on anything unverified.
- Keep a battery radio for when the internet is down, see emergency radios.
- Limit time spent on alarming news: it is exhausting and feeds anxiety.
5. Data and accounts
- Different passwords and two-factor authentication for email and banking.
- Encrypted digital copies of documents, plus paper copies, see important documents.
- Do not post in real time where your children or family are.
6. Money
- Cash in small notes for when cards do not work, see cash in a crisis.
- Do not panic-buy because of rumours.
- Do not give bank details to people claiming to offer help or compensation.
Checklist
- We know two ways out of the home and the neighbourhood
- We have two meeting points and a contact person
- Important numbers are written on paper
- Flashlights, batteries and a charged power bank
- Smoke alarms tested
- Documents copied, cash set aside
- Water, medicines and a first aid kit
- We know where to check official warnings
The basic rule: protect lives before property and follow the authorities’ instructions.
Frequently asked questions
Will my phone work in a crisis?
Networks get congested quickly. Text messages often get through when calls fail. Keep a power bank charged and choose an out-of-town contact person everyone calls.
How do I spot a scam during a crisis?
Watch for messages or calls asking for bank details, codes or money for 'emergency aid', compensation or donations. Official bodies never ask for passwords or codes. Check directly on the official website or by calling a number you already know.
Sources and further reading
Preper is for general education and does not replace instructions from your local authorities or advice from a doctor. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.