Short Answer
You should pre-decide thresholds, movement rules, roles, priorities, and what you will not do. These decisions remove debate under stress and prevent freezing, panic, and late action.
What Decisions Should I Make Before an Emergency Happens?
The most important emergency decisions should never be made during the emergency. Stress, fatigue, and incomplete information degrade judgment. Pre-deciding a small set of critical choices removes hesitation, prevents panic, and preserves timing when conditions start to move faster than people can think.
Reality
Why decisions fail during emergencies
Emergencies compress time and overwhelm attention. People try to “figure it out as they go,” but decision quality collapses before physical capability does.
Pre-deciding removes the need to think clearly at the exact moment clear thinking is least available.
Pre-Decisions
The decisions that matter most
1. Triggers and thresholds
Decide in advance what conditions force action (loss of power, supply limits, access restrictions).
Trigger Design →2. Stay or leave rules
Decide when you will shelter in place and when you will move — before fear and rumors distort timing.
Stay vs Leave →3. Movement constraints
Decide routes, limits, and stop-points so movement does not become improvisation under pressure.
Movement Windows →4. Roles and authority
Decide who decides what. Lack of authority creates paralysis and conflict.
Role Assignment →Remove
Decisions you should eliminate
- Endless option comparison
- Group consensus under stress
- Waiting for perfect information
- Emotion-driven timing
Preserve
Decisions worth protecting
- Mobility and access
- Health and continuity
- Reversibility
- Clear communication
Design Rule
How many decisions is enough?
Fewer than you think. Most plans fail because they ask people to decide too much, too late.
- One trigger beats five warning signs
- Two routes beat ten contingencies
- Clear authority beats group debate
Key takeaway
Emergencies reward preparation, not intelligence. Pre-deciding removes hesitation, protects timing, and lets imperfect people execute under pressure.
Back to Decision-Making Hub →FAQ
Can I change decisions later?
Yes. Pre-decisions should favor reversibility and staged commitment.
What if conditions don’t match my plan?
Plans should define direction, not predict details.
Is this over-planning?
No. This reduces planning during the moment it fails most.