How to use · risk · family plan

1. How to use this guide

Essential. Read this once calmly on a normal day. Fill the blanks in §3, §16 (who takes what), §19, and §21 FILLs. Confirm Anker units on-site (§13). Print or save PDF. Keep one copy offline on a charged device plus USB.

Three decision modes

1. Shelter-in-place (default) — Home is safer than roads. Power cut, storm, snowed-in lane, minor flood warning elsewhere. Stay put, conserve heat/water/comms, follow playbooks.
2. Evacuate with time — Official advice, rising flood water threatening property, structural risk, or prolonged isolation with medical need. Take grab bags, documents, dog, phones, meds. Lock up if safe. Tell your out-of-area contact.
3. Fire / leave empty-handed — Get everyone (and dog) out first. Do not search for bags. Meet at the outdoor meeting point. Call 999 from outside or a neighbour’s phone. Clothes and kit can be replaced; people cannot.

Rule of thumb: If you can smell smoke, hear a CO alarm, or see rising water at the threshold — leave immediately. Kit comes second.

Carbon monoxide — never ignore

Never use petrol/diesel generators, charcoal BBQs, camping stoves, or portable gas heaters indoors or in a garage/conservatory attached to living space. They produce carbon monoxide (CO), which you cannot smell and which kills. Only use outdoor-rated kit outdoors, well away from doors and windows. Charcoal can keep producing CO for hours after flames look extinguished — leave it outdoors while cooling. Petrol generators: outdoors only, generous spacing from openings (practical ≥6 m), never back-feed a wall socket. Keep CO alarms fitted and tested. If a CO alarm sounds: get fresh air, go outside, call 999 if anyone feels ill (headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion).

Refresh this guide yearly (or after a real event). Update phone numbers, meds, and kit expiry dates.

1a. Info bank (chapters 01–16 + perplexity/)

Useful. Deeper offline reference is on this site at Info bank (same Cloudflare Access). Use Download info bank in the top bar for the zip.

Copy the zip onto phone/USB for Faraday-bag offline use — see /info-bank/README-offline.md.

Critical net-new numbers from the digest are also folded into §§ below (water maths, EA warning timings, Starlink duty cycle, FSA freezer hours, Cumberland report contacts). Prefer UK primary sources if anything disagrees.

2. Local risk picture — Irthington / Cumbria

Rural north Cumbria near Carlisle. Property-specific flood risk depends on proximity to the Irthing/Eden system and local drainage — check your address on the Environment Agency map when online, then note the result below.

Fill in:

• Our EA flood risk for this address: _______________
• Nearest gritted / primary route we use in snow: _______________
• Notes from last local disruption: _______________

3. Family plan one-pager (fill blanks)

Essential. Complete this on a calm day. One printed copy on the fridge; one photo in each adult’s phone (offline).

• Household address: Rowan House, Irthington, Cumbria CA6 _______________
• Adult 1 — name / mobile / role: _______________
• Adult 2 — name / mobile / role: _______________
• Adult 3 — name / mobile / role: _______________
• Adult 4 — name / mobile / role: _______________
• Adult 5 — name / mobile / role: _______________
• Dog — name / microchip no. / vet: _______________
• Out-of-area contact: _______________
• Outdoor meeting point (fire): _______________
• Alternative meeting point: _______________
• Electricity shut-off location: _______________
• Water stopcock location: _______________
• Gas / oil / LPG shut-off: _______________
• Who knows how to shut each utility: _______________

Suggested roles for 5 adults (adapt)

Roles can rotate. In fire mode: everyone exits — roles resume only after assembly outdoors.