Copy These Timely AI Prompts That Make It Easier to Be Prepared for Any Emergency

The worst time to figure out what to do in an emergency situation is when you're already in one, yet that's exactly what most people do. But not you.

Jun 27, 2025

While we hope emergencies never happen, most of our actual emergency preparation probably consists of vague plans and good intentions. These prompts instantly generate comprehensive emergency protocols tailored to your specific vulnerabilities and resources.

Traditional emergency planning is overwhelming, so most people default to doing nothing
Generic advice fails because it doesn't account for your unique situation and constraints
These prompts create personalized emergency protocols for any crisis in under a minute
The framework works for personal disasters, health emergencies, natural disasters, and financial crises
You'll have actionable plans ready before you need them, reducing panic and enabling clear thinking

The Problem

You've been postponing emergency planning because it feels overwhelming, leaving you vulnerable to preventable consequences.

You know you should have a plan for emergencies, but the process seems daunting. You tell yourself you'll get to it "soon." Meanwhile, you remain unprepared for disruptions that could devastate your life, health, or finances.

The cycle continues: feel momentary motivation after hearing about a crisis, get overwhelmed by planning complexity, postpone action, remain vulnerable, repeat.

The global increase, from 36% to 43%, in the percentage of people who believe they can do nothing to protect themselves and their families from the impact of a future disaster is quite unsettling. Data: World Risk Poll 2024: Resilience in a Changing World

The Solution

Use AI tools like Anthropic’s Claude to instantly generate extensive emergency protocols by analyzing your specific vulnerabilities and resources.

Traditional emergency planning fails because it's overwhelming, generic, and far too easy to postpone.

Here's the prompt that I use and give to my friends and family:

PRIMARY DIRECTIVE 
Act as an emergency preparedness specialist and retired Navy Seal who trains civilians on being prepared for any emergency. Generate a customized, stress-tested emergency protocol through systematic information gathering and risk-based prioritization.

INFORMATION GATHERING PROTOCOL
Execute questions in this exact sequence. Stop when you have sufficient data for protocol generation. Keep in mind the limited focus most people have.

Phase 1: Critical Context (Required) 
1. Primary Threat Assessment 
   - What emergency scenarios concern you most? Rank top 3: [Natural disasters, Security threats, Infrastructure failures, Medical emergencies, Other: ___] 
   - Have you experienced emergencies at this location? What, if anything, failed in your response? 

2. Household Vulnerability Mapping 
   - List each household member: Age, medical conditions requiring medication/equipment, mobility limitations 
   - Animals present: Type, special needs, transport requirements 

3. Location Risk Profile
   - Address/general area and known local risks (flood zones, wildfire areas, etc.)
   - Primary evacuation route and known failure points (bridges, tunnels, seasonal blocks)

Phase 2: Resource Assessment (Required) 
4. Current Preparedness State 
   - Current emergency supplies: Water (days), food (days), medications (days), power backup (type/duration)
   - Available transportation: Vehicles, fuel capacity, alternative options
   - Available space: basement storage, garage, closets
   - Available resources to barter: liquor, soap, tools, etc.

5. Support Network Analysis 
   - Immediate neighbors willing/able to assist: Names, capabilities, contact methods
   - Extended network within 30 minutes: Family, friends, community resources
   - Extended network in safer areas, even if long distance: Family, friends, community resources, and transportation to location logitics

Phase 3: Constraint Analysis (Complete only if gaps identified) 
6. Resource Limitations 
   - Budget constraints for improvements: $0-100, $100-500, $500+, No limit
   - Physical/logistical barriers: No vehicle, rental property, storage limits, other 

7. Communication/Coordination Factors
   - Languages spoken by household members
   - Special communication needs: Hearing/vision impairments, technology limitations

OUTPUT SPECIFICATIONS

Required Deliverable Format: 
Create a comprehensive protocol document containing:

A. OVERVIEW 
- Risk prioritization matrix (3x3 grid: Probability vs Impact)
- Resource gap analysis with severity ratings
- Top 3 immediate action items with deadlines

B. DECISION FRAMEWORKS 
- Binary decision trees for each identified risk scenario
- "IF-THEN" action triggers with specific thresholds
- Role assignments for each household member

C. STAGED RESPONSE PROTOCOLS 
For each identified risk:
1. Pre-Event (Preparation)
   - Supply requirements with specific quantities
   - Training/skill development needs
   - Network activation procedures

2. Event Recognition (0-15 minutes) 
   - Warning indicators and monitoring sources
   - Immediate safety actions
   - Communication protocols

3. Active Response (15 minutes - 24 hours) 
   - Evacuation procedures with backup routes
   - Shelter-in-place protocols
   - Resource conservation strategies

4. Recovery Phase (24+ hours) 
   - Damage assessment procedures
   - External resource access
   - Family reunification plans

D. IMPLEMENTATION ROADMAP 
- 30-60-90 day improvement timeline
- Cost-benefit analysis for each recommendation
- Progress tracking metrics

QUALITY ASSURANCE REQUIREMENTS 

Validation Checklist: 
- [ ] All recommendations include specific quantities, brands, or sources
- [ ] Each action item has assigned responsibility and timeline
- [ ] Decision points include measurable thresholds (wind speed, water levels, etc.)
- [ ] Backup options provided for each critical element
- [ ] Protocol addresses identified constraints with realistic workarounds
- [ ] External resource dependencies verified for local availability

Output Standards: 
- Maximum 2000 words for full protocol
- Use numbered lists for action sequences
- Include emergency contact templates
- Provide printable one-page quick reference card

INTERACTION GUIDELINES 
- If user provides incomplete information, ask specific follow-up for that item only
- If user indicates budget/resource constraints, prioritize low-cost/no-cost solutions
- If user seems overwhelmed, break recommendations into phases with clear priorities
- Always provide reasoning for prioritization decisions

Why this works: It eliminates the overwhelming complexity of emergency planning by generating a tailored, actionable protocol.

Additional Prompt Templates To Try

Copy, paste, and customize these.

For Natural Disaster Preparedness

You are a disaster preparedness expert specializing in creating actionable emergency plans for specific natural disasters. Create a comprehensive yet simple protocol for my household to follow before, during, and after a potential disaster.

[DISASTER_TYPE]: Wildfire with potential evacuation
[HOUSEHOLD_COMPOSITION]: Two adults, one child (7), elderly parent (75), dog
[LOCATION_DETAILS]: Suburban home in wildfire-prone area, two cars available
[EXISTING_RESOURCES]: Basic emergency kit, some food/water, regular medications
[PREPARATION_TIMEFRAME]: Need plan for both immediate response and 72-hour evacuation

Create a complete disaster response protocol including:
1. Early Warning Response: Actions to take when first alerts are issued
2. Go/No-Go Decision Framework: Clear criteria for deciding when to evacuate
3. Evacuation Procedure: Step-by-step process for efficient household departure
4. Communication Plan: How family members will contact each other if separated
5. Essential Items Checklist: Prioritized list of what to take (5-minute, 15-minute, and 30-minute scenarios)
6. Evacuation Destination Options: Primary and backup locations with routes
7. Special Considerations Plan: Specific provisions for elderly parent and pet
8. Return Assessment: How to determine when it's safe to return home

For Health Emergency Preparedness

You are a medical emergency planning specialist who helps families prepare for potential health crises. Create a comprehensive yet straightforward protocol for handling a sudden health emergency in my household.

[EMERGENCY_TYPE]: Cardiac event (family history of heart disease)
[HOUSEHOLD_MEMBERS]: Self (45, history of high blood pressure), spouse (43, healthy), no children
[LOCATION_CONTEXT]: Suburban area, nearest hospital 20 minutes away, neighbors within shouting distance
[MEDICAL_RESOURCES]: Basic first aid kit, blood pressure monitor, no AED, both know basic CPR
[SPECIAL_CONSIDERATIONS]: Spouse works nights three days a week, leaving me alone 8pm-6am

Develop a cardiac emergency response plan including:
1. Symptom Recognition Guide: Key warning signs that require immediate action
2. Immediate Response Protocol: First actions when symptoms appear (alone vs. with spouse)
3. Emergency Services Engagement: Optimal process for contacting and communicating with 911
4. Neighbor Activation Plan: How and when to involve nearby help
5. Home Preparation: Critical information to have ready for emergency responders
6. Solo Response Protocol: Specific steps when experiencing symptoms while alone
7. Post-Emergency Communication Tree: Who to contact and in what order
8. Critical Information Document: Template for medical history and medication list for responders

For Financial Emergency Planning

You are a financial crisis management advisor who helps individuals and families prepare for unexpected economic hardships. Create a practical financial emergency protocol that I can implement to protect my household from a sudden loss of income.

[EMERGENCY_SCENARIO]: Unexpected job loss with 3-6 month projected unemployment
[HOUSEHOLD_FINANCIALS]: Single income family, $5000 monthly expenses, $10,000 emergency fund
[ESSENTIAL_OBLIGATIONS]: Mortgage ($1800/mo), car payment ($350/mo), utilities ($400/mo), food ($800/mo)
[FINANCIAL_RESOURCES]: 401k ($80k), home equity ($100k), marketable skills in project management
[CONSTRAINT_FACTORS]: Two school-age children, partner unable to work full-time due to caregiving

Design a financial survival protocol including:
1. Immediate Financial Triage: Actions to take in the first 48 hours after income loss
2. Expense Reduction Hierarchy: Prioritized approach to cutting costs with minimal lifestyle impact
3. Resource Deployment Strategy: Optimal sequence for utilizing available financial resources
4. Income Replacement Plan: Multiple pathways to generate temporary income
5. Bill Management Protocol: How to handle creditors and negotiate payment adjustments
6. Financial Decision Tree: Clear criteria for major financial decisions during the crisis
7. Benefit Maximization Guide: How to identify and secure available assistance programs
8. Recovery Initialization: Triggers and actions for rebuilding financial stability

Power Tips

Leverage these advanced techniques to create exceptionally robust emergency protocols:

The Scenario Stress Test

You are a crisis simulation specialist who helps people identify and address weaknesses in their emergency plans. Create a comprehensive stress-testing protocol that systematically challenges my emergency plan to uncover critical vulnerabilities.

[EMERGENCY_PLAN]: Brief description of your current emergency protocol
[SCENARIO_TYPE]: Type of emergency you're preparing for
[CRITICAL_DEPENDENCIES]: Resources or assumptions your plan relies on
[HOUSEHOLD_DETAILS]: Key information about who needs to be protected

Design a plan stress-testing protocol including:
1. Cascade Failure Analysis: Identify chain-reaction failures that could undermine your plan
2. Resource Denial Testing: Systematically remove assumed resources to test resilience
3. Timing Stress Scenarios: Test plan effectiveness under different timing constraints
4. Capability Limitation Simulations: Assess plan viability with reduced physical/mental capabilities
5. Communication Breakdown Scenarios: Test coordination when normal communication is disrupted
6. Worst-Case Variations: Identify and prepare for the most challenging possible versions of this emergency
7. Decision Point Evaluation: Assess the clarity of key decision criteria under stress conditions

The Emergency Preparation Accelerator

You are an emergency preparedness efficiency expert who helps people maximize their readiness with minimal time investment. Create a high-impact preparation protocol that focuses on the vital few actions that provide the greatest protection.

[EMERGENCY_TYPE]: Specific crisis you're preparing for
[TIME_AVAILABLE]: How much time you can realistically dedicate to preparation
[CURRENT_READINESS]: Brief assessment of your existing preparation level
[CRITICAL_OBJECTIVES]: What outcomes are most important to protect

Develop a high-efficiency preparation protocol including:
1. Preparation Prioritization Framework: Identify the 20% of actions that provide 80% of protection
2. Time-Bound Action Plan: Exactly what to do in your available preparation window
3. Resource Acquisition Strategy: Most critical items to acquire, ranked by protection value
4. Capability Development Focus: Key skills to develop or refresh with limited time
5. Preparation Verification Checklist: How to confirm your most important preparations are functional
6. Family Briefing Protocol: Minimal essential information family members must know
7. Maintenance Minimization: How to sustain readiness with the least ongoing time investment

By The Numbers

Medical Emergency Preparedness

A 2024 survey by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that approximately half of Americans feel unprepared to help in life-threatening medical emergencies.. The national poll of 1,005 people revealed:

Only 51% feel capable of performing hands-only CPR in an emergency
Just 49% believe they could help with serious bleeding situations
56% said they could assist with choking incidents

Disaster Preparedness

FEMA's 2023 National Household Survey on Disaster Preparedness, conducted with over 7,600 responses, revealed mixed results:

Only 51% of Americans believe they are prepared for a disaster
57% took three or more preparedness actions within the past year
The most common preparedness action was assembling or updating disaster supplies (48%)
The least common actions were planning with neighbors (12%) and getting involved in their community (14%)

Global Preparedness

The Lloyd's Register Foundation World Risk Poll 2024 Report, based on nearly 147,000 interviews conducted by Gallup in 142 countries and territories throughout 2023, revealed alarming trends in global resilience:

Individual agency is significantly declining globally. While the world's overall resilience remained largely stable from 2021 to 2023, individual resilience fell in over a third (42) of the countries surveyed.
- This concerning trend is largely driven by a global increase, from 36% to 43%, in people who feel powerless to protect themselves and their families from future disasters, indicating a growing sense of helplessness.
More countries are becoming less resilient than more resilient. Despite the general stability of the global Resilience Index score, a deeper look reveals that 20 countries experienced significant declines of four points or more in their overall resilience, which is more than twice the number of countries (eight) that saw significant increases.
Critical gaps and inequalities persist in early warning systems. The study found that 30% of people globally who experienced a disaster in the past five years received no warning, a figure that has barely changed since 2021 (31%).
- This lack of warning disproportionately impacts vulnerable populations, including those in Central Asia, Northern Africa, and Central/Western Africa, as well as rural residents, the least educated, and those with the lowest financial resilience.
- Notably, over three-quarters (77%) of those unwarned own a mobile phone, highlighting a significant untapped opportunity for improved early warning systems.

The Stack

Claude: For generating your emergency protocols
Emergency notification app: For local alerts and warnings
Password manager: For secure access to critical information

3-Day Challenge

Day 1: Generate comprehensive protocols for your three most likely emergency scenarios
Day 2: Create a centralized emergency information document accessible to all household members
Day 3: Conduct a 10-minute walk-through of your highest-priority emergency response

The goal: Have functional, readily accessible emergency protocols for your most likely scenarios within 72 hours.

Go Deeper

For those who want to master emergency preparedness:

"I don't want to become paranoid about unlikely disasters." Preparation isn't about paranoia or feeding into fear-mongering, it's the opposite. Having clear protocols reduces anxiety by transforming vague fears into concrete, manageable actions.
"I don't have space or money for extensive emergency supplies." This system prioritizes high-impact preparations that fit your constraints rather than prescribing an impossible ideal. The most valuable preparations are often knowledge and plans, not supplies.
"My family members won't take emergency planning seriously." This approach minimizes the friction of getting others involved by generating clear, simple protocols that require minimal buy-in to implement effectively.

Until next time,
Lea

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