Tiered preparedness: a framework, not a bunker A three-tier preparedness framework for AGI-related disruption — matched to how severe and how likely each scenario actually is, from everyday readiness up.
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06 Continuity
Treat this like any other long-tail risk
Potential AI-related disruption can be planned for with the same all-hazards methods used for outages, financial shocks, and natural disasters. Start with broadly useful, evidence-based resilience rather than assuming a specific AGI scenario.
Tiered preparedness
Plan in tiers rather than taking an all-or-nothing posture. Each tier assumes the one before it is already in place.
- Tier 1 — Disruption (weeks)
Job-market shock, service outages, information chaos. Addressed by the financial and digital protocols in chapter 03.
- Tier 2 — Regional instability (weeks to months)
Infrastructure strain and supply disruption. Addressed by standard household emergency preparedness: water, food, power, medical and communications reserves sized to your household.
- Tier 3 — Severe, extended disruption (months or longer)
A genuine low-probability tail scenario. Addressed by community coordination, skills and location resilience — not by any individual purchase.
Core household reserves
Figures below summarize all-hazards guidance from Ready.gov and the CDC's emergency-water guidance; they are not AGI-specific numbers.
| Reserve | Baseline | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Water | 1 gallon per person per day; several days minimum, working toward 2 weeks where feasible | Adjust for climate, health needs and pets; use safe storage and treatment guidance. |
| Food | Several days minimum; expand gradually | Buy what your household actually eats, and rotate it. |
| Power | Tested backup sized to essentials | Prioritize medical and communications needs. Follow manufacturer guidance; never operate a combustion generator indoors or in an enclosed space, and prevent electrical backfeed. |
| Medical | Plan with a clinician or pharmacist | Keep medication and allergy lists, prescription copies, safe storage and device-power plans. |
| Cash | A secure amount of small bills appropriate to the household | For short payment outages, balanced against theft and fire risk. |
| Documents | Physical and encrypted copies | IDs, deeds, insurance, medical records — stored in more than one location. |
Skills and community — the real Tier 3 asset
Community is a force multiplier
Supplies cannot replace a functioning local network: neighbors, extended family, a faith or civic community, and tradespeople you know. Relationships expand the information, skills, transport, care, and recovery capacity available to a household. Build them before an emergency, with consent and realistic expectations.
Practical skills worth having regardless of scenario: first aid and CPR training from a recognized provider, safe basic home maintenance, and enough financial literacy to run a household budget without relying on automated tools you may not trust or be able to reach.
Tier 1–2: standard prep Tier 3: community
What this chapter is not
This is continuity planning for a disruptive economic and informational transition — not a plan premised on armed conflict with an autonomous system, which is neither a realistic individual response nor something this manual will speculate about mechanically. The levers against that scenario are institutional and technical, and they are covered in chapters 04 and 05.
In this chapter
Core household reserves: the standard checklist The standard water, food, power, medical, and financial reserves every household needs — independent of the cause of disruption, per CDC and USDA guidance.
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Financial continuity planning How to structure household finances so they hold up through weeks or months of disruption, starting with a written essential-obligations map of every bill.
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Community and local networks: the highest-return investment Why local relationships — not supplies — are the strongest predictor of how a household fares through severe, extended disruption, via consented, bounded roles.
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Skills worth building either way Prioritize practical skills in first aid, repair, food, communications, judgment and community coordination that remain useful across disruption scenarios.
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Relocating or staying put: how to decide How to decide between staying put and relocating during a serious disruption — and why the decision framework matters more than either specific plan.
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Water, power and food security Plan household water, backup power, food storage and safe sanitation for disruptions lasting beyond a standard emergency reserve, without panic buying.
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Psychological preparedness: staying grounded under uncertainty Use evidence from disaster psychology to distinguish healthy vigilance from paralysis, engage seriously with AI risk and protect everyday mental health.
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Organizing a local mutual aid group: a practical starting guide Concrete first steps for turning 'community is the highest-return investment' into an actual working network of neighbors, with defined roles and stop points.
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Escalation triggers: deciding before you're afraid Learn how to define observable escalation triggers and preplanned household responses before a crisis, reducing impulsive decisions under acute stress.
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